Why You're Always Tired (and how to fix it)

Summary

This video offers practical tips on how to combat tiredness and improve energy levels through better sleep habits. The speaker shares personal experiences and research-backed strategies, emphasizing the importance of getting 7-8 hours of consistent sleep, understanding your chronotype, and maintaining a sleep schedule. Key recommendations include avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, engaging in regular exercise, and optimizing diet for sustained energy. The video also discusses the benefits of naps, light exposure, and creating a restful sleeping environment, providing a comprehensive guide to feeling more energized and less fatigued.

Takeaways

• 😴 Ensure you get 7-8 hours of sleep consistently, as less than six hours is equivalent to being cognitively impaired.
• 🕊 Recognize your chronotype as an early bird or night owl, as it affects the quality of your sleep and should be considered when setting a sleep schedule.
• 🛌 Avoid hitting the snooze button, as it disrupts your body's natural sleep cycle and can lead to increased feelings of tiredness.
• 🏃‍♂️ Engage in physical activity upon waking, as even 30 seconds can improve alertness and reduce the effects of sleep inertia.
• ☀️ Expose yourself to bright light in the morning to stimulate wakefulness and regulate your sleep patterns.
• 💧 Stay hydrated in the morning, as dehydration can affect alertness, concentration, cognitive abilities, and mood.
• ☕ Limit caffeine intake to the morning or midday to avoid impacting sleep quality, as its effects can last for hours.
• 🥗 Focus on a healthy diet, as it can significantly influence your energy levels and sleep quality in the long term.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Incorporate regular exercise into your routine, as it has been shown to improve sleep duration and quality, as well as alertness.
• 💤 Take short naps of 20-30 minutes to boost productivity and cognitive function without entering deep sleep stages.
• 🚫 Avoid alcohol in the evening, as it can disrupt REM sleep and lead to more awakenings during the night.
• 🛁 Have a warm shower or bath before bed to help your body naturally cool down, signaling it's time to sleep.
• 🌙 Sleep in a dark and cool environment to promote better sleep by reducing stimulation and maintaining optimal body temperature.
• 📵 Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom to avoid the stimulating effects of light and activity on your brain before sleep.
• 🕰 Develop a consistent sleep schedule to train your body's internal clock and improve overall energy levels and sleep quality.

Q & A

What is the optimal amount of sleep for most people according to the video?

The optimal amount of sleep for most people is seven to eight hours consistently.

What percentage of people are reported to be getting less than six hours of sleep a night?

Over fifty percent of people are getting less than six hours of sleep a night.

What does the term 'chronotype' refer to and why is it important for sleep quality?

Chronotype refers to whether a person is an early bird or a night owl, which can affect the quality of their sleep if it doesn't match their natural circadian rhythm.

Why are teenagers often exhausted in school according to the script?

Teenagers are often exhausted in school because their chronotype naturally shifts to later at night during puberty, making early mornings exceptionally hard.

What is the impact of hitting the snooze button on sleep quality?

Hitting the snooze button can disrupt the body's natural process of waking up, leading to increased feelings of tiredness and sleep inertia.

How does physical activity upon waking up affect alertness?

Physical activity, even as little as 30 seconds, can improve perceived alertness in the morning due to an increased cortisol awakening response.

What role does light exposure play in regulating sleep patterns?

Light exposure, especially sunlight, is key to regulating sleep patterns and stimulating wakefulness in the morning.

How does hydration affect cognitive abilities and mood in the morning?

Hydration can improve alertness, concentration, cognitive abilities, and mood after a period without fluid intake.

What is the effect of caffeine on adenosine receptors in the brain?

Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, blocking them and preventing the accumulation of adenosine which causes tiredness.

How does diet impact energy levels and sleep quality?

Diet can impact energy levels and sleep quality, with whole food diets potentially leading to higher energy levels and high sugar/low fiber diets negatively affecting sleep.

What is the recommended duration for a nap to avoid affecting nighttime sleep?

