How can i sleep so much and still be tired


Still Tired After 8 Hours of Sleep: 3 Likely Culprits

For some people, prying your eyelids open after eight solid hours of sleep can feel like a Herculean effort. Even though you’ve had what seems like a good night’s sleep, you struggle to wake up when your alarm clock rings. Aside from the usual sleep inertia (translation: wake-up grogginess), why am I still tired after 8 hours of sleep?

Because this daily scenario runs counter to oft-repeated guidelines from national health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, doubts begin to creep into your mind. Are you the victim of some undiagnosed medical condition, say, iron deficiency anemia or obstructive sleep apnea? Or maybe the ever-present grogginess is a risk factor for chronic illnesses like heart disease.

Before you scare yourself silly, we’ll share with you three non-medical reasons why you’re still tired after eight hours of sleep.

Disclaimer: This post is not intended as medical advice. While the RISE app supports natural sleep patterns and boosts sleep hygiene, it does not treat medical conditions.

Why Am I Still Tired After 8 Hours of Sleep?

The good news is, it’s not the health scare you catastrophize in your mind. Instead, blame the lingering drowsiness on misinformation, inefficiency, and debt (of the sleep variety, that is).

Your Sleep Need Is More Than 8 Hours

We’re often told to get eight hours of sleep per night if we want to be in top form the next day. But did you know your sleep need is genetically determined and thus unique to you? In other words, if you’re always so tired even after 8 hours of sleep, there’s a high chance your individual sleep need is more than the recommended eight — and definitely more than the scanty few hours of sleep the hustle culture propagandize. 

To quote Dr. Thomas Roth in Matthew Walker’s book, Why We Sleep, “The number of people who can survive on 5 hours of sleep or less without any impairment, expressed as a percent of the population, and rounded to a whole number, is zero.

And science has the statistics to back it up.

A 2016 study found the average sleep need stands at 8 hours and 10 minutes per night (plus or minus 44 minutes or so). That means your sleep need could very well be closer to nine hours than the expected eight. For 13.5% of the general population (a not-so-insignificant percentage, they need a longer sleep schedule of nine hours or more every night.

If you undersleep your sleep need, not only do you feel tired the next day, but you will also perform poorly across all the parameters that matter — think cognition, emotion, and physiology.

You Overestimate Your Actual Sleep Time in Bed

Repeat after us: Time spent in bed does not equal time spent asleep. Between sleep latency (you take some time to fall asleep) and sleep fragmentation (you wake up at least once during the night), your sleep efficiency isn’t at 100%.

To better understand sleep efficiency, we’ll use a hypothetical example:

Your bedtime begins at 10 p. m., and your alarm clock is set to ring at 6 a.m., so you could get eight hours of sleep, theoretically speaking. In reality, though, you likely don’t immediately snooze when you slide between the sheets. Perhaps you spend about 30 minutes scrolling on your phone or watching Netflix. Then, it takes you roughly another 30 minutes of tossing and turning before you finally fall into a deep sleep.

Still, you’re not guaranteed uninterrupted sleep from here on till morning. Maybe the urge to use the facilities or an abrupt awakening from a nightmare have you waking up in the middle of the night. A sleep environment that’s too noisy, bright, or hot could also be blamed for your sleep problems. Not to mention, unhealthy sleep habits such as too-late caffeine consumption and large evening meals often throw a wrench into your sleep schedule.

You may not even remember many of the shorter (<10 minute) awakenings that happen in everyone every night. This process (“retrograde amnesia”) is also why you don’t remember the minutes before falling asleep at the beginning of the night.

Accounting for the time it takes you to fall asleep as well as middle-of-the-night awakenings, remembered or otherwise, it’s safe to say that you’ve had significantly less sleep than the expected eight hours. Perhaps you’ve only managed six hours of total sleep time, rating your sleep efficiency at around 75%. (For the record, you’ll want to aim for a sleep efficiency of 85% or more.) Add on to the fact that your sleep need is likely more than eight hours, the resulting lack of sleep is the reason why you’re still tired all the time.

You’re Already Burdened With Sleep DebtThe RISE app shows the amount of sleep debt you've accumulated per night across the past 14 nights on your Progress screen.

