Drowsiness impairs your judgment and slows down your reaction time. It can also cause dangerous driving mistakes.
Getting enough sleep can help reduce your afternoon energy slump. But there are many other factors that can contribute to feeling tired, especially if you have an underlying medical condition.
Unexplained fatigue is not normal and should be checked out by a physician. Many medical conditions are linked to fatigue, including hypothyroidism (a sluggish thyroid), depression, kidney disease, and diabetes.
Table of Contents
Sleep Apnea
If you are experiencing chronic daytime sleepiness, despite getting enough quality sleep at night, it could be the result of undiagnosed sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea is linked to heart disease and other problems like metabolic syndrome (with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and a larger waistline), issues with medications or surgery, and liver complications.
People with obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing for a brief time during their sleep, often waking them up without noticing. These episodes are call apnea or interruptions and happen hundreds of times a night. The lack of oxygen triggers a survival reflex, which partially wakes you up and causes you to gasp for air. This disrupts your sleep cycle and prevents you from entering the deep restful phases of your it. In people with sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Modalert 200 is used to treat excessive daytime drowsiness and improve wakefulness.
Medications
While it is normal to feel drowsy occasionally after going too long without sleep, persistent feelings of sleepiness and fatigue may indicate an underlying health issue or sleep disorder. Medications can cause this symptom, including sedatives, antidepressants, pain medications, and over-the-counter antihistamines. Changing the dosage or timing of your medication could help.
Other medications can influence the body’s natural sleep-wake rhythms and disrupt REM (rapid eye movement) cycles. This can cause fragmented it and wakefulness which leads to excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder can also interfere with the sleep-wake cycle.
Sometimes feeling tired is a sign of an infection, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI). Fighting the infection can drain your energy. A UTI can be a hidden cause of chronic fatigue, and it is important to visit your doctor to have the condition diagnosed and treated.
Stress
Stress can make you sleepy during the day. However, not all stress is bad for your health. Short-term, “good” stress – called eustress – can actually strengthen the immune system and increase brain activity. It’s important to manage your stress levels, as chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. In people without sleep difficulties, Armodafinil Australia may have cognitive-enhancing effects such as boosting attention, memory, and executive function.
It’s also important to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of whole, unprocessed foods and nutrients. If you are not able to improve your stress level with relaxation techniques and better eating habits, talk to your doctor. They may recommend a counselor or therapist for further help and support.
Excessive daytime drowsiness could also be a sign of an undiagnosed health condition, such as sleep apnea. A simple urine test or blood work can uncover a hidden illness that’s contributing to your fatigue. Your GP or a psychologist can offer advice, prescribe medicine or refer you to a therapist. Getting the right help can make a huge difference in how you feel.
Circadian Rhythms
Your internal biological clock controls the daily peak and trough of your energy levels. These are call “circadian rhythms” and the term is derive from the Latin meaning around (circa) and day (die). Circadian rhythms regulate sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, and secretion of certain hormones.
The circadian rhythm is controlled by a small area in your brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN sends signals to the rest of your body to wake up and go to bed. The SCN also helps control your metabolism, immune system, and DNA repair processes.
Your circadian rhythm can get out of whack due to poor habits and health problems like stress and mental illness. The rhythm can also be disrupte by environmental cues, such as light and seasonal changes. These disruptions can cause your circadian rhythm to become erratic, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness. A sleep specialist can help you identify the causes of your circadian rhythm disturbances and prescribe treatments.
