Dr. Shannon Sullivan, Stanford University, with good news about sleep: “It’s a part of medicine with a great deal of hope”
It’s not always obvious why you feel tired despite believing that you’re getting a good night’s sleep, but these experts can help you figure it out.
Health experts are continually warning about the dangers of not getting enough sleep. It’s recommended that you get at least seven hours of sleep a night, depending on the person, more may be needed.
However, there are people who find it baffling that on paper they get the daily recommended amount of shuteye but still find that they feel fatigued and tired throughout the day. Fortunately, Dr. Shannon Sullivan, a sleep medicine specialist at Stanford University says that with a little sleuthing into your habits and potential medical conditions, it’s relatively easy to discover the reason behind what’s going on.
“It’s a part of medicine with a great deal of hope,” she assures speaking to The New York Times.
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Experts say this could be why you’re always feeling fatigued
First and foremost, you should analyze your sleeping patterns. Dr Sullivan says that just like with little kids, you should be consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time as well as getting the recommended standard amount of sleep.
Things that you should try to avoid are coffee in the afternoon or drinking alcohol in the evening. Likewise, consuming food within three hours of your bedtime or scrolling on your phone, tablet or computer before you tuck in for the night.
However, there may be some medical explanation that’s causing you to constantly feel exhausted. Mayo Clinic pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Kara Dupuy-McCauley, recommends talking to a sleep specialist who can go through possible reasons for your tiredness and help you improve your sleep.
Common sleep disorders
Some of the common sleep disorders that your medical professional may consider include insomnia, sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. Fortunately, there are treatments for these that don’t involve having to take any medication.
Insomnia can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy in many cases. Using a CPAP machine is often effective for treating sleep apnea. And for restless leg syndrome, the symptoms can be lessened by reducing or cutting out caffeine and alcohol consumption as well as a leg massage or ensuring that you don’t have iron deficiency says Dr. Dupuy-McCauley.
Other possible culprits that are making you feel fatigued
There are some other chronic medical conditions of which constant fatigue is a major characteristic. These include diabetes, depression, long covid, and some gastrointestinal conditions. Another is chronic fatigue syndrome, which unfortunately doesn’t have a cure by the symptoms can be treated.
Additionally, you may have some vitamin or mineral deficiency which can be treated with supplements. A hormonal imbalance like hypothyroidism could also be what’s causing your fatigue, something that can both be easily discovered with tests and treated. Lastly, your fatigue may be a side effect of certain medications that you are taking.
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