why you are so tired

Summary

In this video, the creator grapples with chronic tiredness and embarks on a quest to improve sleep quality. They initially blame their phone and try various alarm clocks, only to realize that sleep is a complex interplay of biology, environment, and lifestyle. After consulting with sleep scientist Vanessa Hill, they adopt small, effective changes to their sleep hygiene, like morning walks and reducing screen time, which significantly enhance their energy levels and overall well-being.

Takeaways

• 😴 The video discusses the struggle with chronic tiredness and the quest to improve sleep quality by addressing phone usage and seeking expert advice.
• 📱 The creator's habit of using a phone as an alarm and staying up late with it contributes to poor sleep patterns.
• 🔍 Research indicates a negative correlation between phone usage and sleep quality, with blue light from screens disrupting the sleep cycle.
• 📚 A pop science book highlights the severe health risks associated with poor sleep, such as dementia, diabetes, and heart failure.
• 🛏️ The experiment with various alarm clocks, including a sunrise simulator, bed shaker, and scent diffuser, aims to find a better wake-up method.
• 🤔 The creator realizes that the type of media consumed on the phone before sleep (passive vs. active) can influence sleep quality.
• 🌅 Introducing morning walks to get sunlight exposure helps reset the circadian rhythm and improve alertness throughout the day.
• 🧘‍♂️ Small changes in sleep hygiene, like stretching and drinking water regularly, contribute to better sleep and energy levels.
• 🤖 A Python script is used to set the order of trying different alarm clocks, showcasing a tech-savvy approach to problem-solving.
• 🌐 Hostinger is highlighted as a sponsor, emphasizing the ease of creating a website to share sleep advice and resources.
• 🔄 The creator concludes that a consistent sleep routine and addressing lifestyle factors, rather than just the alarm clock, are key to improving sleep.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker is facing in the video?

The speaker is experiencing constant tiredness throughout the day and is trying to understand and resolve the issue of poor sleep quality.

What is the speaker's initial hypothesis about the cause of their sleep problem?

The speaker initially believes that the use of their phone, especially as an alarm clock and before sleep, is the main cause of their sleep problem.

What is the relationship between phone usage and sleep according to the Google Scholar research mentioned in the script?

The research found on Google Scholar indicates that there is a negative relationship between phone usage and sleep quality.

What is the pop science book's claim about the consequences of bad sleep?

The pop science book claims that bad sleep is linked to serious health issues such as dementia, diabetes, heart failure, and even death.

What alternative alarm clocks does the speaker try in the video?

The speaker tries various alternative alarm clocks including the Lexon Flip+ LCD Alarm Clock, Philips Sunrise Simulator, an alarm clock with a bed shaker, SoundSpa Slumber Scents, a target practice alarm clock, and a running away alarm clock.

Why does the speaker decide to keep their phone in another room while sleeping?

The speaker decides to keep their phone in another room to avoid the negative effects of blue light and the potential for distraction, which could be impacting their sleep.

What is the role of sleep pressure in the sleep process as explained by Vanessa Hill, the sleep scientist?

Sleep pressure, also known as sleep drive, is the process that builds up throughout the day and dictates when you sleep. It increases until it reaches a point where the body physically needs to sleep.

What is the importance of the circadian rhythm in relation to sleep?

The circadian rhythm is the body's internal clock that influences various processes including appetite and alertness. It works in harmony with sleep pressure to regulate sleep and wakefulness.

What are some of the benefits the speaker noticed after making changes to their sleep routine?

The speaker noticed that they had more hours in their day due to not using their phone in the morning, and waking up in the middle of the night without the ability to use their phone likely resulted in more overall sleep.

What advice does Vanessa Hill give regarding expectations about sleep?

Vanessa Hill advises not to label oneself as a 'bad sleeper' and to have realistic expectations about sleep. She emphasizes that good sleep is about being awake enough to do the things you need to do without the risk of falling asleep at any moment.

What is the final approach the speaker takes to address their sleep issues?

