Sleep Quality vs Quantity: Understanding the Link to Morning Fatigue

Sleeping peacefully for hours can seem like a dream. But for some, this dream is far more than reality. They feel tired even after completing the 8-hour sleep cycle. This discomfort often stems from sleep inertia. This circadian process affects memory, mood, reaction time, and alertness upon waking. Usually, you will experience impaired performance and grogginess. This lasts at least 15 minutes to one hour after waking up. For other individuals, though, it lasts for a few hours. Here are a variety of reasons why you are still tired after sleeping for 8 hours and how you can solve it.

Reasons for Feeling Tired After Eight Hours of Sleep

Some of the common underlying issues that cause tiredness after waking include:

Breathing Through the Mouth at Night.

Humans breathe through their noses. But 30-50% of adults primarily breathe with their mouths. This is known as the open mouth posture. Mouth breathing during exercise is normal. However, excessive use while sleeping can impair the quality of the sleep. To improve sleep quality, practice nose breathing during the daytime.

Underlying Health Conditions

There are several health conditions that can lead to you feeling tired in the morning. These include:

Anaemia
Diabetes
Depression
Hypothyroidism
Heart Disease
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)

You will need a doctor's intervention for excessive morning tiredness. They can help to rule out underlying medical conditions.

You’re Focusing on Quantity Over Consistency

University of Michigan research shows variable sleep patterns cause worse moods. They also have more depressive symptoms than those with regular schedules.

Hence, sticking to a regular bedtime and waketime would be best. Also, resist the need to snooze or sleep in on days off. This way, your biological clock will start to wake you up naturally. You will also experience an improvement in sleep quality within a week.

Your Bedroom Environment is Unsuitable for Sleep

To fall asleep, our nervous system needs to feel safe. Environmental cues like noise keep our body alert and prevent deep REM sleep. Also, blue light from screens emits wavelengths similar to sunlight. This signals the brain to produce cortisol instead of melatonin. You can improve sleep by turning off electronics at least one and a half hours before bedtime. Blue light blocker glasses are also effective.

The body releases hormones at night, enabling sleep transition by dropping body temperatures. The Sleep Foundation suggests 60-67 degrees F as the ideal sleeping room temperature. Higher temperatures make it harder to fall asleep.

Conclusion

Sleeping soundly is essential for overall well-being. However, poor hygiene and poor eating contribute to fatigue after 8 hours. It can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Maintaining good sleep hygiene can help ensure a healthy sleep quality. If it persists, seek medical advice to rule out underlying medical conditions.