I am 17 years old. Sometimes I really do sleep the recommended hours that the CDC conveys for my age, whenever I get the chance. However, I have a very hectic lifestyle. I have to go to college, religious services, chores, and keep in touch with my friends and family. And with college I have homework to do and internship. But when I have a chance to sleep like 8 or 9 hours I wake up still feeling tired. What is wrong with me? Also, when I watch television I fall asleep and also when my mother is driving I tend to also fall asleep.
2007-02-15 14:10:22 · 7 answers · asked by College Kid 5 in Health ➔ Mental Health
For one thing, sleep deprivation is cumulative. You need to make up about 80% of REM sleep and 30-40% of short wave sleep that you miss. So if you sleep 5 hours a night through the week, and then sleep for 8 hours on Friday night, you'll still be tired on Saturday as you're still down at least 9 hours, so you're about as sleep deprived as if you'd just pulled an all-nighter after having maintained a normal sleep cycle for a while. In order to not feel tired, you need to have gotten an average of 8 to 9 hours of sleep over a long period, not just last night.
If you were getting that much sleep every night and still feeling tired, it might simply be that you're someone who needs a lot of sleep. Teenagers need more sleep than any other age group, and there's also a lot of variation among individuals of any age, so you may well need more than 9 hours of sleep a night. If you were getting really a lot of sleep (averaging 10+ hours a night), and still feeling tired then it might be indicative of a medical problem, but given that you're averaging under 8 hours a night, you're tired for the simple reason that you're not getting enough sleep.
2007-02-15 14:36:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a very individual thing. Your body is the best indicator something is wrong...maybe you need more sleep, maybe 7 to 8 hours isnt enough for you. Maybe your lifestyle is too hectic and you need to slow down....or maybe it is a simple case of you lacking in some kind of vitamin....Maybe go get a health check up, and if everything comes back normal, then you know you are not getting enough sleep and/or your lifestyle is too hectic. Your body doesnt lie...take notice of it. What is recommended in the CDC is an overall statistical overview, which means, not everyone fits into the same category. Just like we are so different on the outside, the same applies to our insides, and what works for one person, doesnt necessarily work for another. Like I said, your body is telling you there is something wrong...take notice of it. maybe slow down a bit and then see how you feel. Its all about trial and error...find out what it is that is making you so tired. You will eventually find out what it is if you do your own sort of investigative work, but go get a blood test first to rule out anything physical. You are taking on an awful lot for a person your age...so I reckon that could be a big reason why you are so tired.
2007-02-15 14:27:23 · answer #2 · answered by rightio 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may be sleeping the right amount of hours, but you may not be getting enough what they call deep restful sleep, REM sleep or the sleep where you dream. Are you overweight? Do you snore? Do you find yourself waking up a lot during the night and falling back asleep? If you do, then you are not getting the deep sleep that you need. You may need to go have a sleep study. That will tell you what your sleep cycles are like and if you have a sleeping problem.
2007-02-15 14:20:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For your age, you need more sleep. A recent study showed teens need the most sleep out of all groups, 9-12 hours. There are several reasons; you are growing, your hormones, your activity level.
Get more sleep and also see if you snore. You may have sleep apenea if you snore and should seek out ways to sleep on your sides, not back.
2007-02-15 14:14:38 · answer #4 · answered by MadforMAC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe cause you are not getting a good deep sleep. if you are tossing and turning all night you will be tired the following day.
2007-02-15 14:15:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to sleep 7 hours. Exercise more often it relaxes your muscles.
2007-02-15 14:13:55 · answer #6 · answered by LIZA 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you feel tired because you are not eating certain foods that you need.If you dont get certain vitamins it is hard for your body to recharge.
2007-02-15 14:16:19 · answer #7 · answered by Travis T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if medical tests show no metabolic syndromes like diabetes... you may simply be stressed out. try getting on a treadmill when you typically watch tv... you wont fall asleep, and be burning off a lot of stress. sounds like when you can relax, your body takes advantage of it... so it may be telling you something
2007-02-15 14:15:22 · answer #8 · answered by justr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