Perhaps you can unequivocally state that in sleeping 8 hours you met your sleep need last night. But you still feel like you need multiple naps throughout the day despite getting “enough sleep.” One likely reason for this is that you’re already carrying sleep debt from previous nights.

Let’s imagine that your individual sleep need is indeed eight hours. If you’ve slept eight hours last night but averaged 6-7 hours in the past week, clearly, you’ve fallen short of your biological sleep requirements.

Contrary to popular misconception, sleep debt isn’t just based on last night’s missed sleep. Instead, it’s inclusive of all the z's you’ve skipped out on in the past 14 nights. So, if you’ve gone to bed too late, woke up too early, or had poor sleep patterns in any of the other 13 nights before last night, you’ve most likely accrued sleep debt.

That’s why rather than take a close look at your “sleep quality” (even though sleep experts have yet to agree on an official definition for it), sleep debt is the only metric you need to care about if you want to start feeling and functioning at your best when you’re awake.

Improve Your Energy Levels With RISE

Now that we have demystified the seemingly inexplicable sleepiness after eight hours of sleep, what can you do to improve your energy levels?

Firstly, figure out your sleep need. The RISE app can help you with that. RISE decodes your sleep need by using sleep-science-based models and the past 365 nights of sleep data tracked by your phone to learn your unique sleep biology and calculate your sleep need in hours and minutes.

Secondly, pay down your sleep debt and keep it low going forward. You can easily see where your sleep debt stands on the Sleep screen in RISE. We recommend an earlier bedtime, afternoon naps, and, as a last resort, a later sleep-in to effectively chip away at sleep debt.

Instead of relying on sleep aids like melatonin (which are often unnecessary and come with unwanted side effects), work with your circadian rhythm (read: your internal body clock) to promote better sleep at night. Practicing healthy sleep hygiene 24/7 will make it easier to meet your sleep need.

The RISE app can help you do so with its 16 science-based habits. For instance, the “Limit Caffeine” habit tells you when to stop taking the sleep-detracting stimulant based on your unique chronobiology. Meanwhile, the “Block All Blue Light” habit reminds you to steer clear of bright and/or artificial light sources when your bedtime draws near.

You Can Stop Feeling Tired All the Time

Sure, sleep disorders like narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome could be the answers to “Why am I still tired after 8 hours of sleep?” Not to mention fatigue is a hallmark in various health conditions, from thyroid diseases to mental health problems.

But the truth is, the reasons for the ever-present sleepiness are usually non-medical in nature. Most likely, you’re still tired after eight hours of sleep because of these three factors: (1) you don’t know your sleep need, (2) you’re not taking into account your sleep efficiency, and (3) you carry sleep debt.

Fortunately, you don’t have to splurge on a sleep study or consult a doctor well-versed in sleep medicine to boost your daytime energy levels. (Although, if you have an underlying sleep disorder, we recommend you to do so!) Instead, use the RISE app to determine your sleep need, pay down your sleep debt, and maximize your sleep schedule for the better.

12 Reasons You’re Always Tired (and What to Do About It)

Not getting enough sleep is one reason why you may be tired. Other possible reasons include a nutrient deficiency, stress, an underlying health condition, and drug side effects. If you have chronic fatigue, see a doctor for a diagnosis.

If you’re feeling overly tired or have little energy, you’re not alone.

Fatigue may be caused by simple factors like a lack of sleep or coming down with a cold or the flu. However, it can also be caused by underlying health conditions.

Even though everyone feels tired from time to time, chronic fatigue can harm your quality of life and prevent you from doing things you enjoy.

In most cases, fatigue can be remedied by lifestyle or dietary modifications, correcting a nutrient deficiency, or treating an underlying medical condition. Still, to improve fatigue, you need to get to the bottom of what’s causing it.

Here are 12 potential reasons why you’re always tired.

Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health. Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough, which may lead to fatigue.

During sleep, your body performs a number of critical processes, including releasing important growth hormones and repairing and regenerating cells. This is why most people wake up feeling refreshed, alert, and energized after a night of high quality sleep (1, 2, 3).

Importantly, sleep should be restful and uninterrupted to allow your brain to go through three stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and one stage of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — the stage in which you dream (1).