A nap of 20 to 30 minutes is recommended to avoid affecting nighttime sleep and to increase productivity and cognitive function.

Why is alcohol considered detrimental to sleep quality?

Alcohol can rob REM sleep, contribute to impaired breathing, and cause more awakenings during the night, leading to poor sleep quality.

What are the benefits of a consistent sleep schedule?

A consistent sleep schedule helps regulate the body's internal clock, improving sleep quality and energy levels throughout the day.

How does the script suggest dealing with the inability to fall asleep after 30 minutes?

If unable to fall asleep for over 30 minutes, it's suggested to get up and engage in a relaxing activity until feeling sleepy.

What is the impact of using electronic devices before bed on sleep?

Using electronic devices before bed can stimulate the brain, emit light that tricks the brain into thinking it's a different time, and affect sleep quality.

Why is it advised not to check the clock in the middle of the night?

Checking the clock in the middle of the night can cause anxiety and a cortisol spike, making it harder to fall back asleep.

Outlines

00:00

😴 Understanding Sleep Needs and Chronotypes

The first paragraph emphasizes the importance of sleep duration and quality, suggesting that most people need seven to eight hours of sleep per night for optimal cognitive function. It also introduces the concept of 'chronotype', explaining that individuals can be either 'early birds' or 'night owls' due to genetic differences, which can affect sleep quality and daily energy levels. The speaker shares their personal journey of improving sleep habits and provides a guide to overcoming constant tiredness, including tips on aligning sleep schedules with one's chronotype.

05:01

🛌 Morning Routines and Daily Habits for Better Sleep

This paragraph discusses various morning routines and daily habits that can enhance sleep quality and reduce tiredness. It advises against using the snooze button, suggests starting the day with physical activity, and emphasizes the importance of morning light exposure for regulating sleep patterns. The paragraph also touches on the benefits of hydration, caffeine intake, and diet on energy levels, as well as the impact of exercise on sleep quality. It cautions against consuming caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime and highlights the positive effects of napping and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

10:03

🌙 Evening Practices and Sleep Environment for Restful Nights

The final paragraph focuses on evening practices and creating a conducive sleep environment. It warns against the negative effects of alcohol on sleep and suggests taking a warm shower or bath before bed to help the body cool down naturally. The paragraph recommends sleeping in a dark, cool room and advises against using electronic devices before sleep due to their stimulating effects. It also provides tips for dealing with insomnia, such as getting up and engaging in relaxing activities if unable to sleep, and emphasizes the importance of a consistent sleep schedule for overall energy levels and well-being.

Keywords

💡Sleep Schedule

A sleep schedule refers to going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. This concept is central to the video’s message as it helps regulate the body's internal clock, leading to better sleep quality and higher energy levels. The speaker emphasizes that maintaining a consistent sleep schedule has had one of the biggest impacts on their overall energy and well-being.

💡Chronotype

Chronotype describes an individual's natural inclination toward the timing of sleep and activity, commonly referred to as being an 'early bird' or a 'night owl.' The video discusses how understanding your chronotype can help optimize your sleep and energy levels, as it aligns your sleep habits with your biological clock, improving the quality of rest.

💡Sleep Inertia

Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess and disorientation that occurs immediately after waking up. The video explains that waking up during deep sleep can exacerbate this feeling, making it harder to start the day feeling refreshed. Techniques like using melodic alarms can help reduce sleep inertia by providing a gentler wake-up experience.

💡Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that temporarily blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, reducing feelings of tiredness. The video addresses both the benefits and downsides of caffeine, noting that while it can help you feel more alert, excessive or late-day consumption can disrupt sleep quality and create a cycle of dependency.

💡Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythm is the natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. The video stresses the importance of aligning your sleep schedule with your circadian rhythm to improve sleep quality. Exposure to natural light in the morning and darkness before bed can help regulate this rhythm.