The speaker's final approach involves making small tweaks to their sleep hygiene, such as using their phone in airplane mode for podcasts, setting an alarm, getting up immediately after the alarm, going for morning walks, stretching and drinking water regularly, and taking naps when needed.

Outlines

00:00

😴 Struggling with Sleep and the Impact of Phones

The narrator expresses constant fatigue and a disrupted sleep cycle, attributing the problem to phone usage before bed. They decide to consult a sleep scientist and explore alternative wake-up methods, such as various alarm clocks, to improve their sleep quality. The video is sponsored by Hostinger and supported by patrons. The narrator also humorously contemplates whether their lifelong tiredness is just a part of their identity, rather than a problem to be solved.

05:00

🛠️ Experimenting with Alternative Alarm Clocks

The narrator embarks on a quest to replace their phone as an alarm clock, trying out different types of alarm clocks designed to target various senses. These include a Lexon Flip+ LCD Alarm Clock, a Philips Sunrise Simulator, a bed shaker for the hard of hearing, a SoundSpa with scents, a target practice alarm, and a running away alarm clock. They also mention creating a Python script to randomize the order of using these alarms and share a website made with Hostinger to compile helpful sleep aids and advice.

10:03

🌞 Realizing the Complexity of Sleep and Seeking Expert Advice

After experimenting with various alarm clocks and realizing that the problem persists, the narrator seeks advice from Vanessa Hill, a sleep scientist. They discuss the concept of sleep pressure and circadian rhythm, and how factors like blue light from phones can disrupt these processes. Vanessa emphasizes the importance of not labeling oneself as a 'bad sleeper' and suggests that societal expectations may not align with individual sleep needs. The narrator reflects on their approach to research and acknowledges the need for a more holistic understanding of sleep.

🏃‍♂️ Implementing Sleep Hygiene and Accepting Individual Sleep Patterns

The narrator concludes the video by sharing the insights gained from Vanessa and their own trial of implementing better sleep hygiene practices. They stopped blaming their phone for sleep issues and instead focused on small, consistent changes to their routine, such as morning walks, stretching, hydration, and avoiding social media before bed. The narrator also discusses the importance of accepting one's natural sleep patterns and not feeling guilty about not conforming to societal standards of sleep. They express newfound appreciation for the times when they do have energy and the confidence to take a nap when needed.

Keywords

💡Fatigue

Fatigue refers to a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion, both physically and mentally. In the video, the narrator expresses constant fatigue throughout the day, which is the central problem they are trying to address. The theme of the video revolves around understanding and combating this persistent tiredness.

💡Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene encompasses the practices and habits that are conducive to sleeping well on a regular basis. The video discusses the importance of sleep hygiene in improving the quality of sleep and overall well-being. The narrator experiments with various alarm clocks and eventually focuses on improving their sleep hygiene to tackle their fatigue.

💡Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythm is the body's internal clock that regulates the cycle of sleep and wakefulness. It is a key concept in the video as the narrator learns that aligning their sleep with their circadian rhythm is crucial for feeling rested. The video mentions how factors like light exposure and consistent routines can influence this rhythm.

💡Blue Light

Blue light is a part of the visible light spectrum with a short wavelength, which is emitted by screens of digital devices like phones. The video script mentions blue light as a factor that can disrupt sleep patterns, suggesting that the narrator's use of their phone before bed might be affecting their sleep quality.

💡Bedtime Procrastination

Bedtime procrastination is the act of delaying sleep despite being aware of the negative consequences. The video references the concept when discussing the narrator's habit of using their phone until they can't keep their eyes open, which contributes to their sleep issues.

💡Alarm Clocks

Alarm clocks are devices used to awaken people from their sleep at a designated time. In the script, the narrator tries various types of alarm clocks in an attempt to improve their wake-up routine, highlighting the struggle to find an effective method to start the day without the use of their phone.

💡Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday situations. The narrator mentions having GAD, which could be a contributing factor to their sleep difficulties and the feelings of doom they experience when trying to sleep without their phone.

💡Daylight Exposure

Daylight exposure refers to the amount of natural light one is exposed to during the day. The video emphasizes the importance of daylight exposure for regulating the circadian rhythm and improving sleep quality. The narrator incorporates morning walks to increase their exposure to natural light.