Even though sleep time should be individualized, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommends that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per night for optimal health (2, 3).

Even though you may know the importance of getting enough sleep, falling and staying asleep can be a struggle.

Insomnia is a term for any condition that causes difficulty falling or staying asleep. It can be caused by several factors, including menopause, medical conditions, psychological stress, poor sleeping environments, and excessive mental stimulation (1, 4).

Insomnia is very common. In fact, one review noted that up to 40% of adults in the United States experience insomnia at some point in a given year (5).

Short-term insomnia, which lasts less than 3 months, is more common and affects 9.5% of the U.S. population. Yet, 1 in 5 cases of short-term insomnia turns into chronic insomnia, which occurs 3 or more times per week and lasts longer than 3 months (5).

If you’re experiencing insomnia, treatments like natural supplements, medications, and the management of underlying medical conditions may help. Visit your doctor to get the appropriate care and treatment.

Summary

Inadequate or poor quality sleep is a common cause of fatigue. Stress, medical conditions, and poor sleeping environments may negatively affect sleep and trigger insomnia. If you’re experiencing insomnia, consult your doctor for advice.

Nutrient deficiencies may lead you to feel exhausted on a daily basis, even if you’re getting more than 7 hours of sleep.

Deficiencies in the following nutrients have been linked to fatigue (6, 7):

  • iron
  • riboflavin (vitamin B2)
  • niacin (vitamin B3)
  • pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
  • pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
  • folate (vitamin B9)
  • vitamin B12
  • vitamin D
  • vitamin C
  • magnesium

Deficiencies in many of these nutrients are quite common.

Anemia affects 25% of the world’s population. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type, responsible for 50% of all anemia. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of this condition, but it typically improves once iron stores are restored (8).

Furthermore, studies suggest that up to 20% of people in the United States and United Kingdom ages 60 and over are deficient in vitamin B12. This deficiency is especially common in older adults because the body’s ability to absorb B12 declines with age (9).

B12 is critical for oxygen delivery and energy production, so low levels can cause extreme fatigue.

Additionally, a vitamin D deficiency may cause fatigue. Over half of the world’s population has inadequate vitamin D levels (10).

Because these deficiencies are quite common, it’s important to have your levels tested if you’re experiencing unexplained fatigue.

Typically, fatigue related to a deficiency in one or more nutrients improves once your nutrient levels normalize.

Summary

Deficiencies in certain nutrients — such as iron and vitamins B12 and D — may cause fatigue. Your doctor can test for nutrient deficiencies and suggest appropriate treatment.

Although some stress is normal, chronic stress is linked to fatigue (11, 12, 13).

In fact, chronic stress may lead to stress-related exhaustion disorder (ED), a medical condition characterized by psychological and physical symptoms of exhaustion (14).

Furthermore, chronic stress may cause structural and functional changes in your brain and lead to chronic inflammation, which may contribute to symptoms like fatigue (14, 15).

While you may be unable to avoid stressful situations, especially those related to work or family obligations, managing your stress may help prevent complete exhaustion.

For example, you can set aside time to decompress by taking a bath, meditating, or going for a walk (16).

A therapist may also help you develop strategies to reduce stress. Many health insurance plans cover mental health counseling, and virtual therapy is also an option.

Summary

Excessive stress may cause fatigue and reduce your quality of life. Prioritizing time for yourself and going to therapy may help you manage stress.

If you’re experiencing unexplained, chronic fatigue, you should visit your doctor and discuss your symptoms.

They may recommend testing to rule out certain health conditions that cause fatigue, such as sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, anxiety disorders, kidney disease, depression, diabetes, and fibromyalgia (17, 18, 19).

It’s important to know that it’s abnormal to feel exhausted all the time. If you experience frequent fatigue, there’s likely one or more causes.

Getting proper treatment for an underlying medical condition can help you feel better and improve other areas of health as well.

Summary

Numerous medical conditions are linked to fatigue. If you’re chronically tired, it’s important to visit your healthcare professional to undergo appropriate testing.

Your diet significantly affects the way you feel.

To maintain energy and get the nutrients your body needs to perform critical processes, it’s important to consume a balanced diet high in nutrient-dense foods.

