There Are 3 Secret Causes Behind Why You Wake Up Feeling Tired.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three of us are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. Considering the growing number of people in the United States who are interested in sleeping more and possibly stocking up on melatonin, it is evident that very few of us wake up feeling perky, well-rested, and completely ready to take on the day.
Ooh, people get it: In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, work, obligations with loved ones, errands, cooking, cleaning, and everything else in between (oh yes, and ideally some time slotted in there somewhere too for exercise and self-care), it can be difficult to carve out space in the schedule for adequate sleep.
However, failing to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night might have some severe effects on one’s health. According to research, getting little or poor quality sleep may have negative effects on your immune system, heart health, weight, skin, and brain, among other things.
It may also have a negative impact on your levels of energy and alertness, making the tasks of daily living that were stated before more challenging.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, over 45% of American adults admit that a lack of quality sleep or insufficient quantity of sleep has had an impact on their day-to-day life at least once during the last week.
Naturally, improving the quality and quantity of sleep you obtain today has a significant impact in the degree of energy you have tomorrow. However, research that was published on November 19 in the journal Nature Communications suggests that a few other controllable aspects of one’s lifestyle may have a greater influence on one’s degree of alertness than one’s genetic makeup.
People who do frequent exercise, eat a breakfast that contains carbs and keep their blood sugar somewhat stable have a tendency to report feeling more awake.
Continue reading to get more insight into this recently published research on sleep, as well as tips on how to improve your chances of falling asleep and waking up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
The Results of This Sleep Research Study
For the purpose of this study, the researchers gathered information from 833 persons ranging in age from 18 to 65 who participated in their study for a period of two weeks. In order to determine the extent to which genetics had a role in the outcomes of the study, it included both adult twins and individuals who were unrelated to each other.
During the course of the study, each participant had an accelerometer strapped to their wrist for the full 14 days to monitor their activity levels and sleep. Additionally, they used an app to log their dietary intake and rate their level of alertness on a scale ranging from 0 to 100 every three hours.
During the course of the research, each participant was provided with a ready-made breakfast that contained the same number of calories each and every day. In addition, the menus featured a variety of macronutrient compositions, including high-carb, high-protein, and high-fiber meals (which were consumed on separate days), in addition to a “control” meal that contained moderate amounts of protein, carbs, and fiber.
The finding that individuals who slept longer than usual or who woke up later than they normally would felt more awake the following morning probably did not come as a surprise to the researchers.
However, the additional discoveries that were made after analyzing the figures from the information-gathering session that lasted for two weeks were even more shocking. Higher levels of morning alertness were observed by those who regularly engaged in the following behaviors:
Participating in some kind of physical activity throughout the 10 most active hours of the previous day (but not close to bedtime)
Consuming a meal that is rich in carbohydrates and also contains protein and fat
They were able to keep their blood sugar levels more stable throughout the day since the other meals they ate throughout the day had a reduced “glycemic load.”
Having said that, the following are three subtle reasons why you can be waking up exhausted in addition to the fact that you are not receiving enough quality sleep:
Staying inactive during the course of the day
If you skip breakfast or avoid carbs as part of a balanced breakfast, you will gain weight.
Eating in a manner that creates spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels, as opposed to maintaining a more constant eating pattern.
They also found that those who reported having an overall more cheerful mood felt more attentive than their colleagues who were more pessimistic. This was an interesting finding. It seemed that genetic variables had relatively little influence on alertness levels, far less than the impact that exercise, sleep, and food had.
What exactly is the big deal about different degrees of awareness, anyway? Studies done in the past have shown a correlation between decreased alertness and decreased productivity, an increased risk for automobile accidents, impaired judgment, decreased attentiveness, increased mistake rates, and difficulty making decisions. In addition to this, it is not a very pleasant experience to go through the day dragging oneself about.
The Crux of the Matter
According to the findings of a recent study, getting sufficient sleep, working out in the morning or afternoon, eating an overall meal plan that is relatively low on the glycemic index, and having a breakfast that is higher in carbohydrates but still well-balanced can all have an effect on one’s level of alertness.
Because this research relied in part on the participants’ own reports, had a sample size that was on the smaller side, focused on only a few aspects of the participants’ overall lifestyle, and didn’t account for light exposure (a known factor in alertness levels and a detail that is related to the body’s natural production of melatonin), additional research in this area is required to validate these findings.
In the meanwhile, if you notice that your energy levels are low and you want to know what you can do about it, it won’t harm to…
You should increase the proportion of items in your menu that have a lower glycemic index (including whole grains, fruit, nonstarchy vegetables, nuts, beans and legumes). A wonderful place to begin is with our three-day eating plan designed to assist you in falling and staying asleep.
Set aside sometime before supper to go for a walk of at least half an hour or engage in the sort of physical activity that most appeals to you.
Consume a well-rounded breakfast that includes a healthy portion of carbohydrates. A few examples from our selection of nine meals that registered dietitians swear by for improved sleep quality are as follows:
Everything Toast made with bagel and avocado, topped with pumpkin seeds.
Oatmeal with Steel Cuts (made with milk and honey)
Toast topped with peanut butter, bananas, and cinnamon.