💡Sleep Pressure

Sleep pressure, also known as sleep drive, is the biological urge to sleep that builds up throughout the day and decreases during sleep. In the video, sleep scientist Vanessa Hill explains the concept of sleep pressure to the narrator, indicating that it's a natural process that should align with the circadian rhythm for healthy sleep patterns.

💡Passive Media and Active Media

Passive media refers to content that is relaxing and does not require much engagement, while active media is content that is engaging and can keep one hooked. The video discusses these concepts in the context of phone usage before bed, suggesting that the type of media consumed can affect sleep quality.

💡Social Media

Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The video script mentions the negative impact of social media on sleep, as the narrator's use of their phone for social media before bed contributes to their bedtime procrastination and poor sleep.

Highlights

The narrator's constant tiredness despite various daily activities and the decision to consult a sleep scientist.

Sponsor acknowledgment for the video and the narrator's intention to find a solution to their sleep issues.

The narrator's realization of their poor sleep habits, such as using the phone until late at night and waking up to an alarm.

Research findings from Google Scholar linking phone usage to negative sleep impacts.

A pop science book's alarming connection between poor sleep and severe health issues like dementia and heart failure.

The narrator's skepticism about the book's portrayal of sleep as an extreme life-or-death issue.

The decision to separate from the phone by using it as an alarm clock and seeking alternative wake-up methods.

Introduction of various alarm clocks aimed at different waking methods, including a flip clock, sunrise simulator, bed shaker, and others.

The humorous and failed attempt to use a scent-based alarm clock to wake up.

The narrator's discussion with colleagues about personal sleep techniques and the idea of creating sleep-related content.

A promotional segment on Hostinger's website solution and its features, including an AI website builder and analytics.

The narrator's continued struggle with sleep despite trying various alarm clocks and the realization that the problem might be deeper.

Consultation with sleep scientist Vanessa Hill, who discusses the concept of sleep pressure and its impact on sleep quality.

Vanessa's advice on managing expectations regarding sleep and the importance of not labeling oneself as a 'bad sleeper'.

The narrator's realization of the complexity of sleep, involving biological, environmental, and social factors.

The narrator's shift in approach to improving sleep by focusing on small tweaks to sleep hygiene rather than a single fix.

Final reflections on the effectiveness of a consistent routine and the narrator's newfound appreciation for their energy levels.

Transcripts

(alarm ringing)

- I'm tired.

I'm tired when I get up,

when I'm working,

when I'm eating, when I'm having fun.

The only time I'm not tired is when I should be asleep.

I don't know what's going on, but it needs to stop.

So I'm finally ditching my phone,

finding a better way to wake up,

and talking with a sleep scientist to figure it out.

Thank you to Hostinger

for sponsoring a portion of this video

and to our patrons for supporting the channel.

So I think I know what's causing my problem.

I think you know what's causing my problem.

(suspenseful music)

But maybe it isn't a problem.

Have you ever considered that?

Like I've been tired my whole life,

and that hasn't stopped me from achieving mediocrity.

I just go to bed at 11:00 PM

and then use my phone until 2:00 AM

when I literally can't hold my eyes open anymore,

and then I wake up at 7:00 AM to a blaring alarm,

and then I start using my phone again.

What's wrong with that? It turns out a lot.

If you use Google Scholar and try to find the relationship

between phones and sleep,

it's exactly what you expect: not good.

But how bad is bad sleep?

I picked up this pop science book,

which I thought would answer a lot of my questions,

but it really just had me asking a new one: Am I gonna die?

Dementia, diabetes, heart failure, death.

This book links all of that to bad sleep,

and it's freaking me out.

While I was reading the book, I did have some issues

with the way it framed some examples.

It was definitely written to make sleep

seem like a life or death issue,

but that is in extreme cases.

That being said, it was pretty clear

that sleep is inextractable from quality of life.

Kinda seems obvious, but seeing it in black and white

made me realize that I should take this seriously.