Undereating — or eating ultra-processed foods low in essential nutrients — may lead to calorie and nutrient deficiencies, which can cause exhaustion.

When you don’t obtain enough calories and nutrients like protein, your body starts breaking down fat and muscle to meet energy demands. This leads to a loss of body fat and muscle mass, which may trigger fatigue (20).

Older adults are especially at risk of malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies due to factors like age-related changes in appetite and reductions in physical activity (20).

Additionally, diets high in ultra-processed foods impair energy levels. For example, a diet high in added sugar may harm sleep and lead to chronically high blood sugar and insulin levels, which can result in fatigue (20).

In a 28-day study in 82 people, a diet high in refined sugars and highly processed grains resulted in 38% and 26% higher scores for depressive symptoms and fatigue, respectively, than a low glycemic load diet high in whole grains and legumes but low in added sugar (21).

What’s more, a review including over 53,000 postmenopausal women associated diets high in added sugars and refined grains with a greater risk of insomnia — and diets high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a lower risk of insomnia (22).

Following a diet low in ultra-processed food and added sugar but rich in nutrient-dense foods like fruits, veggies, legumes, and protein sources like fish and eggs may help reduce fatigue and support healthy sleep while providing your body with optimal nutrition.

Summary

A diet high in ultra-processed foods may hamper your energy levels, so transitioning to a nutrient-dense diet loaded with whole, nourishing foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes may reduce fatigue.

Although caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy drinks give you a temporary boost of energy, over-reliance on them may make you more tired the next day. That’s because too much caffeine can harm sleep, which may cause fatigue.

Research shows that feeling tired in the morning leads people to consume large amounts of caffeine, which impairs your sleep cycle. In turn, you may overuse coffee or other caffeinated drinks for energy, which continues the cycle of poor sleep followed by too much caffeine (23).

Drinking too much caffeine is linked to increased nighttime worrying, sleeplessness, increased nighttime awakenings, decreased total sleep time, and daytime sleepiness (24).

A study in 462 women linked high calorie coffee and energy drink intake to poor sleep quality and sleep disturbance. Those who didn’t drink these beverages reported better sleep quality (25).

Still, caffeine tolerance varies, and some people are more sensitive to caffeine’s effects on sleep than others (26).

While coffee and caffeinated beverages like green tea may benefit health when consumed in moderation, energy drinks are extremely high in stimulants and added sugar. Thus, you should avoid them whenever possible (27).

If you’re currently experiencing sleep issues and frequently drink caffeinated beverages, try cutting back to see whether it helps improve your sleep and energy levels.

Summary

Relying too heavily on caffeinated beverages may harm your sleep cycle and lead to fatigue. Therefore, cutting back on caffeine may help restore your sleep and energy levels.

Staying well hydrated is important for maintaining energy levels. The many biochemical reactions that take place in your body every day result in a loss of water that needs to be replaced.

Dehydration occurs when you don’t drink enough liquid to replace the water lost in your urine, stools, sweat, and breath. Several studies show that being dehydrated leads to lower energy levels and a decreased ability to concentrate (28, 29).

In fact, dehydration affects your entire body, including your sleep cycles.

A study in over 26,000 Chinese and American adults associated inadequate hydration with shorter sleep times (30).

Being dehydrated may also make you feel more fatigued during exercise and negatively affect exercise endurance (31).

Although you may have heard that you should drink eight, 8-ounce (240-mL) glasses of water daily, hydration needs depend on several factors, including your weight, age, sex, and activity levels.

The key is drinking enough to maintain good hydration. Common symptoms of dehydration include thirst, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches (28).

Summary

Even mild dehydration may reduce energy levels and alertness. Make sure to drink enough to replace fluids lost during the day.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential to overall health.

Not only is obesity significantly linked to a greater risk of many chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, but it may also increase your risk of chronic fatigue (32).

Obesity greatly increases your risk of obstructive sleep apnea, which is a common cause of daytime fatigue. It’s also linked to increased daytime sleepiness regardless of sleep apnea, suggesting that obesity directly affects the sleep cycle (33, 34, 35, 36).

