Today, we’ll address that ‘sleepy feeling,’ a problem that bothers around 20% of people. It’s an issue reported by those who sleep fewer than six hours, and those that sleep eight hours or more. What does ‘sleepy feeling’ mean, and how is it connected to our daily lives?
Experiencing that sleepy feeling all the time starts at night
Poor sleep habits, missing a few nights’ sleep or interrupted sleep can lead to mood swings, low productivity and sleep disorders. There are many reasons why you feel sleepy all the time, from conflict with a colleague to hormone imbalance.
Talking about hormones, melatonin is in charge of the sleep-wake cycle and tells us when to go to bed and wake up. One reason why you always feel sleepy can lie in our ignorance of melatonin. When our body tells us “It’s time to sleep” we ignore it and carry on as normal.
Conflicts and stress are also connected to hormones. When you experience these feelings, your body produces cortisol, the primary stress hormone that prevents you from healthy sleep, leads to mood swings and aggressiveness.
Other causes behind feeling sleepy include:
Poor sleep schedule: Rotating shifts, night jobs may lead to insomnia, narcolepsy, and OSA.
Food habits: Overeating, comfort eating, and consuming food with lots of sugar and fat can contribute to feeling sleepy. Try to eat your last portion at least 3-5 hours before bed.
Tirelessness. If you have a reserve of energy at the day’s end, then add physical activities to your routine to help reduce the body fuel.
Snoring. Feeling sleepy during the day is often due to interrupted and obstructed sleep caused by snoring, which lead to sleep apnea.
Medications. Some may influence hormone imbalance so track what you take and any changes in your sleep behavior, consult your doctor.
There are many causes to feeling tired all the time. It’s essential to consult a doctor as soon as you notice sleepiness becoming regular. However, feeling overly tired may relate to what and how much you eat and drink, how active you are or the way you manage stress.
Implementing lifestyle changes may improve your mood, energy levels and quality of life. To combat that sleepy feeling, why not monitor your sleep. Goodsomnia Lab can help track your sleep and prevent sleep apnea.