💡Exercise

Exercise refers to physical activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health. The video highlights how regular exercise can improve sleep quality and energy levels. The speaker shares personal experiences of how incorporating exercise into their routine has significantly boosted their energy and reduced feelings of tiredness.

💡Hydration

Hydration is the process of maintaining adequate water levels in the body, which is crucial for overall health. In the video, hydration is discussed as a key factor in improving alertness, cognitive function, and mood, especially when it is prioritized early in the morning after waking up.

💡Sleep Environment

A sleep environment encompasses the physical conditions of the room where one sleeps, including factors like darkness, temperature, and noise levels. The video emphasizes the importance of a dark, cool environment to promote better sleep, as these conditions help the body prepare for and sustain restful sleep.

💡Adenosine

Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in promoting sleep and relaxation as it builds up in the brain throughout the day. The video discusses how caffeine affects adenosine by blocking its receptors, which temporarily reduces tiredness but can lead to increased tiredness later as the effects wear off.

💡Melodic Alarms

Melodic alarms are alarm sounds that are musical or melodious, which research has shown to reduce sleep inertia and improve morning alertness. The video suggests using melodic alarms as a strategy to wake up more smoothly and reduce the grogginess that often accompanies waking from deep sleep.

Highlights

The video discusses the importance of sleep and provides tips to feel less tired and energized.

The optimal sleep duration for most people is seven to eight hours consistently.

Over 50% of people are getting less than six hours of sleep, which is equivalent to being cognitively drunk.

Understanding your chronotype (early bird or night owl) is crucial for quality sleep.

Matching sleep schedule to your chronotype can significantly improve sleep quality.

A melodic alarm can reduce sleep inertia and improve morning alertness.

Hitting the snooze button disrupts the natural sleep cycle and can lead to grogginess.

Morning physical activity, even just 30 seconds, can enhance perceived alertness.

Exposure to bright light in the morning helps regulate sleep patterns and stimulate wakefulness.

Hydration upon waking can improve alertness, concentration, cognitive abilities, and mood.

Caffeine can temporarily alleviate tiredness by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain.

Consuming caffeine close to bedtime can negatively affect sleep quality.

A healthy diet can have a significant impact on energy levels and sleep quality.

Exercise improves sleep quality and increases alertness, but its effects may not be immediate.

Avoiding exercise right before bed can prevent disruptions to sleep due to increased body temperature.

Napping for 20 to 30 minutes can boost productivity and cognitive function without entering deep sleep.

Alcohol disrupts sleep by keeping individuals in lighter sleep stages and can lead to more awakenings.

Taking a warm shower before bed can help signal to the body that it's time to sleep by lowering body temperature.

Sleeping in a dark, cool environment supports better sleep quality by reducing brain stimulation.

Developing a consistent sleep schedule is key to optimizing energy levels and sleep patterns.