What’s more, people with obesity have a higher risk of conditions associated with fatigue, including depression and type 2 diabetes (37, 38, 39).

Plus, poor sleep quality and sleep restriction may cause weight gain or obesity (40).

Maintaining a healthy body weight may support good sleep and energy levels, while getting high quality sleep may help prevent weight gain and reduce fatigue.

Summary

Obesity has been linked to poor sleep quality and conditions associated with fatigue like obstructive sleep apnea.

Many other conditions may lead to tiredness. It’s important to understand that several factors may be contributing to your exhaustion.

Here are a few other common reasons why you may feel tired:

  1. Drug and alcohol dependence. Research shows that people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol are more likely to experience fatigue (41).
  2. Shift work. Shift work causes sleep disruption and may result in fatigue. Sleep experts estimate that 2–5% of all shift workers have a sleep disorder characterized by excessive sleepiness or disrupted sleep over a period of 1 or more months (42, 43).
  3. A sedentary lifestyle. Leading a sedentary lifestyle may lead to tiredness during the day. Studies show that exercising more may improve symptoms of fatigue in some people, including those with medical conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) (44, 45, 46).
  4. Certain medications. Some drugs, including steroids, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, are linked to side effects like insomnia and increased tiredness (47, 48).

Help for drug or alcohol dependence

If you need help overcoming your addiction contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

It may be difficult or impossible to identify the factor(s) behind your fatigue on your own, which is why it’s important to work with a doctor you trust. They can help you find the cause and suggest possible treatments.

Summary

Medications, drug or alcohol dependence, a sedentary lifestyle, and shift work may all contribute to fatigue.

Even though everyone has days when they feel exhausted, constantly feeling run down and tired isn’t normal.

Many possible factors cause chronic fatigue, such as underlying medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disturbances, caffeine intake, and chronic stress.

If you’re experiencing unexplained fatigue, it’s important to talk with your doctor to find the cause.

In many cases, your fatigue should improve once you identify the underlying cause(s) and make appropriate lifestyle and dietary adjustments — or get the right treatment for medical conditions.

For more sleep support, check out our sleep shop.

Just one thing

Try this today: When I started to feel extremely tired during the day, I knew that something was off. I ended up being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease after many months of visiting different doctors.

You know your body best and know when something isn’t right. If you’re feeling chronically exhausted even when you get adequate rest, there may be a medical condition contributing to your fatigue.

Work with a doctor you trust to get the right testing to rule out common health conditions that may be contributing to your fatigue.

Read this article in Spanish

12 non-obvious reasons why you constantly want to sleep

November 27, 2022 Likbez Health

Maybe you just don't have enough movement.

You can listen to this article. If it's more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.

Falling asleep after a sleepless night or getting up too early is normal. But it’s bad if you were supposed to get enough sleep, but you still feel sleepy. In this case, we can talk about a lack of important nutrients or even a hidden disease. Among the possible causes, there are unexpected things. nine0003

1. Lack of calories

This applies not only to those who are on strict diets and deliberately limit themselves in nutrition. Sometimes, due to workload and stress, you may skip breakfast or lunch. As a result, the blood sugar level drops, the body simply does not have enough energy. Rolling fatigue and a desire to sleep are quite predictable consequences.

What to do

Watch your diet. Especially if you work hard or study hard. nine0003

If for some reason you can't have a proper breakfast or break out for lunch, keep healthy snacks on hand - banana, whole grain crackers, protein bars, dried fruits, nuts. They help the body stay energized throughout the day.

2. Lack of physical activity

A sedentary lifestyle is a sure way to earn daytime fatigue and sleepiness.

And this is a vicious circle: the less you move, the more you want to sleep, and the more you feel sleepy, the less you move. It can be broken only by force of will. nine0003

What to do

Move. The more often you get up and do exercises, the more energetic and less sleepy you will feel. Check and make sure.

3. Excess weight

Excess weight and especially obesity can provoke fatigue and drowsiness during the day. This is due to the fact that the muscles, cardiovascular and other systems have to make more efforts to move an excessively heavy body from its place and provide it with the necessary amount of oxygen and nutrients. nine0003

What to do

Try to normalize your weight. In theory, the recipe is simple: healthy eating, calorie restriction, more physical activity, including exercise. In practice, changing your lifestyle to get rid of extra pounds can be difficult. But a certified dietitian or therapist can help with this, as well as the Lifehacker project.

