You did everything right: went to bed at a reasonable hour, didn’t look at your phone before dropping off and slept in a dark, cool room for eight hours straight. Every box ticked.
So, why, after all of that, have you woken up tired?
Well, according to some experts, I’m sorry to say it, but you’re still not doing enough. We can’t shortcut our way to feeling rested and one good night’s sleep does not offset the mental strains that you face throughout the day.
Why eight hours sleep sometimes isn’t enough to feel energised
The problem could be, and stay with us here, that you are simply socialising too much and not mentally recovering from socialising.
The Sleep Foundation explains: “If you have social commitments early in the day, they might be the cause of your daytime tiredness.
“Socialising, particularly in group settings, requires focus, memory, emotional control, and awareness of others’ perceptions—all of which may lead to tiredness, though usually not right away.”
Indeed, a 2020 study found that fatigue from socialising tends to set in around 2-3 hours later, and contrary to popular opinion, this is true for both introverts and extroverts.
So, maybe you need to prioritise downtime for yourself?
There could be other reasons, though
If you are under a lot of emotional strain from things such as stress, work, or even grief, it may be causing you to feel physically fatigued.
The experts at Psych Central say: “Stress can leave you feeling exhausted. It’s quite common to feel tired in stressful situations.
“We often associate stress with restlessness. Your worries might make you feel anxious and fidgety, leading to insomnia. But the reverse can be true: some people find that stress makes them sleepy.”
How to feel more energetic throughout the day
“Stress uses up a lot of energy”, advises the NHS, “Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day”.
Relaxing activities can make you feel surprisingly more energetic. These include:
- working out at the gym
- yoga or tai chi
- listening to music or reading
The NHS also recommends cutting down on caffeine and drinking more water.
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.