10 scientific reasons youre tired after a good nights sleep

10 scientific reasons youre tired after a good nights sleep10 scientific reasons youre tired after a good nights sleepWeve all been there. A solidnights sleep, and yetyou wake up exhausted. There are a number of medical reasons why one might feel tired even if with enough sleep, Dr. Chirag Shah, a physician and founder of Access Labs, toldFatherly. From hormones to bananas, Shah and other experts share why thoseeight hours may elend feel like they stuck.Your hormones could be offGetting testosterone levels checked can be a good first step towards finding a cause for low energy during the day, Shah recommends. Mens testosterone levels naturally decline with age, and fatherhood may cause low testosterone, too. Simple lifestyle changes, such as increasing exercise and investing in a healthy diet can stop men stave off low-T fatigue.Youre notlage getting enough natural lightExposure to light stimulates the brain and body, causing us to be more awake and alert, registered nurseRebecca Lee , explains. Employees cooped up in a poorly lit office may feel tired regardless of how they slept the night before. So if youre exhausted, try taking it outside- the natural light could be the boost you need. Even if that does not help, research shows that screaming can boost energy and adrenaline. Its much more socially acceptable to scream yourself awake outdoors.It could be a breathing problemIndividuals with sleep apnea often sleep enough hours at night, but snore loudly, wake often, and also wake others with their snoring, family physician Crystal Bowe says. People with sleep apnea may sleep eight full hours, but because that sleep is constantly interrupted they dont reap the same restful benefits from it. Sleep apnea can also cause blood pressure to increase, adding to tiredness overall. And since men have larger larynxes, their airways close more often while lying down. These tired guys may be getting more quantity than quality sleep, as a result.Or a problem with your gland sThe thyroid, a little butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that regulates metabolism and digestion, can cause plenty of problems if its not working properly - the other butterfly effect. Underactive thyroids, or hypothyroidism, results in exhaustion as well as constipation, dry skin, and hair loss.When underactive, the thyroid cannot properly perform its role in keep our bodys processes running at full speed, Shah says. While testosterone and sleep apnea appear to affect men disproportionately, hypothyroidism occurs most often in women. Could be why your wife is so tired.You need to move your body moreA sedentary lifestyle may be the biggest cause of tiredness, Lee says, because a lack of exercise deconditions the bodys musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system. Conversely, exercise increases energy and decreases the likelihood of becoming tired for no reason,studiesshow, because what good is being hotter and healthier if youre too tired to enjoy it.Youre not drinking enough waterIt only takes about 1.5 percent drop water volume in the body to cause dehydration, Lee notes, so many people walk around dehydrated all day without realizing it. Dehydration makes people feel tired by causing muscle soreness, which increases fatigue and recovery time. On top of that, when you dont have enough water, your body has to work harder. When your body is dehydrated, your overall blood volume decreases, making your body work harder to send oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, Lee says.Or drank too many beersHaving a few beers after work may seem like it will help people wind down after a stressful day, but it can actually contribute further to fatigue from dehydration. Alcohol also reduces the amount of REM sleep you get, which can make a full night of shut-eye less restorative overall. Many people like to relax after a busy day with an evening drink or two, Shah says. Unfortunately, those drinks might end up making one feel more tired the next morning.Or caffeineCoffee is a cruel mistress and as much as people drink it to wake up, it can have reverse effects. Even when caffeine doesnt hinder sleep, it blocks the brains adenosine receptors from receiving a crucial chemical that helps humans regulate sleep and awake cycles. When left alone, adenosine levels rise while awake and fall when its time to sleep, but caffeine can trip this up.Your body is still producing adenosine but the effects of it are delayed, causing you to feel it all at once, after the rush of caffeine wears off, Lee says.Not eating enough of the right foodsDiet can have an impact on energy regardless of rest, and processed foods and even certain fruits cant take their toll. Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar to rise and fall, depleting energy, while bananas arefull of magnesium,a mineral that can help with sleep. Likewise, cherries areloaded with melatonin,so lay off those cherry and banana pancakes - butmake sure to eat. A lack of iron, vitamin D, and other nutrients can mak e it harder to stay awake, too.I had a client who welches falling asleep in the middle of the day because she was on one of the latest trend diets and the body just wasnt getting enough fuel, dietician Shelley Rael warns.You have a sleep hangoverIn an ideal night without newborns around includes fives 90-minute cycles of sleep, about seven-and-a-half hours, Lee recommends. More than that can bewilder the body.When you sleep too long, your biological clock is thrown off and the cells are not communicating to the body that its time to get up, she says. Still, for most parents the idea of being tired because they got too much sleep seems like an urban legend - or at the very least, a risk theyre willing to take.This article was originally published on Fatherly.com.