In a perfect world, you’d always greet each new day with plenty of enthusiasm and motivation. However, your reality may look more like hitting the snooze button several times before finally dragging your groggy self out of bed, wishing you could dive back under the covers and stay there.
Tiredness and a lack of energy are problems a lot of adults struggle to cope with, but pinpointing the root cause of the issue is the first step in finding a solution. Your health provider can examine you for health concerns like these.
1. Sleep Deprivation
Many American adults are chronically sleep-deprived due to issues like stress and burnout. Besides leaving you feeling fatigued, insomnia can also contribute to mental health issues like irritability and anxiety.
Though insomnia and sleep deprivation aren’t illnesses, they can adversely affect your overall well-being. A physician can give you suggestions for healthy stress-reducing techniques or possibly prescribe you a medication to help with occasional sleeplessness.
2. Depression
Depression is a mental health disorder that can make you feel lethargic and unmotivated. Often, depressed people have an irregular sleep schedule, sleeping too much or too little than they should. If you are depressed, you might have trouble summoning enough energy to get out of bed in the morning. Depression can also leach the joy out of life, making you lose interest in work and hobbies.
In addition to causing exhaustion and apathy, untreated depression can also affect other facets of your life, leading to feelings of guilt and hopelessness or recurring, intrusive thoughts of suicide. If you suspect you have depression, make an appointment with a doctor or therapist as soon as possible.
3. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that causes people to stop breathing in their sleep. These frequent pauses can occur throughout the night, preventing you from getting a full, restful seven to nine hours of good-quality sleep. Other symptoms associated with sleep apnea include waking up with a headache and dry mouth or having trouble with memory, concentration and mood the next day.
If you snore or have other risk factors for sleep apnea, check with your physician. If left unaddressed, sleep apnea not only results in chronic fatigue, but it can also lead to more severe health problems like heart disease and stroke.
4. Substance Abuse
Drinking and drug use can wreak havoc on your sleep patterns. One study found people with an active substance use disorder are five to 10 times more likely to develop sleep problems than their sober counterparts. That’s because frequent chemical use interrupts a normal, healthy sleep cycle. As your dependence on drugs or alcohol worsens, you may experience issues like taking longer to fall asleep, waking up more often throughout the night and having low-quality sleep and extreme fatigue during the day.
Pine Grove’s Treatment Philosophy
At Pine Grove, we believe in treating substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders with care and compassion. The disease of addiction is complex and challenging, with consequences that can affect every facet of your life. If you are tired of feeling tired and having no energy, your health could be the reason. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you.