Transcripts

a portion of this video was sponsored by

google career certificates do you feel

tired all the time if you're anything

like me who spent years of your life

either waking up tired every single day

or just generally feeling drained all

the time it sucks except i honestly

don't feel that way anymore i spent the

past few years obsessing over sleep

research and my own habits to figure out

how to feel less tired and be more

energized and that's what i'm gonna

share today the top research and expert

back tips that i followed to not only

feel more alert and alive but it'll also

help you fall asleep way faster for

those who struggle with that too

consider this the ultimate guide to

feeling less tired that you and i can

reference back to whenever we're hitting

those slumps in life first up we have to

get two obvious things out of the way

number one are you getting enough sleep

i know this hardly feels like a tip

worth sharing

maybe you should sleep more if you're

tired

but a lot of people don't know how much

sleep their brain and body actually

needs like how many hours should you be

asleep for the answer is seven to eight

hours consistently is the most optimal

but over fifty percent of people are

getting less than six hours a night and

countless studies have shown that

getting less than six hours on a regular

basis is equivalent to being cognitively

drunk and under four hours a night is

obviously even worse there is a very

small genetic minority that can handle

really low hours but chances are you and

i are not it especially if you clicked

on this video so if you're struggling

with energy and being tired the first

place to look is the sheer number of

hours you're getting do whatever you can

to regularly get as close to eight hours

as possible and if you aren't already

you'll likely feel a huge difference and

number two just before we jump into the

changes you can actually make today an

important question to ask yourself is

what is your chronotype are you an early

bird or a night owl these might just

seem like cute terms but we can actually

see genetic differences that make some

people more prone to get up early and

others to stay up late and it's not

simply a matter of making yourself go to

bed at a different time if you're

naturally a night owl but you're trying

to make yourself fall asleep early you

won't be getting good quality sleep

because it doesn't match your innate

circadian rhythm it's part of the reason

teenagers are so desperately exhausted

in school because their chronotype

naturally shifts to later at night as

they go through puberty meaning early

mornings are exceptionally hard later

start times at school increase class

attendance decrease behavioral and

psychological problems and decrease

substance and alcohol abuse in teens i

know your schedule isn't always your

choice but if you have the flexibility

to match your chronotype you'll be going

a long way to feeling less tired also

know that your chronotype can change

throughout your life alright so i

thought the easiest way to break down

these science-backed tips would be

chronologically starting from the moment

you wake up and going through your day

all the way to your bedtime and sleeping

habits but before we do that i want to

take a quick moment to thank today's

sponsor google career certificates for

sponsoring this portion of the video we

know that good sleep improves your

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google employees who are subject matter

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and unlike many other learning

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i started taking the marketing course

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amazing what it feels like to learn from

someone who's a literal expert at google

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certificates to start learning job-ready

