Tired But Can't Sleep? These May Be the Reasons
If you're tired yet unable to fall asleep,
it could be due to an imbalanced circadian rhythm, daytime napping,
anxiety, or many other factors.
Some days, no matter how much coffee you
consume, you may feel exhausted during the day. Yet all too often, when
you finally climb into bed, you find yourself wide awake. Sound
familiar?
Read on to discover what could be causing daytime sleepiness but an
inability to sleep at night. Once you identify what might be going on,
you can take action to support better sleep.
1. The Napping Dilemma
Naps aren't inherently bad. In fact,
napping has several health benefits. However, the wrong nap strategy can
keep you up when you should be getting deeper sleep.
Research suggests that long naps and napping later in the afternoon may
cause you to take longer to fall asleep at night, sleep poorly, and wake
up more during the night.
Try to take 20- to 30-minute naps and nap at the same time every day so your body can anticipate them.
2. Sleep and Anxiety
A racing mind isn't conducive to peacefully
nodding off. No wonder sleep disturbance is a diagnostic symptom for
some anxiety disorders, which are common risk factors for insomnia.
When you're anxious, your body enters a state of heightened alertness.
Your mind may cycle through worries about work, relationships, health,
or upcoming events. This mental activity triggers the release of stress
hormones like cortisol, which naturally keeps you awake and alert.
Anxiety may also lead to increased arousal and alertness, which can
delay sleep even further. You might find yourself lying in bed for
hours, unable to quiet your thoughts, or waking frequently during the
night with a sense of unease.
The frustration of not being able to sleep can then create additional
anxiety about sleep itself, leading to a vicious cycle. You may start
dreading bedtime or worrying during the day about whether you'll be able
to sleep that night, which only perpetuates the problem.
If anxiety is affecting your sleep, consider practicing relaxation
techniques before bed, such as deep breathing exercises, progressive
muscle relaxation, or meditation. Speaking with a mental health
professional can also provide valuable tools for managing nighttime
anxiety.
3. Depression and Sleep Disturbance
According to recent research, up to 90% of
people diagnosed with depression also experience a disturbance in their
sleep quality.
Insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep-disordered breathing, and restless legs
syndrome are all commonly reported issues. Some people with depression
find it difficult to fall asleep, while others wake up very early in the
morning and can't get back to sleep. Still others sleep excessively but
never feel rested.
The relationship between sleep issues and depression is complicated and
bidirectional. Depression appears to disrupt circadian rhythms, throwing
off your body's natural sleep-wake cycle. At the same time, chronic
sleep problems can increase the risk of developing depression or worsen
existing symptoms.
Inflammation, changes in brain chemicals
like serotonin and dopamine, genetic factors, and more may all affect
the sleep-depression relationship. People with depression often have
altered levels of neurotransmitters that regulate both mood and sleep.
Additionally, the fatigue and low energy that characterize depression
can make you feel tired throughout the day, yet the same condition can
make it nearly impossible to actually fall asleep at night. This paradox
is one of the most frustrating aspects of depression-related sleep
disturbances.
Treatment for depression, whether through therapy, medication, or
lifestyle changes, often improves sleep quality as well. If you suspect
depression might be affecting your sleep, it's important to speak with a
healthcare provider about comprehensive treatment options.
4. Caffeine and Sleep Quality
On average, caffeine has a half-life of 5
hours. Research suggests that even 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine
(about 16 ounces of brewed coffee), 16 hours before bed, may impact your
sleep.
Downing 400 mg of caffeine 6 hours or less before bedtime may
significantly reduce your sleep quality.
If you drink caffeine, try not to have any 4 to 6 hours before you go to
bed. So, if you want to be in bed by 10 p.m., then 4 p.m. is a good
coffee cut-off time.
5. Screen Time
The blue light emitted from phones,
tablets, laptops, and TV screens suppresses evening melatonin production
and decreases sleepiness.
Our eyes contain special photo-receptors that are particularly sensitive
to blue wavelengths of light. When these receptors detect blue light in
the evening, they signal to your brain that it's still daytime,
effectively confusing your body's internal clock.
This suppression of melatonin doesn't just delay when you feel sleepy—it
can also reduce the total amount of melatonin your body produces,
leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep throughout the night. Even if
you manage to fall asleep after extended screen time, you may wake up
feeling less refreshed.
The content you're consuming on screens can
also affect sleep. Engaging with stimulating material like work emails,
social media drama, or exciting shows can activate your mind and make
it harder to wind down. The interactive nature of many digital
activities keeps your brain engaged and alert.
You may want to stop using your devices 2 hours before bed. If that
feels unrealistic, try to at least minimize screen time in the hour
before sleep. You may also consider wearing blue-light blocking glasses
at night, using night mode settings on your devices, or installing apps
that automatically reduce blue light emission in the evening.
Creating a screen-free bedroom environment can also help signal to your
brain that it's time for rest rather than stimulation.
6. COVID-19
Difficulty sleeping is a common symptom of
COVID-19. This could be due to factors such as stress or an autoimmune
response to the virus.
A 2021 study of 236,379 people with COVID-19 found that about 5% of them
experienced insomnia. Up to 10% of those with severe infections that
required hospitalization had sleeping difficulties.
Sleeping difficulties may be more prevalent in people with Long COVID.
Research has found that over 40% of people with long-lasting COVID
symptoms experienced moderate to severe sleeping difficulties.
The COVID-19 pandemic itself is associated with increasing sleep-related
issues. Social isolation, economic hardships, and parenting challenges
are among the possible causes.
7. Other Sleep Disorders
Sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome may
make you sleepy but not tired at night. In sleep apnea, breathing
repeatedly stops or is very shallow, then starts again. With restless
legs syndrome, your legs feel uncomfortable, triggering you to want to
move them.
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) is another sleep disorder. It occurs
when your circadian rhythm is off. DSPS affects young people more, with
a prevalence between about 7% and 16%. About 1% of adults have DSPS.
These conditions may disrupt nighttime sleep, which may then cause
daytime sleepiness.
Understanding Your Circadian Rhythm
The circadian rhythm is like an internal
timekeeper for everything our bodies do in a 24-hour period.
This system uses light, dark, and our biological clock to regulate body
temperature, metabolism, hormones (including melatonin), and sleep.
Melatonin levels remain low during the day when it's light outside.
Later in the day, as it grows darker, our bodies produce more melatonin,
with levels peaking between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. before falling again.
Our bodies are best primed to fall asleep about 2 hours after melatonin
levels start to rise.
The Takeaway
If you still feel tired every day, and sleep remedies don't help, talk
with a doctor.
They can help determine the underlying problem and recommend solutions
that will help you get restful sleep so you have daytime energy.