So I'm gonna do the thing that everybody says I should do.

I'm taking my phone

and I'm putting it in a different room when I go to sleep.

I don't wanna do it.

But in my defense, other than destroying my sleep,

my phone does serve a purpose.

It's my alarm clock. (alarm ringing)

So if I'm leaving it in a different room,

I need to find an alternative.

So I got all of them.

I just know I'm gonna get weird ads for a while.

I chose these because I wanted to target different ways

I could possibly wake up.

This is the Lexon Flip+ LCD Alarm Clock.

It tells the time. It has an alarm.

If you wanna turn it off, you flip it over.

Of course, we have the Philips Sunrise Simulator,

and this will slowly get brighter to simulate the sunrise.

Next, we have this.

It's an alarm clock with a bed shaker,

so it uses vibration to wake you up.

I believe these are especially useful

for people who are hard of hearing.

(tape ripping)

In hindsight, I'm not sure the sound is the thing

that's satisfying, but look how shiny that is.

Bed vibrator.

Don't demonetize this video.

The SoundSpa Slumber Scents.

So I can use stink to wake me up.

Reminds me of a rice cooker.

We've got a bit of target practice.

When your alarm goes off, this target should go up,

and then you have to use like a little laser pointer,

oh my God, to stop the alarm.

Notice how I'm avoiding using a certain word.

That's on purpose.

The final alarm clock, it runs away from you.

The idea is that once your alarm goes off in the morning,

this thing will just run away.

So you have to get out of bed

to go catch it and shut it off.

I wrote up a quick script in Python

that'll set the order for me.

We are starting with the stinky alarm clock.

All right, let's figure out

how to get this thing working.

So we've got the big old egg thing.

"Plug the adapter into the diffuser,

then plug the adapter into the outlet."

Seems pretty straightforward.

(alarm beeping)

Putting some stuff in.

Day one. Let's do it.

Wait.

I need to put this.

(phone clattering)

Bye-bye.

Okay, let's get to sleep.

Nope. (latch rattling)

Smells like onions. I can't take a nap.

Were you guys just hanging out without me?

- You said you were going to sleep.

- Why do you look so tall?

You stood in the middle.

- Why? - This is like,

like a bad Scooby-Doo.

- (laughs) I wanna know how you guys fall asleep.

(playful music)

- I look at the inside of my eyes.

- Shut up.

- Like I'll just lay there and let sleep take over.

But if that doesn't work,

then I'll listen to like soundscapes, a rainy day cafe.

But it's the 1970s or something. I don't know.

It's like someone else is in the other room, and then-

- There's someone else in the room.

- Like, but it's normal. It's calming.

- Look at the inside of my eyelids

and really focus on the darkness.

You spend all your time trying to see the black.

- But how do you look? It's closed.

- But I put a pillow on my head.

The room doesn't exist anymore.

The pillow exists only.

If it's a problem with my brain,

then I need to like have my brain

think about something else.

I listen to podcasts at half speed.

- If you watch this video at half speed...

- It's time for you to go to sleep.

- We should make sleep stuff.

- What do you mean by that?

- Here's what I mean by that.

We both know that sleep is really important,

and I'm trying to help us get more of it.

So I've compiled and will continue to compile

all of the things that I find helpful,

like sources, sleep aids, and other advice

that might not make it into this video.

Luckily, I can still share it with you

using a website I made with Hostinger

who sponsored this video.

When you have an idea,

I think it's important to make it as quickly as possible,

because then you can see it in real life

and test if it's actually a good idea

or find ways to iterate and improve.

Luckily, that's easy with Hostinger,

an all-in-one website solution.

With their premium plan,

I was able to claim snoreville.com for free

and got a unique website in seconds

by typing my idea into their AI website builder.

Then I just added in our unique sleep advice

and sleep aids, like making cookies really quietly

or talking about Cookie Clicker.

- Yeah, You start by hiring some grandmas.

- With analytics, SEO, and an AI heatmap

to predict which parts of the page

will get the most attention,

that's everything Snoreville needs.

But if I feel like I'm ready for more advanced features,

I can easily migrate to WordPress.

