Getting eight hours of sleep but still waking up tired? You may be spending enough time in bed, but are you getting the quality of sleep your body needs? In an interaction with HT Lifestyle, Dr Shivani Swami, Additional Director, Pulmonology, CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, sheds light on why you may not feel refreshed after a full night’s sleep and what you should watch out for. (Also read: Skin rashes in children: Paediatrician explains common causes, warning signs and when parents should worry )
“Sleep is not just about the number of hours we spend in bed; it is about how effectively the body and brain recover during that time. If someone consistently wakes up feeling tired despite getting seven to nine hours of sleep, it is important to understand what may be disrupting their rest,” explains Dr Swami. “Getting seven to nine hours of sleep does not necessarily mean that your sleep is restorative. If your sleep is repeatedly interrupted, your body may not progress through its normal sleep cycles adequately. You may not even remember waking up during the night, yet you could experience fatigue, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating or morning headaches,” explains Dr Swami. It is important to assess whether sleep is being disrupted by breathing difficulties, frequent awakenings or another underlying health condition. Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs when the upper airway repeatedly becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep. it can also affect individuals with a normal body weight While sleep apnoea is more common among people who are overweight.
Therefore, a person’s weight alone cannot rule out the condition.
Persistent morning fatigue should not automatically be dismissed as the result of a busy schedule or inadequate rest, according to the pulmonology expert. “Loud and persistent snoring, pauses in breathing noticed by a family member, gasping or choking during sleep, and excessive sleepiness during the day are important warning signs that should not be ignored,” says Dr Swami. “If you consistently wake up feeling unrefreshed, particularly when accompanied by loud snoring or breathing pauses during sleep, it is important to seek medical evaluation rather than treating the problem as ordinary tiredness,” she adds.