skills that will help you in job

applications and interviews thanks again

to google career certificates for

sponsoring this portion of the video and

now back to more tiredness tips all

right what do the first moments of your

day likely include an alarm it's maybe

time to change your alarm sound studies

have shown that melodic alarms like

those that play music not only reduce

perceived sleep inertia and tiredness in

the morning but actually improve

psychomotor abilities and reduce

attention issues compared to neutral

alarms personally i love an alarm that

starts quiet and slowly builds over time

so that i'm not jarred out of sleep but

ultimately you just want to choose

something that's melodic like music

don't hit snooze your body goes through

multiple sleep cycles every night from

light sleep to deep sleep to rem sleep

and then back to light sleep and this

repeats over and over and if your alarm

goes off in the middle of deep sleep

you're way more likely to feel sleep

inertia and groggy when woken up now the

problem with the snooze button is when

you're getting close to your natural

waking time the body starts preparing

itself by releasing hormones and

increasing body temperature but alarms

often cut this process short which is

why you feel tired especially when sleep

deprived but by hitting the snooze

button you're basically telling your

body to restart another sleep cycle and

head back towards deep sleep this means

you'll have the same problem when the

alarm goes off again and may feel even

more tired honestly you're much better

off getting that extra 10 or 20 minutes

of sleep time than setting your alarm

early and just snoozing at a bunch move

around when you wake up recent evidence

has shown that as little as 30 seconds

of physical activity can improve

perceived alertness in the morning this

may be because of an increased cortisol

awakening response important to note

that while participants felt more alert

they actually didn't perform any better

on tests with morning exercise but hey

sometimes you just want to feel better

expose yourself to bright light in the

morning light exposure is key to

regulating your sleep patterns of course

sunlight is the best way to trigger this

but studies have even found that bright

artificial light in the morning can help

stimulate wakefulness even beyond just

the morning make sure you're being

exposed to daylight try to get outside

in natural sunlight for at least 30

minutes a day and if you have problems

falling asleep experts recommend one

hour of morning daylight exposure and to

turn down the lights before bedtime

hydration

first thing in the morning when your

body hasn't taken in any fluids for a

while can be super helpful studies have

shown that not only are alertness and

concentration improved with hydration

but so are cognitive abilities and your

mood caffeine we all know her we all

love her i mean obviously caffeine's

like a secret cheat code for feeling

less tired your brain naturally

accumulates adenosine through the day

making you feel tired but caffeine binds

to these same receptors blocking them

from making you feel tired and that's a

great temporary solution except with

chronic caffeine use your brain actually

creates more receptors meaning you need

more caffeine to block that adenosine

accumulation for the most part people

can have a perfectly healthy

relationship with caffeine the bigger

problem seems to be how close to bedtime

you're drinking it since the half-life

of coffee is around six hours that means

if you have a coffee at 6 p.m by

midnight there would still be 50 of it

in your body and this caffeine has a

direct impact on sleep quality

ultimately trying to contain your

caffeine intake to the morning or midday

will not only make it easier to fall

asleep but it will actually improve your

sleep quality through the night speaking

of stuff you're consuming let's talk

about diet now anecdotally i personally

feel a huge difference when i'm eating

healthy consistently and so this has

become a major focus area for me i can

immediately feel energy changes when i'm

not eating well but the science behind

this area is tricky because there's so

many different diets and everybody's

body reacts differently to food there

are some studies that show correlations

between whole food diets and higher

energy levels or that higher levels of

processed foods make people feel more

tired further research has found that

high sugar and low fiber diets also

impact non-rem sleep quality and result

in more awakenings at night without

trying to give you diet advice i'll just

say that for me my food intake has

personally played a huge role in my

energy levels but the hardest part was

that it wasn't an immediate thing it's

been sort of over a long-term habit

change that i could really see those

differences i still obviously let myself

indulge but now i can immediately feel

the difference when i've eaten really

unwell we all have a general idea of

what healthy eating is so do what feels

right for you within those guidelines

similar to coffee though you don't want

to be eating too close to bed because

that can cause indigestion which impacts

your sleep exercise this one has been

the other game changer for me which i

know is so annoying to hear i used to

hate exercising but i started by just

adding more walks in my day and have

slowly worked my way up to proper

resistance training and cardio i'm

actually really proud of how far i've

come like look at me lifting those

weights sleep studies show that exercise

increases total sleep time especially

non-rem and increases the overall

quality of sleep on average subjective

alertness improves and the time it takes

participants to fall asleep decreases

with fewer waking times across the night

but an interesting takeaway from these

studies is that the relationship between

exercise and sleep isn't always

consistent on a day-to-day basis so just

because you worked out hard today

doesn't mean you'll see or feel those

benefits tonight much like diet it's the

long-term changes that seem to make a

bigger difference ironically studies

also find that while exercise improves

sleep sleep can improve your exercise

capacity so it's a nice little positive

reinforcement circle going on there i

know it's impossible to untangle the

tips i've already shared and the ones

i'd still yet to share but i feel like

