{"id":2149,"date":"2018-09-25T19:18:41","date_gmt":"2018-09-25T19:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bettersleeppro.wpengine.com\/?p=2149"},"modified":"2018-09-25T19:18:41","modified_gmt":"2018-09-25T19:18:41","slug":"still-wake-tired","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/blog\/still-wake-tired\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do I Still Wake up Tired?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You know the feeling. Your alarm goes off, you (yawn) force yourself out of bed, and you spend the rest of the morning in a (yawn) complete fog. It\u2019s a struggle just to (yawn) keep your eyes open, let alone (yawn) focus on anything.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re not alone. In research conducted by YouGov, 40% of Americans say they wake up feeling poorly rested at least once a week.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s talk about ways to minimize the chances of feeling like you need to crawl back under the covers the minute you get out of bed.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re Not Getting Enough Sleep<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

If you wake up feeling tired, you might actually BE tired. Simple, but true. What you think is sufficient time for a restful sleep may simply not be enough.<\/p>\n

A joint statement by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommends that adults between the ages of 18-60 get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. But the latest Gallup Poll reveals that nearly half of all Americans (42%) report getting less than that amount.<\/p>\n

Many of us don\u2019t make sleep a priority. Only 26% of Americans would choose sleep if given an extra hour in the day. \u2013\u00a0Better Sleep Council Survey, 2017.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, tell Alexa to remind you it\u2019s bedtime or set an alert on your daily calendar. Your goal is to establish a routine where you go to bed at approximately the same time every day \u2013 a time that allows for 7+ hours of sleep \u2013\u00a0so your body and brain both get in the habit of turning down at the same time you need to.<\/p>\n

You May Not Be Getting Good Sleep, Either<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

You may not realize that you go through four different stages during sleep. (You\u2019re asleep, how would you know?) Stage 3, also called slow-wave sleep, is the deep sleep you need to feel refreshed in the morning. In this stage, your heart and breathing rates drop to their lowest levels, your muscles relax and your brain wave activity slows down.<\/p>\n

Some major restorative functions of the body and brain, including muscle growth, tissue repair and glucose metabolism, happen only during deep sleep. \u2013 Harvard Medical School, Division of Sleep Medicine<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Unfortunately, many things can disrupt your sleep cycle and rob you of that precious deep sleep: your\u00a0bed partner<\/a>, noise, light, a room that\u2019s too hot, an\u00a0old mattress<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0pillow<\/a>, and that recurring nightmare where you\u2019re stranded in the Fresno airport with your boss that wakes you up in a cold sweat. Truly frightening. But if you practice\u00a0good sleep hygiene<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0set up your bedroom<\/a>\u00a0to promote sleep quality, you\u2019ll do your part to get the best rest you can.<\/p>\n

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You Snooze? You Lose.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

That buzzing, beeping alarm may feel like your mortal enemy, but the snooze button is really the one plotting against you. When you wake up, your brain shuts off melatonin (your sleep hormone) production and boosts cortisol (a natural steroid) output. This hormonal switchover gets you up and going. When you hit the snooze button more than once, the process goes awry. Your body gets confused as to which mode you should be in, which leads to a prolonged half-awake, half-asleep state.<\/p>\n

To break the snooze habit, try setting your alarm for just 10 minutes later and putting your alarm clock across the room so you\u2019re forced to get out of bed to turn it off.<\/p>\n

You Might Need to Be More Active<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re already feeling tired, exercise isn\u2019t the first thing you think of doing. (Is it ever?) But research shows a correlation between exercise and sleep.<\/p>\n

One study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that a 4-month exercise regimen led to significant improvements in both sleep efficiency and sleep duration for adults diagnosed with chronic insomnia. Conversely, several studies have found that adults with poor sleep are less active than peers who have no sleep complaints.<\/p>\n

So, consider a morning run or an early yoga class. Moving can help to re-energize you when you feel tired. Then, remember to step away from those screens and get up throughout the day. Over time, regular exercise can lead to getting a better night\u2019s rest.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re Eating All Wrong<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Let\u2019s dish about food and sleep. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can work wonders in lots of ways, including helping you fight fatigue. That\u2019s probably not surprising. But beyond what you eat, there are also a few strategies you can employ around when you eat:<\/p>\n