Scientists Explain What Makes You Feel Sleepy (And 4 Ways To Fix It)

Are you always sleepy? You think you slept well, but when you go about your day, you feel your eyelids droop and you start to feel more and more tired. Soon, you will barely be able to stay awake.

Why did this happened? How can you stop it? There are several possible reasons and knowing them will help you solve the problem.

5 reasons why you are always sleepy

Here’s how the experts reveal 5 reasons why you always feel sleepy and 4 ways to fix it.

1. High levels of stress

• “Stress and coping styles are associated with severe fatigue in medical students,” published in Behavioral Medicine (2009). This study found that stress can contribute to fatigue, but not properly coping and addressing it can make it worse.
• “Do sleep, stress, and illness explain the daily variations in fatigue? A prospective study ”published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research (2014). This study linked stress levels and illness to fatigue and drowsiness, while also drawing links showing that this tiredness can lead to a lower perception of health overall.
• “Reciprocal relationship between acute stress and acute fatigue in daily life in a sample of university students” published in Biological Psychology (2015). This article discovered that stress and fatigue have a reciprocal relationship, requiring both to be positive for optimal health. In fact, they affect each other more than specific cortisol levels!

2. Bad sleep habits

Of course the obvious with drowsiness is that the problem may be in your sleeping habits. After all, there is a difference between feeling drowsy and feeling tired, and in most cases, the drowsiness can be traced back to your bedtime. Here are some ways that the way you sleep could affect your ability to stay awake the next day:

Low quality sleep

Just being asleep isn’t really enough to make you feel rested! A sleep cycle has five stages, and for high-quality sleep, Spritzler says, you need to have them all, with the most crucial one taking the longest to arrive. That crucial stage is called “deep sleep” in layman’s terms and is when you get a good night’s sleep. Without enough of this deep sleep, you will lose many of the positive benefits that are supposed to come from rest.

· Lack of sleep

You need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night, and if that’s not enough, you can sleep up to 10. Hugh Selsick, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Sleep Task Force He says that even half an hour can make a difference. This means that 30 more minutes of sleep can lead to 16 hours of feeling more alert and awake the next day, he says, which is a huge trade-off!

Sleeping at the wrong times

When you sleep at uneven and inconsistent times, your body can become confused as your natural circadian rhythm deviates, says Spritzler. If you sleep in strange moments that do not coincide with that natural rhythm, studies Point out that you may feel like you haven’t slept at all!

· Sleep disorders

It’s obvious and easy to spot when you have insomnia, but other sleep disorders are harder to discern. Remember when we talked about sleeping soundly? Some sleep disorders can disrupt your ability to enter that stage, such as sleep apnea, he says. Former Baptist Sleep Institute Medical Director, Dr. Roseanne S. Barker. If you are concerned that you may have a sleep disorder, speak with a doctor for advice and diagnosis.

3. A sedentary lifestyle

It can seem counterproductive to exercise and be active to reduce tiredness or drowsiness. But what many don’t realize is that exercise tires you out in the short term, but increases your energy levels and quality of sleep in the long term.

Studies They have long shown links between people with inactive lifestyles and higher levels of fatigue, more difficulty falling asleep, and general worsening of fitness. Of course, the problem is that if you are already in a drowsy state, you may feel like you don’t have the energy to be active.

Spritzler recommends trying to replace certain sedentary activities with active activities in subtle ways. This adds to your activity levels without you crashing from the start. For example, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator or ride a bike instead of driving on short trips.

4. What do you eat

Too many calories

Calories are energy. They are what we need to function and function normally. So too few calories in the diet can easily be linked to drowsiness, tiredness and a general lack of energy as the metabolism slows down to try and maintain strength, says Spritzler. Even in old age or with a lower metabolism, most investigation suggests that people need to eat at the peak of their caloric requirement range.

Insufficient B12

B12 vitamin It does a lot for your body and is crucial for metabolism, immunity, and many other functions that can help keep you awake and energized. Registered dietitian Lisa Cimperman states that tiredness and lack of energy are among the first signs of a deficiency in this vitamin.

Too many refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a great source of energy for the body, and you need to eat enough to function well. But it would be better if your goal was whole carbohydrates, not refined ones. Refined carbohydrates include white rice, bread and pasta, and most junk food. These types of carbohydrates can tire you out quickly, say studies.

Very little protein

Protein is crucial for energy, satiety and feelings of alertness, says Spritzler. Lack of it can quickly lead to fatigue and new studies have indicated that the building blocks of protein may play a role in regulating fatigue and energy levels.

5. Medical problems

Many common medical problems can present themselves through drowsiness and general fatigue. In fact, this is such an important rule that internal medicine doctor, Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, recommends that you speak with a doctor if you cannot discern the source of your fatigue. Here are some common medical problems that can include drowsiness as a symptom:

· Type 2 diabetes

People with diabetes cannot properly process glucose or sugars, leading to the inability to convert them into energy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that around 7.2 million Americans You may have this condition without realizing it!

Thyroid disease

When the thyroid is overactive or underactive, it fails to balance its hormone production and makes you tired. Co-Director of the New York Thyroid Center, Dr. Robert J. McConnell explains that people of any age can have thyroid disease and that fatigue is one of its common symptoms.

Anemia

Anemia occurs due to low levels of red blood cells., which means that oxygen cannot be transported properly throughout your body, making you feel more tired. It can be the result of a mineral or vitamin deficiency. Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, Dr. Laurence Corash, explains that this is especially common during menstruation or nursing mothers.

4 ways to fix the feeling of constant sleep

Eating healthier, more nutritious, and less harmful foods can do wonders for your health, and with all of those positives comes the fact that you’ll have more energy and less sleep. Eating well is imperative if you want to avoid feeling sleepy in the middle of the day, he says Jackie Lynch, Registered Nutrition Therapist and Author.

Here are some tips for making better food choices:

• Eat more whole grains; More than half of the grains consumed must be whole!
• Eat more whole vegetables and fruits and try to choose a wide variety of them.
• Opt for healthy protein options, such as lean meats, unsalted nuts, and rich sources of omega-3s.
• Reduce your intake of saturated fat.
• Keep hydrated.
• Always eat breakfast.
• Get the right amount of calories for your activity level, age, gender, and weight.
• Eat at regular intervals.

3. Get enough sleep

If you are feeling overly sleepy, you obviously need to strive for better quality sleep. Lack of sleep can reduce your positive thinking, affect health and immunity, and make you more prone to accidents and mistakes. Here are some tips for better sleep, including those from Professor Martin Marshall, President of the Royal College of GPs:

• Have a consistent bedtime routine
• Sleep and wake up at the same time every day
• Avoid stimulants like nicotine and caffeine near bedtime
• Reduce exposure to light at night.
• Try not to nap during the day unless you need to.
• Exercise during the day, but not too close to bedtime
• Don’t eat heavy meals late at night
• Optimize your bedroom environment for comfort, silence, light exposure, and temperature
• Keep your phone silent

4. Get checked for medical problems

We have already discussed, in detail, the different health conditions that can contribute to daytime sleepiness. So it is a good idea to speak to a doctor if you are really concerned. Here are some of the possible medical causes of excessive sleepiness:

• Anemia
• Anxiety
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Food intolerance
• Glandular fever
• Heart disease
• The pregnancy
• Underactive thyroid
• Urinary tract infection
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Final thoughts on some reasons you always feel sleepy and effective ways to fix it