Sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health, and seven to nine hours of sleep each night is recommended. But even after making sure you follow this golden rule, do you ever find yourself waking up tired?
Check yourself in at 10PM and wake up at 7AM, expect to feel refreshed and energized. But instead, you feel tired and exhausted, as if you’ve run a marathon. Throughout the day, you feel tired, irritable, and listless.
Why does this happen and what is the best way to prevent it? There is a name for this condition – restless sleep. This is a common problem, and millions of people around the world are often suffering from the consequences of this sleep disorder. The good news is there are ways to solve the problem and get back the high-quality sleep you need.
‘Unrefreshing sleep’ in short
According to the Sleep Foundation,1 25% of Americans oversleep during the day – 2018 It showed a significant increase compared to 12.7% recorded in 2012. The main reason for this is non-restorative sleep, also called non-restorative sleep.
As the name suggests, unrefreshing sleep refers to sleep that does not adequately replenish your body and mind and leave you feeling rested. People who experience it feel tired when they lie down.2 It has recently been recognized as a major sleep disorder affecting between 2.4% and 42% of people worldwide.3
However, don’t confuse it with other sleep problems like insomnia. People with insomnia often struggle to fall or stay asleep; Their brains are awake, and they are fully aware that they are not sleeping, and can even track how much sleep they have lost.
In restorative sleep, it’s different. Eventually you will fall asleep and you will fall asleep even faster. However, even if you get enough sleep, the restorative work that needs to happen in your brain during this important part of the night doesn’t happen for a variety of reasons.
Why do you experience restless sleep?
Although it is linked to some health problems (more on that later), health experts aren’t sure what causes bad sleep. However, according to an article published at the time,4 In most people, this problem does not seem to have a medical cause. Instead, it is said to be associated with, if not enough, a deep restorative break.
“On an average night, a person goes through four to six sleep cycles, each of which contains four different stages of sleep. Deep sleep, which helps the body and brain to recover, occurs at the end of each sleep cycle.
People who experience restorative sleep may not get enough of it (deep sleep) for any reason, leaving them tired even after hours of shut-eye during the day.
Dr. Sonja Schutz, a neurologist specializing in sleep medicine at the University of Michigan Health, says there is a certain amount of deep sleep that is necessary to achieve high-quality sleep. Failure to meet this deep sleep requirement can lead to fatigue once you wake up. “A lot of times people feel like, ‘It doesn’t matter how long I sleep, I wake up and feel like a truck ran over me,'” she said.
One reason that prevents a person from getting enough sleep is related to the “microarousges” that they experience throughout the night – this means waking up several times during the night but so briefly that they don’t remember it in the morning.
Poor-quality, unrefreshing sleep is taking a toll on your health.
Sleep — especially high-quality, restorative sleep — is essential to your physical and mental well-being. If you don’t get enough, it can increase your risk of developing serious diseases, including obesity, stroke, dementia and cancer, and even death.5 Basically, every aspect of your life will suffer if you don’t get high-quality sleep.
2023 Japan study6 It provides an interesting example of how unrefreshing sleep can affect the risk of diabetes and heart disease in particular. The study, published in the Journal of Diabetology and Metabolic Syndrome, shows the implications of unrefreshing sleep for the risk of metabolic syndrome among adults between the ages of 39 and 75.
Metabolic syndrome “indicates increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes.” According to the authors:7
“The findings of this large-scale cohort study among middle-aged Japanese adults suggest that NRS (non-restorative sleep) is positively associated with the incidence of MTS (metabolic syndrome).
Despite the importance of getting enough sleep for safety, most Japanese are not satisfied with their sleep. Therefore, the present results may help to design more effective prevention strategies for MetS to ensure adequate sleep quantity and quality.
There are other bodily processes that are affected by not getting enough rest. A few lesser known examples include:
- Memory – During deep sleep, memories accumulated during the day are transformed into long-term memories. However, lack of sleep limits your ability to remember new information.8
- Increases the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases Not getting enough quality sleep impairs the elimination of misfolded neurotoxin proteins involved in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.9
- Weak immune function – Sleep is fundamental to your immune system, and if you don’t get enough, your risk of developing immune-related diseases increases.10
Resetting your Circadian Rhythm is the first step to better sleep.
It’s not unusual to take an occasional refreshing nap, especially if there are disruptions or unexpected changes in your daily routine. However, if it is chronic, it is very important to review your lifestyle and sleep hygiene.