It is genuinely amazing

how quickly I was able to bring this late-night idea to life

in just a few clicks.

It's empowering, but also just really fun.

If you wanna bring your idea online with a free domain,

professional looking emails

and dozens of other premium features,

Hostinger is here for you with 24/7 customer support

and some incredible limited-time offers.

The plan I use is just 1.99 a month,

and you get an additional 10% off

if you use our coupon code ANSWER.

So get started today at hostinger.com/answer10

and find everything you need to create a website.

Now, I should follow our own advice and get to sleep.

(device crackling)

I don't know why I thought waking up

to the sound of a crackling fire was a good idea.

I didn't even smell anything.

Oh, so I couldn't figure out how to turn it off.

This sucked.

Hopefully tomorrow's better.

(device whirring and beeping)

Why?

(device whirring and beeping)

(pistol shooting)

(device beeping)

(device vibrating)

(device beeping)

(device thudding)

(objects clattering)

This is- (coffee grinder whirring)

By the way, I have still been drinking coffee

throughout this whole thing.

I didn't wanna change too many variables at once.

And after watching Melissa's experience quitting coffee,

- It's hard.

- things might get too bleak.

Anyway, I was absolutely convinced

that getting rid of my phone would've like changed things,

and that at least one of the alarm clocks

would help me feel better.

But I've used all of them and it's not great.

Turn off the light. (device buzzing)

I thought that putting my phone in the other room

would solve my problem of going to sleep late,

but it hasn't.

I didn't realize, but I guess I'd been using my phone

to silence the part of my brain

that has, ow, generalized anxiety disorder.

So yeah, now instead of doomscrolling

before turning on a podcast and falling asleep,

I just feel a sense of doom for a few hours

before eventually falling asleep.

And this anxiety also means

that all of the alarm clocks are basically the same.

I'm a light sleeper. I know that I'm a light sleeper.

I don't know how I convinced myself

that a gentler sound would make me feel better.

Bro, I think birds chirping are a jump scare.

Now, I have noticed two benefits, right?

First, when I wake up in the middle of the night

due to any given sound, I can't use my phone.

It's annoying, but it probably means

that I'm getting more sleep as a whole.

Two, I have more hours in my day.

Because I'm not using my phone in the morning,

I get through my morning routine way faster

because I'm not doomscrolling on the toilet.

It's the little things in life.

Those are two great benefits, but hasn't solved my problem.

I am still tired. So plan A has failed.

I need to take a different approach.

So I went back to researching.

But instead of just focusing on the relationship

between phones and sleep,

I tried to get a better sense of the bigger picture.

I look like an inverted pumpkin.

Anyway, I've looked into culture and society,

psychology, biology,

and it turns out sleep is a little more complex

than just closing your eyes for a few hours.

The quality of your sleep depends on a lot

of biological, environmental, and social factors.

And the quantity of your sleep can be out of your control

because of things like school, work,

and familial obligation.

These are all things that I kind of knew

from my last round of research,

but now that I am trying to actually process all of it

instead of just blaming my phone,

I realize I have no idea what I'm doing.

There are like 1,000,001 interdisciplinary things

that might be impacting my sleep.

And I studied math, guys.

The only thing I can do is count sheep.

So I think it's finally time that I ask for some help.

- My name's Vanessa Hill. I'm a sleep scientist.

And I research specifically mobile phones

and bedtime procrastination.

I think that a lot of people have an unrealistic expectation

of what their sleep should look like,

and they think that they're getting bad sleep

or that they're a bad sleeper,

and you should never label yourself that way

just when you're getting kind of normal sleep.

- Can I be honest with you for a second?

It was only after she said that

when I realized that I have no idea

what I'm trying to get out of this.

Like I assumed that if I slept good enough,

I'd just wake up and be a stock image model.

But it turns out that the result of good sleep

is basically just are you awake enough

to do the things you need to do

without being in real risk of falling asleep

at any given moment?

I do that already.

I thought there was another level to unlock.

It's like learning Santa Claus isn't real.