exercise has had one of the biggest

impacts on my life i spend a lot of the

day sitting on a chair looking at a

computer and the days where i go without

moving i can physically feel my energy

levels lower it's the weirdest

phenomenon not moving and using energy

gives you more energy but personally

that is what i have found ultimately

it's pretty clear from the research that

a sedentary lifestyle not only impacts

sleep quality but life quality the only

time to avoid exercise is you guessed it

right before bed body temperature can

remain high for an hour or two so too

close to bed makes it harder for your

body to drop its temperature in

preparation for sleep napping my

favorite thing 20 to 30 minute naps have

been shown to increase productivity

cognitive function memory creativity and

make people feel less tired just

remember though under 30 minutes and

you're not likely to go into deep sleep

if you want to go longer i suggest

sleeping a full sleep cycle which is

around 1.5 hours for most people to me

this is a sleep and not a nap but you're

way more likely to wake up out of light

sleep and experience less sleep inertia

finally try not to nap after 3 pm

because that can affect your ability to

fall asleep later alcohol it's ironic

that we tend to drink in the evenings

because alcohol is sleep's worst enemy

you might think a night cap relaxes you

or helps you fall asleep better but the

truth is it robs you of rem sleep and

keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep

it can contribute to impaired breathing

through the night and you're more likely

to wake up in the middle of the night

when the effects have worn off and of

course being hungover won't make you

feel any more energetic tomorrow or look

any better for that matter now when it

comes to bedtime have a warm shower or

bath before bed once you get out of the

warmth your body will radiate the heat

and start working to cool down and this

is actually one of the natural processes

that happens as you fall asleep your

body temperature drops so by creating an

environment where that can happen

naturally your body and brain will begin

to feel sleepy not to mention the

natural relaxation that a calming bath

can provide sleep in a dark cool

environment for a similar reason having

a cool environment helps promote sleep

and darkness plays a major role in not

stimulating your brain so remove any

gadgets or bright clocks that might be

super visible in fact if you have a

clock it's better to turn it away from

you so you won't worry about the time

while you're trying to fall asleep put

away your gadgets i know it's tempting

if not literally impossible not to sit

in bed and use your phone and i even

used to use mine as my alarm but not

only does pre-bedtime phone you

stimulate your brain with activity and

shine light directly into your eyes

tricking your brain into thinking the

time might be different but simply

having the phone in your room and being

able to see it can occupy your mind so

if you can bear it put the phone and any

other gadgets outside your bedroom don't

lie awake in bed if you can't fall

asleep for over 30 minutes it's often

better to get up and try and do a

relaxing activity until you feel sleepy

it's so easy to feel anxious when your

eyes are closed and nothing's happening

and you know you have to be up early in

the morning that only makes things worse

so get up for a bit and do what you can

to just chill and relax if you wake up

in the middle of the night don't check

the clock checking the time in the

middle of the night can cause anxiety

and a cortisol spike which will only

make it harder to go back to sleep

individuals who have insomnia often

watch the clock causing a similar effect

and while you're up trying to avoid any

bright lights like a bathroom light

again your body's circadian rhythm

responds to light so the darker you can

keep it the better night lights aren't

just for kids now before i go over the

final and most important tip it's worth

mentioning that there are obviously

health issues and medical conditions

that can affect not only your sleep but

your energy levels so if you seem to be

trying everything and nothing's working

it's definitely worth talking to your

healthcare professional and perhaps the

most important tip of all develop a

sleep schedule this along with exercise

and sleep has easily had the biggest

impact on my energy levels you want to

try and go to bed and wake up at the

same time every day if you can't follow

any other tips i suggest this one in

conjunction with getting enough sleep

creating a routine will set up your body

to work like literal clockwork anytime

my sleep schedule gets moved around

whether we're traveling or it was the

weekend and i was out i can always tell

how badly impacts my life over the next

few days so the more you can keep a

consistent schedule the more your body

knows the game when to fall asleep

immediately when it should start its

morning routine and when you need your

most energy i'm telling you commit to a

schedule and even when you get bumped

off of it which is inevitable just take

your time and get back on track for me

that's going to bed at midnight and

waking up at 8 a.m every day that i

possibly can for you that might be

shifted to a different time and when i'm

in a good swing of it i rarely need my

alarm because my body just naturally

wakes up at the end of the day i'll say

it again for me i think sleep schedule

exercise and diet have had the biggest

role in my energy levels yes i fall of

course and sometimes have bad days or

weeks in a row where i'm exhausted but

thinking back on who i used to be before

i implemented all these practices i was

literally tired every day i would say to

myself i'm always exhausted and i

actually don't feel that way anymore yes

i still have tired days but me as a

whole i'm a person with way more energy

so my fingers are crossed that this list

is useful to you and helps you become a

more well-rested energized person if you

have your own personal anecdotes or

other studies you know of feel free to

comment many people will be looking for

any a little extra chip they can do to

optimize their sleep and energy

otherwise thank you so much for watching

make sure you hit the like button if you

liked it and made this far make sure you

subscribe and we'll see you next time

for some more science peace