If you struggle to put your thoughts into words after the question, “Are you getting enough sleep?” the sleep matter may be your unfinished business. In childhood, most of us were literally forced to have daytime sleep, while in adulthood, we dream of returning to those carefree days.
Having enough sleep has become a mission that sometimes seems impossible even when the number of sleep hours complies with expert advice. According to age standards, an adult should sleep about eight hours daily for normal functioning. But why are so many people still tired after 8 hours of sleep?
There are a few reasons; each one should be taken seriously. People have to know their enemies better to prevent a disaster. Let’s talk about them in detail.
Disruption of Biological Rhythms
Different biochemical processes take place in the human body around the clock. Among other things, one of the processes is the production of hormones, that is, substances responsible for one’s mood, general condition, food digestion, drowsiness, etc. When the production runs like clockwork, the process is called biorhythms or biological/body clock. Their core goal is to ensure the proper functioning of all body systems.
Cortisol is a stress hormone released in one’s body throughout the day. Its amount depends on current events and experiences. However, one’s body works to make cortisol levels go down by 10 p.m. This is when, by around 11 p.m., the level of the sleep hormone (melatonin) goes up, helping to fall asleep naturally. Therefore, 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. is optimal for going to bed.
From midnight till 5 a.m., the human body and brain, influenced by melatonin (also responsible for long life), rest and gain strength for daily activities. If one goes to bed after midnight, they miss the moment of rest: after that, no matter how much one sleeps, they never wake up with vigor. In this case, they are still tired after 8 hours of sleep.
Solution: Reconsider your sleep schedule and try to adjust it to go to bed on time.
Excessive Physical Activity
I’m tired but can’t sleep. Everyone has encountered this phenomenon at least once (for some people, this is a permanent state). During the day, one can get so physically tired they can hardly reach their bed. They literally fall into a bed, but the sleep won’t come. Why?
Imagine this: you are an athlete who has run a marathon or participated in a competition. Your muscles have experienced too much stress, so they cannot relax. Physical exhaustion makes it difficult to fall asleep, even if you go to bed on time. Sleep comes too late: you toss and turn for a long time and then get up in the morning exhausted, wondering “Why can’t I sleep at night even when I’m tired?”.
Solution: Before bed, have a relaxing body massage or hot bath. After this, your muscles are relaxed, and you will sleep soundly.
Overstimulation of the Nervous System
You want to keep abreast of current events, receive information, communicate via messengers, and more. So you take your phone, tablet, or laptop and immerse yourself in the virtual world, where the distance between the information and you is one click away.
This process is addictive, and the time when you need to stay in complete darkness for the body to start producing the sleep hormone is spent in the blue screen light that stimulates the nervous system trying to prepare for rest. Once a gadget is off, there is no drowsiness: instead of having a rest, your brain starts processing the received information. Your brain and body are overwrought. There is an effect when the brain is tired but can’t sleep, literally digesting the data that was loaded into it.
Solution: Finish your work in front of any screen at least an hour before bed (better before 9:00 p.m.).
Excess Caffeine
Adenosine is the substance responsible for body fatigue. Coffee has a blocking effect on adenosine, making it harder to fall asleep. Studies have revealed that caffeine can disrupt circadian rhythms (the body’s cyclical biological processes associated with the change of day and night), thus disrupting the functioning of the entire body. When drinking coffee in the evening, you may feel tired after 8 hours of sleep in the morning. It is your body’s reaction to this product.
Solution: Drink coffee no later than 6 hours before going to bed.
Lack of Water
When, for any reason, the body experiences a lack of water, it gets tired quite quickly. One may experience dizziness, decreased blood volume, and heart function issues. The body’s reserves will start shrinking, and one will begin experiencing fatigue. As a result, sleep will become unproductive: you will hardly sleep at night, even when tired.
Solution: Drink more water, take it with you when heading somewhere, and eat fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water.
Depressed State
According to 2019 research, people suffering from depression experience a significant decrease in sleep. There may be no sleep at all, or, on the contrary, eight or more hours of sleep, though the feeling of fatigue remains.
Depression is a complex condition affecting all aspects: physical, biological, emotional, and psychological. It triggers disruption in how various body systems function. And sleep activity is especially affected. Can lack of sleep make you feel off balance or aggressive? It is what many people begin to wonder about in this case.
Solution: Since people often confuse depression with melancholia or a bad mood, it is better to reach out to a specialist to clarify the situation once and for all and know how to proceed.
Overall Health
One can go to bed on time, drink a lot of water, have moderate exercise, eat right, and follow all the rules, but still feel tired. There is a long list of health conditions causing chronic fatigue. Without a checkup, one may not know the reasons for this condition, thus allowing it to continue affecting their well-being.
Solution: It’s suggested to consult a doctor, have a comprehensive checkup, and, when necessary, start the treatment.
Can Lack of Sleep Make You Feel off Balance?
Studies conducted by scientists at different times, among them psychologist and professor at Oxford University, Daniel Freeman, have revealed that lack of sleep negatively affects one’s physical and mental well-being.
Lack of sleep triggers multiple negative thoughts, obsession, and feelings of melancholy and anxiety. One may experience the signs indicating the onset of psychosis. When people are tired but can’t sleep, their trust in the people around them decreases, and the world seems gray, gloomy, and dangerous.
Sounds scary, right? But there is also good news: you can get back to a healthy sleep routine. It will require little time: one week is enough for you to regain your strength (this refers to when it’s not a clinical case where drug treatment is needed).
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for feeling amazing and having the energy to conquer each day.