Sometimes you might find yourself waking up tired even after sleeping enough during the night. You go to bed early and still don’t understand how you are not energized and refreshed in the morning. It doesn’t make sense how after eight hours of sleep you are still tired. In most cases, you will discover there are things you do before bedtime or during bedtime that sabotage your rest. That said, it could also be due to a bad mattress, improper ventilation, and lighting or phone use before bed. Here are five possible reasons why you are still tired after a proper night of sleep.
You Sleep in a Bad Position
Waking up with a sore back? It may be from sleeping on your side all night, which can create significant flexion at the hip, says Benjamin Domb, MD, founder of the American Hip Institute. If you’re one of the 57% of people who slumber in this position, it’s a good idea to sleep with a pillow between your legs to maintain proper hip alignment. “Hip injuries are some of the most common, yet trickiest, sleep injuries because the pain from the injury often shows itself in a different part of the body—like in the lower back,” says Domb.
You go to bed at different times
You should train your body to sleep and wake up at a certain time every day. If this doesn’t happen on routine, your body has to keep on readjusting leading to sleep delays when you are in bed and extended blinks when you should wake up.
Drinking before bed
There is the notion that drinking before bed makes you relaxed then helps you pass out and drift to sleep. Too bad it will be a restless sleep. The chemicals in alcohol disrupt your sleep cycle preventing you from entering deep sleep.
Eating right before bed
Take a step away from food two or three hours before nap time. Your body needs time to digest food and even a small amount of it will activate your body. Ensure you eat well so your sleep is not interrupted by hunger pangs.
Sleep apnea
This is a disorder defined as breathing interrupted by intervals of ten seconds or more often signalled with loud snoring. Due to sleep interruption, you will keep waking up and falling asleep. Usually, the person has no idea it’s happening. They just end up feeling sleepy the next day.
Working out before bed
A good habit, it may not be beneficial two or three hours before bedtime. Exercise raises your body temperature making it harder to fall asleep. Your body also produces cortisol, the stress hormone and reduces melatonin secretion which can increase the time it takes to fall asleep.
You Grind Your Teeth at Night
If you wake up with a headache, it’s most likely because you’ve been clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth overnight, says Kathy Gruver, PhD, a massage therapist in Santa Monica, CA. Research shows that massage can help with symptoms, so apply some gentle pressure and/or a warm, damp cloth to the jaw area right before you go to sleep and as soon as you wake up in the AM to help break the cycle. Also consider seeing your dentist for a mouth guard, which keeps your teeth from grinding down.
Your Pillow Isn’t Optimal
That huge fluffy pillow may seem like luxury, but it can cause massive pain. “Sleeping with your head propped up pulls your spine out of alignment—it’s like walking around for eight hours during the day with your neck tilted down. It’s advisable that you keep away your pillow in case you feel uncomfortable using it.