But despite how disappointing

and honestly kind of vague the idea of good sleep is,

the science on how to get it is surprisingly clear.

- [Vanessa] So I want you to imagine that when you wake up,

you are at zero.

You are hypothetically well rested.

So throughout the course of the day,

you build up something that's called sleep pressure.

It's also sometimes called a sleep drive.

And it's one of the processes that dictates when you sleep.

Your sleep pressure increases and increases and increases

until you get to this point at night

when you have so much sleep pressure

that you can't stay awake anymore

and your body physically needs to sleep.

- This process should work in harmony

with your circadian rhythm,

which uses your body's internal clock

to dictate things like appetite and alertness.

So ideally when you sleep, you relieve your sleep pressure

and wake up feeling alert.

But these processes can fall out of sync with shift work,

jet lag, sleep procrastination, or even blue light.

Blue light is the reason I've heard

for why I shouldn't have my phone at night.

It's also why I thought putting it away

would solve all my problems.

But it turns out there's nuance.

- What I'm concerned about

is what people are doing on their phones.

In some research,

this is referred to as passive media and active media.

So you can imagine passive media

is things that help you relax.

Active media, you could define more as things

that are kind of keeping you hooked.

So you could be using your phone to de-stress,

to watch a comforting YouTube video

to kind of relax and like get in the mood for sleep.

If that works for you, then go for it.

You need to make your sleep work for you

rather than to try to conform to society's expectations

of when you should sleep and when you should get up.

There's a lot of shame around not sleeping well

or being a bad sleeper,

but it's just like an area of health.

Like you can just keep working at it

and keep trying to get a little bit better,

but your best is okay.

- It was only after like that hour-long conversation

I had with Vanessa when I really started to accept

how much I'd let my feelings guide my research.

It was bound to happen

because this subject really matters to me,

and I wanted an answer as quickly as I could.

But it's a whole field of research,

and there's so much information and I got overwhelmed.

So I just let my gut decide what to focus on.

However, my gut isn't always right.

For example, the reason I feel tired all day

might not have anything to do with sleep.

- Quite often you can feel tired

because you're just not moving your body enough.

You're not spending enough time in the natural sunlight.

You're not eating things

that are giving you like the right nutrients.

All of these things can contribute to how you feel,

and they're all kind of interconnected.

- Even Canada's sleep recommendations

is sandwiched in between movement guidelines.

I just totally ignored it

because I thought if I was tired,

I had to fix my sleep.

- Wrong.

- So with that lesson learned,

I decided to give this experiment one more week

with some changes.

Instead of trying to find one big fix,

I focused on small tweaks to my sleep hygiene.

I kept my phone to listen to podcasts,

but I set it to airplane mode to avoid social media.

I set my alarm on my phone,

because it turns out every alarm clock sucks.

At least my phone keeps track of the time zone.

And when my alarm went off, (alarm beeping)

I got up to keep my bed associated with sleep.

And then this was the biggest change.

I went for a morning walk,

just pumped some daylight into my eyes

and reminded my circadian rhythm what time it is.

Plus, it was a chance at some exercise

and to catch up on the playlist Melissa curated

for our newsletter.

Throughout the day,

I try to stretch and drink water at least once an hour.

And when it was time for bed, (alarm beeping)

I'd do it all over again.

I didn't stop drinking coffee.

I didn't go to sleep at the exact same time every day.

And I just stared out the window one morning

when I was too lazy to go for a walk.

Thank you so much.

But one week later I could say that these changes

were way more effective

than any of those wacky alarm clocks.

Like I'm still not a stock image model in the morning,

but a more consistent routine has made it easier for me

to predict my energy levels throughout the day,

helped me notice some details

that I might need to see a doctor about.

Oh my God, that's delicious.

I didn't realize how much guilt I carried

about being a bad sleeper,

and how it created like this cycle of pity

where I didn't even get to appreciate the times

when I do have like a lot of energy,

because I thought that I just needed

to be tired all the time.

But now when I do feel like the sense of tiredness

that a quick stretch and some water can't quite fix,

I take a nap.

And guess what? I sleep like a baby.