Have you ever wondered why you wake up tired even after sleeping for seven to eight hours? It’s not unusual that once in a while, you will wake up feeling a little off, but that’s nothing your favorite cup of coffee can’t fix. When you wake up tired often, however, you have reasons to worry. Sleep helps protect your well-being, mental health, quality of life, and physical health.
Sleep deprivation may be behind your waking up tired, but if it isn’t, one of these reasons could be the culprit:
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Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, you can wake up fifteen to twenty-five times an hour during sleep without your knowledge. Although you wake up for just a few seconds, you are left feeling exhausted no matter how many hours of sleep you get. According to doctors, sleep apnea is a result of having a problem with your upper airway, which is the part of the airway that connects the voice box to the back of the throat.
Naturally, this muscle is held open when you are awake, but it ought to relax when you sleep. If you have sleep apnea, the muscle narrows too much, and you start to choke because you can’t get enough airway in and out. This is what makes you wake up for a split second because your body is in panic mode. Once everything regulates, you fall asleep and never remember anything about it.
If your case is severe, your doctor will give you a sleep apnea CPAP machine or mask that fits over your nose and mouth and connects to a small device through tubes. The machine pressurizes air into your airwave so you can breathe normally throughout the night.
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Poor Sleep Environment
Countless things impact your sleep in your bedroom. If your waking tired is accompanies by a stiff body, your mattress is to blame. An old mattress is worse because besides being worn out, it will have dust mites that cause sneezing and coughing. Ensure you choose a medium-firm mattress, replace your mattress every nine to ten years, and buy a hypoallergenic mattress cover. Declutter your bedroom and reduce the amount of blue light and improve the sensory experience.
Smell is one of the most potent senses, and it’s tied to the limbic system and governs impulses such as emotions, memory, sex, and hunger. Introducing the right scents can help you sleep better. Try essential oils for better sleep to improve the air quality in your bedroom and reduce the irritants that pose obstacles to sleep. Essential oils such as lavender are associated with lower blood pressure, heart rate, and regulated skin temperatures that are all crucial ingredients in helping you sleep better.
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You Go to Bed at the Wrong Time
Everyone has a specific chronotype that regulates an incredible range of behavior and activity, including sleeping and waking patterns. Early birds prefer morning, hummingbirds are in between, while night owls prefer evenings. Although these are the most common chronotypes, some doctors believe that there could be more. Lions are morning types, bears are middle roads, wolves are susceptible to nightmares, while dolphins are deep sleepers.
Sleeping and waking patterns that are inconsistent with your chronotype will leave you feeling grumpy and tired in the morning. Lions usually wake up by 6:00 am which makes their ideal sleeping time 10:00 pm. Bears rise at 7:00 am and should sleep at 11:00 pm, while dolphins should sleep at around midnight and wake up at 6:30 am. Wolves, on the other hand, should sleep at midnight and wake up at 7 am.
Understanding your sleeping chronotype can significantly improve your sleep quality, wade off illnesses, and improve your mental and physical health.
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Your Bed Partner
If you sleep near a snoring partner, you lose an hour of sleep every night. Have your partner sleep on the side, and raising their head up on a comfortable pillow can reduce snoring. You might like it hot, but your partner prefers it cold. This discrepancy may affect how you sleep and cause insomnia. Partners who are restless sleepers will prevent you from having a good night’s sleep as they toss, turn, and occasionally kick you in their sleep. Change the mattress as an old mattress is uncomfortable, which causes the restlessness.
Small adjustments to your sleeping schedule can significantly impact the quality of sleep you get, so try each tip and see what works for you. You can also increase your workout schedule, so you are a little more tired and relaxed by bedtime.
