Adults are recommended to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Quality sleep is crucial for maintaining health and vitality.
However, have you ever felt drowsy despite having a sufficient amount of sleep? This situation can be frustrating, especially when you need focus and energy for daily tasks.
Causes of Getting Enough Sleep but Still Feeling Sleepy
You are not alone if you often feel sleepy even after getting adequate sleep. Ideally, good sleep should refresh your body, but some factors can cause persistent drowsiness, such as:
Poor Sleep Quality
Even if you sleep enough hours, poor sleep quality can leave you feeling tired during the day. Quality sleep depends on how deeply and restfully you sleep.
Frequent nighttime awakenings or sleep disorders like sleep apnea can disrupt your rest, preventing your body from fully recuperating.
Lack of Physical Activity
A sedentary lifestyle can make you feel constantly fatigued, even with adequate sleep. Regular exercise boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain, increasing energy levels and reducing daytime sleepiness.
Unbalanced Diet
A poor diet lacking essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and magnesium can lead to fatigue and drowsiness. Additionally, consuming high-sugar or processed carbohydrate-rich foods may cause blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, triggering tiredness.
Stress and Anxiety
Chronic stress or anxiety can interfere with sleep quality, even if you sleep for 7-8 hours a night. Stress can make it difficult to achieve deep sleep, which is essential for recovery. This results in disrupted sleep, frequent awakenings, and inadequate restoration of energy.
Overthinking or racing thoughts can also make it hard to relax and fall asleep soundly, leaving you tired the next day.
Dehydration
Inadequate hydration can sap your energy and cause fatigue. When your body lacks fluids, it compensates with drowsiness and lethargy.
Feeling sleepy even after sufficient sleep can be disruptive. Certain medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, anemia, or chronic fatigue syndrome, may also contribute to persistent drowsiness and fatigue. If this issue persists, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional.
You can also use the health consultation feature on the Ai Care app, available on the App Store or Play Store, to address your concerns.
Interested in learning about other health conditions? Click here!
- dr Nadia Opmalina
Rachel Reiff Ellis (2023). Why Am I So Tired?. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/women/why-so-tired-10-causes-fatigue
Cleveland Clinic (2023). Why Am I Still Tired After a Good Night’s Sleep?. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-wake-up-tired-after-8-hours-of-sleep
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD and Franziska Spritzler (2023). Why Am I So Tired? 12 Reasons (Plus Solutions). Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-you-are-tired
Eric Suni (2024). How Much Sleep Do You Need?. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Taneia Surles (2023). 5 Reasons Exercise Improves Sleep. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/5-reasons-exercise-improves-sleep#why-exercise-helps-with-sleep
Anthea Levi, RD (2024). 8 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Sugar. Available from: https://www.health.com/nutrition/sugar-health-effects
Mayo Clinic (2022). Iron deficiency anemia. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034
Dr. Elizabeth Rausch-Phung (2024). How to Get More Deep Sleep: Tips for a Restful Night. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/how-to-get-more-deep-sleep
Ana Gotter (2023). Racing Thoughts: What to Do When Your Mind Is Racing. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/racing-thoughts