4. Chronic stress

Under acute stress, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode: adrenaline and cortisol levels rise, blood flow to the muscles increases, and the body prepares for a rush. This is normal and may even save your life. But if the stress drags on and the rush doesn't happen, the constant heightened readiness exhausts the body. nine0003

Headache, muscle stiffness, fatigue and including sleepiness during the day are symptoms of prolonged nervous strain.

What to do

Look for a way to get rid of stress. In some cases, it is enough to get out of the influence of provoking factors, for example, not to communicate with an acquaintance that makes you nervous, to spend less time on social networks, to change your unloved job.

If there is no opportunity to act radically, start influencing the situation from within. Move more, read, meditate, communicate with people you like. nine0003

5. Depression

Recognizing depression can be extremely difficult. Sometimes people experiencing this mental disorder can behave quite normally. You can detect the problem only by looking closely and noticing minor changes in behavior.

Overwhelmed fatigue, agonizing reluctance to get out of bed, drowsiness are clear symptoms of latent depression.

What to do

If you feel that the world has become gray, you do not want anything (except to sleep), find the strength in yourself to look to a psychotherapist. Or at least a therapist: a primary care physician will also be able to recognize the problem, if any, and, if necessary, refer you to a specialized specialist who will help you overcome depression. nine0003

6. Chronic fatigue syndrome

This is a common disorder. In the US alone, up to 2. 5 million people suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). As a rule, the main symptom of the disorder is lack of strength and drowsiness for three weeks or more.

What to do

Unfortunately, this disease is one of those that are difficult to detect. Before making a diagnosis of CFS, the therapist must rule out other health problems.

If you do get chronic fatigue syndrome, be prepared to correct it with proper nutrition, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy. nine0003

7. Deficiency of certain vitamins or microelements

Drowsiness is often caused by vitamin B12 or iron deficiency. These substances play an important role in energy metabolism. If they are not enough, all the body wants is to crawl under the covers and close your eyes.

What to do

To check whether everything is in order with vitamins and microelements, you need to take a blood test. It is best to do this in the direction of a therapist. The doctor will be able to correctly decipher the results of the tests, find the cause of the deficiency and choose the therapy. nine0003

However, they may not be needed. Sometimes the lack of a particular substance can be compensated by making changes to the daily diet. For example, to increase your iron and B12 levels, you need to eat spinach, liver, and red meat.

8. Taking certain medications

Think back to when you started to have daytime sleepiness. If in time they coincided with the start of taking a particular drug, perhaps the point is in it.

What to do

Look at the instructions: drowsiness may be mentioned in the list of side effects. If this is the case, contact your general practitioner or your doctor: there is a chance that specialists will find an alternative for you to the medication you are taking. nine0003

9. Sleep disorders

Insomnia, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea - dozens of possible sleep disorders. Which of them does not allow you to get enough sleep, only a doctor can determine.

What to do

Be sure to consult a therapist if you have any of the signs of a sleep disorder other than daytime sleepiness:

  • In the evenings, you need at least half an hour to fall asleep.
  • You regularly wake up in the middle of the night.
  • You snore, snort, grind your teeth in your sleep. Or your loved ones sometimes feel like your breathing stops.
  • As you fall asleep, you sometimes experience tingling in your arms and legs.
  • You sleep restlessly. Your partner can talk about it. There is also circumstantial evidence: for example, every morning you wake up with a crumpled sheet and a fallen pillow.
  • You often get up with a headache.
  • It happens that in a dream something unusual happens to you - for example, you try to get up and go somewhere. nine0100
  • When you wake up, you sometimes experience acute muscle weakness for a while and cannot move your arms and legs.

10. Diabetes

Unmotivated fatigue during the day is one of the clear signs of developing diabetes. This is not the only symptom: the disease also makes itself felt by constant thirst, frequent urination, slow wound healing, and more.