Schutz recommends seven to nine hours of sleep. Most people think they can get away with less, but they are chronically sleep deprived. She recommends doing a simple test to determine if you’re sleep deprived: Don’t set your alarm on your day off and see how late you are. If you sleep late, you are sleep deprived.11
If you struggle to get enough restful sleep, it may be because your circadian rhythm is off—your body’s internal clock, which cycles through 24-hour sleep-wake cycles. It regulates your body’s wakefulness and sleep by responding to changes in the light around you.
However, many of us have poor circadian rhythm habits, especially from not getting enough sunlight during the day and exposing yourself to too much light, especially blue light at night. To get your circadian rhythm back on track:
• Get enough sun exposure in the morning – In the morning, bright, blue light-rich sunlight signals to your body that it’s time to wake up. Get at least 10 to 15 minutes of natural light first thing in the morning. This sends a strong message to your internal clock that the day has arrived, making it less likely to be confused by faint light signals later.
• Avoid all light sources at night – Even the tiniest light from your digital alarm clock or the street light outside your window can disturb your sleep. Invest in dark shades or wear an eye mask while sleeping.
Also evaluate your bedroom – avoid LEDs and fluorescent lights, as they are particularly stressful because the blue light peaks are not balanced by red and near-infrared. Your gadgets are also known sources of blue light, so keep them out of your bedroom.
Gardening is another great way to reset your circadian rhythm
If you’re looking for outdoor activities to help you maximize your sun exposure, gardening is one of the best choices out there. It not only allows you to spend time in the sun, but also allows you to connect with the earth, which is also very important for your health. And if you’re growing fruits and vegetables, you’ll have fresh food in your backyard, too.
A recent study12 He highlighted the benefits of vegetables for sleep. A study of more than 62,000 participants found that those who spent time gardening but did not exercise had a significantly lower risk of sleep complaints compared to those who did not exercise. Not only do they get improved sleep time, but they are also less likely to experience daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and sleep apnea.
If you want tips on starting your own garden, I recommend reading my article “Sleep problems? Gardening can help“But there’s an important caveat about sun exposure, especially during peak hours.
If you consume a large amount of food Linoleic Acid (LA)Especially with seed oils and too many processed foods, it’s best to avoid going out in the midday sun, as the LA in your skin oxidizes when exposed to sunlight. As a result, you’re more prone to sunburn and skin damage. I recommend eliminating LA from your diet for four to six months before enjoying sun exposure during peak hours.
I’m tired? Additional strategies to solve poor sleep
When it comes to efficient sleep timing, consistency is key. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning to optimize your circadian cycle. You should also make significant changes to your bedroom, such as removing all gadgets and light sources. Avoid screen time at bedtime, too. Here are some other tips to help you get a high-quality, restorative night’s sleep:
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. When you sleep, your body’s core temperature drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you wake up. Research shows that the ideal room temperature for sleep is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and making your room too cold or too hot can lead to restless sleep.
• Remove Electromagnetic (EMF) from your bedroom – These disrupt your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin, and are a major contributor to mitochondrial damage and dysfunction, which is at the heart of almost all chronic diseases.
• Avoid eating at least three hours before going to bed and drinking liquids at least two hours before – Eating before bed raises your blood sugar, delays sleep and increases the risk of acid reflux. In terms of drinking fluids, this will help you avoid trips to the bathroom.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol – In some people, caffeine is not absorbed efficiently, which makes you feel the effect long after you eat it. Meanwhile, alcohol can make you sleepy, but the effect is short; After a few hours, you can’t go back to sleep.
• Do regular exercise- Exercising at least 30 minutes a day can help improve sleep. Just make sure it’s not too close to your bedtime.
For more general tips to help you sleep better, I recommend reading these articles:
- Lack of sleep can negate the benefits of exercise.
- The top 33 tips to improve your sleep routine
- Here’s what sleep deprivation does to your heart
Unrefreshing sleep can be linked to other health problems.
Addressing the lifestyle and environmental conditions listed above will help you avoid unpleasant sleep. But what if you’ve dealt with all of these issues but are still experiencing restless sleep and daytime fatigue? In this case, unrefreshing sleep can be a warning that something serious is going on in your body.
Unrefreshing sleep can be associated with the following issues if it is a chronic condition that does not want to go away despite significant changes in your lifestyle:
- Restless legs syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
- Long covid13
Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, GERD, hypersomnia, and narcolepsy can cause severe daytime fatigue. To avoid the most serious cases, consult a doctor and get a full medical treatment.
