Here’s why you’re always tired, even if you get enough sleep

When you’re tired, the first thing you should do is get more sleep. If you can’t get enough sleep because of long work hours or a crying toddler, it makes sense that you fall asleep in the afternoon.

But some of us spend the day feeling tired and sluggish even though we get the recommended 7 or more hours of sleep every night. What’s going on, then?

As the latest episode of AsapSCIENCE explains, there’s a whole myriad of reasons why you could be constantly fatigued even if you think you’re getting enough sleep:

For one thing, you might be too lazy. Even though we usually think of physical activity as tiring, it turns out that just a few times a week of light exercise can give you more energy.

Just think back to a day you spent outside that was unusually active, like when you went hiking or played frisbee in the park. It’s likely that you slept very well that night. People who work out regularly get a better night’s sleep, even if they sleep the same number of hours.

We also often fall into the trap of relying on caffeine to keep us awake. Even though most of us wouldn’t drink a pot of coffee right before bed, there’s a much longer window in which to avoid caffeine. Caffeine blocks a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which builds up in the brain during the day and makes us sleepy in the evening.

Even if you drink coffee six hours before bed, it will mess up the way your body makes adenosine. This will make it harder for you to fall asleep. Also, studies have shown that caffeine messes with our natural sleep-wake cycles.

But, as the video above explains, sometimes you’re tired because of your mental health and not because of how you live.

For example, people with generalized anxiety disorder can feel tired, and just having a lot of stress and worry will make you feel pretty worn out. Depression can also affect how well you sleep, and in some cases it can even lead to insomnia.

Aside from mental health, physical problems can also make people feel too tired. Your doctor is the best person to figure out what they are, but some of them are iron deficiency, thyroid problems, and diabetes.

So, there’s no one quick way to deal with constant tiredness, but AsapSCIENCE does give you a list of things to watch out for.

A lot of their advice, like the one about exercise, is easy to follow, unless you have “social jetlag,” which the video will explain in more detail. Maybe you’re just not the type of person who can work from 9 to 5. If that’s the case, we’re sorry. Have a coffee nap here.