The Real Reasons You’re Constantly Exhausted
Posted: October 26, 2015
Being tired is the worst. We’re not talking about feeling a little groggy upon waking up or wanting to take a catnap on a Saturday afternoon. We mean that can’t-keep-your-eyes-open-at-your-desk feeling.
When you are that fatigued, it is impossible to get anything done. You can’t focus, you feel foggy, and your judgment is greatly impaired. Some would say the fix to this problem is easy: get more sleep. But what if you are getting a solid eight hours a night, possibly more, and you still can’t keep your eyes open during the day?
If this is the case, you might be experiencing sleep apnea, a condition in which you stop breathing while sleeping, usually frequently throughout the night. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed sleeping disorders, affecting an estimated 22 million Americans.
When you have sleep apnea, it is almost impossible to stay in REM sleep. A blockage of the throat and/or a miscommunication between the nervous system and your breathing muscles is responsible for the stoppage of breath, causing you to wake up for mere seconds, multiple times throughout the night. Often you don’t know it’s happening.
Because loud snoring is a side effect of sleep apnea, most people think snoring is the only problem. But a proper diagnosis is critical, because sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance.
In addition to these more serious health risks, sleep apnea can also affect your daily life, making it difficult to perform tasks, causing irritability and moodiness, and impairing your cognitive function in general. Your motor skills also become affected due to the decrease in oxygen in your blood that occurs from the sleep apnea. It can have a significant impact on intellectual function, concentration, and alertness. Feelings of anxiety and depression are also significant in those who have disrupted breathing during sleep.
There are ways to help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea. If you are overweight, losing weight will almost always lessen, if not completely abolish, sleep apnea. However, if you are young and in shape, you may also be affected. It is important to know the signs to get properly diagnosed and begin treatment.
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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.