In extreme cases, a person with hypersomnia might sleep soundly at night for 12 hours or more, but still feel the need to nap during the day.
So when you're getting eight hours and still feeling tired the next day, it's frustrating. There are four likely culprits behind your low energy: your sleep need is more than eight hours, you're getting less sleep than you think, you've got sleep debt to pay back, or you're out of sync with your circadian rhythm.
It could be due to poor sleep quality, lifestyle factors such as stress, poor diet, lack of exercise or an underlying health condition. It is also possible that you may not be getting enough deep sleep or REM sleep, which can leave you feeling tired even after a full night's sleep.
If you aren't feeling rested when you wake up, despite getting to sleep at least 8 hours prior, then it might not be the quantity of your sleep that's the problem. It could be your sleep quality that needs some attention. The amount of sleep you get is important, but equally important is the quality of that sleep.
Everyone needs a certain number of sleep hours, and if you don't get what you need, you may find it difficult to hop out of bed feeling refreshed. Finally, sleep disorders could be the cause. Various sleep disorders can reduce the quality of your sleep and make it so your night isn't restful.
You're most likely waking up tired every day because of sleep inertia, the natural grogginess you get when you transition from being asleep to awake. Sleep debt, being out of sync with your circadian rhythm, a sleep disorder, or an underlying medical condition could also be to blame.
People may feel fatigued in body or mind (physical or psychological fatigue). Most of the time, fatigue can be traced to one or more of your habits or routines. Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical exertion, poor eating habits, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep.
However, most people start experiencing a decline in their energy levels by the time they reach their mid-thirties.
There's no test for myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), but there are clear guidelines to help doctors diagnose the condition. A GP should ask you about your medical history and give you a physical examination.
The most common causes of excessive sleepiness are sleep deprivation and disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Depression and other mental health conditions, certain medications, and medical conditions affecting the brain and body can cause daytime drowsiness as well.
What does a Tiredness & Fatigue blood test check? This test is a great starting point to find out the cause of constant tiredness, low energy, and fatigue. Testing thyroid stimulating hormone levels, along with vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iron (ferritin) can identify or rule out some of the potential causes.
Fatigue is more persistent, constant and lingering compared to feeling tired. Feeling fatigue usually interrupts your day-to-day activities and isn't always relieved by sleeping more. “Sometimes the differences between fatigue and being tired can be difficult for people to differentiate.
A Fatigue Blood and Urine Test Panel includes a Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP-14), Complete Blood Count with Differentials, Iron with Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Sedimentation Rate, Westergren (SED), Urinalysis, Complete with Microscopic Examination.
The eight B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folate and B12) provide the most energy, as they aid in cell metabolism, help the body transform carbohydrates and fats into energy and carry energy-nutrients around the body.
Foods that fight fatigue
Prebiotics: beans, oats, bananas, berries, garlic, onions, dandelion greens, asparagus, artichokes and leeks. Low-GI carbohydrates: brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oatmeal and chia seeds. Medium-GI foods, in moderation: honey, orange juice and whole-grain bread.
See a GP if: you've been feeling tired for a few weeks and you're not sure why. your tiredness affects your daily life. you feel tired and have other symptoms, such as weight loss or mood changes, or you've been told you're making gasping, snorting or choking noises when you're asleep.
In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition. If that's the case, then the long-term outlook is good.
Sleepy is a forerunner to sleep. Your body is experiencing these symptoms to signal you that it needs sleep or that it's close to bedtime. On the other hand, when you are overtired, your body doesn't get to this step. You can feel mentally and/or physically tired, but still won't be able to fall asleep.
Research has shown that adolescence brings with it a shift in biological sleep patterns. Thanks to changing circadian rhythms at this stage, teens naturally get tired later on at night. It's also harder for their bodies to wake up in the mornings.