What to do

If you notice warning signs, be sure to consult a therapist. The doctor will conduct an examination and issue a referral for the necessary tests. According to their results, a diagnosis will be made and, if necessary, treatment will be prescribed. nine0003

11. Cardiovascular disease

A persistent desire to sleep more than 8-9 hours may be a sign of cardiovascular problems. For some reason, the heart does not provide normal blood circulation to organs and tissues, including the brain. And they react to the lack of nutrients and oxygen by reducing activity. This is also manifested by drowsiness.

What to do

If you've made some lifestyle changes, such as eating well, moving around, making sure you get a good night's sleep, but your daytime sleepiness doesn't go away, you should talk to a therapist. nine0003

Be as detailed as possible when describing how you feel. Sometimes diseases of the cardiovascular system can manifest themselves in the most unexpected way, and the doctor needs to be clear about what symptoms you have.

12. Cancer

A tumor growing inside requires a lot of energy. Therefore, oncological diseases cause constant fatigue. As a rule, this is not the only symptom of cancer. So beware if, in addition to drowsiness, there is unexplained weight loss and night sweats. Especially if you are over 45 years old, smoke, have not visited a gynecologist for more than a year, are obese or abuse alcohol. nine0003

What to do

Considering the risk of cancer, be sure to consult a physician if daytime sleepiness does not respond to lifestyle changes and you do not understand where it comes from.

Perhaps it's not so scary: the doctor will find you have a deficiency of some vitamin or suggest a sleep disorder. But this is the case when it is better to play it safe.

Read also 😴🛌🌜✨

  • How much sleep do you need to get enough sleep
  • 10 scientifically proven ways to get back to sleep
  • How to know if you have narcolepsy and what to do about it
  • What is sleep paralysis and how to get rid of it? nine0002 Beginning - Useful information - Doctors advise - Why do you always want to sleep and overcome fatigue?

    Cardiologist, internist at “Capital Clinic Riga” Santa Viltere answers

    Sleepiness and fatigue can have several causes. Some of them are completely harmless and quickly eliminated (overload, lack of sleep, etc.), but others, such as anemia, are very serious. Therefore, if a person is constantly sleepy and tired, and at the same time these phenomena are not of a seasonal nature, you should definitely consult a doctor in order to establish the cause of prolonged fatigue and eliminate it as quickly as possible. In the dark season, when we get too little sunlight, vitamins, and at the same time our strength is taken away by viruses and flu, fatigue is more likely to appear. The reason is the lack of sunlight, when the body, with the onset of the dark season, intensively begins to produce melatonin (a hormone that regulates the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness) and already automatically adapts to “winter hibernation”. This has a significant effect on the body. Also, an additional load on the circulatory system and increased feelings of fatigue create temperature fluctuations. With the approach and onset of winter, a person becomes physically less active, food, especially on holidays, becomes more fatty, unhealthy, we eat a lot of sweets and overeat. Due to the lack of sunlight, less vitamin D is produced, which affects our immune system. nine0003

    It may seem impossible, but fatigue is often associated with insufficient iron in the body. A person does not feel a gradual decrease in hemoglobin levels, so iron deficiency in the body should be checked regularly. Unfortunately, it has been established that anemia affects a large part of society, while - mainly women - they are so used to this phenomenon that they do not even pay attention to it until severe anemia develops, and thus cause significant harm to their health and quality of life. It is very important to identify and clarify the causes of anemia. If there are not enough irreplaceable sources of iron - meat, especially beef, liver, eggs (yolk), apricots, pomegranates (also juice), legumes, spinach, the doctor prescribes iron-containing preparations. nine0003

    Existing anemia cannot be compensated by diet alone, in which case treatment is necessary. This requires patience and time, as the treatment takes an average of 4-6 months. Treatment usually begins with oral medications (tablets, capsules, syrups). The introduction of intravenous iron-containing preparations is more effective, but also more expensive, since it is necessary to receive at least 10-20 injections. The cause of fatigue can also be psycho-emotional stress, stress, overwork. This phenomenon differs from anemia in that after rest, adequate sleep, recuperation, fatigue recedes, and the person feels alert again. The fact that in the spring and autumn a person is overcome by fatigue, the mood deteriorates, is quite normal, but if the condition becomes prolonged, you should consult a doctor. The specialist usually recommends techniques on how a person can help himself. nine0003