Written by Kate Beswick in Health
Viewed by 128 readers since 08-21-2009

We’ve all had those days when you just can’t seem to wake up. You spend the day feeling groggy, tired, and unfocused. Experiencing these symptoms an occasion may just be the result of a late night. But if you find that almost every day is like this, there could be a few causes behind it that can be easily corrected. Find out the most common reasons why people are always asking themselves, “Why am I always tired?”

Improper Sleeping Conditions

It takes more than any old mattress and pillow to ensure a good night’s sleep. You need a solid pillow and an even better mattress to make sure you’re getting the rest that you need. Take a good look at your mattress. If you can clearly see your ‘cozy spot’ (the spot where you curl up at night), it’s time for a new mattress. It’s also a clear indication that it’s time to change your mattress if you or your partner always rolls to the middle. This is a sign of wear and probably isn’t the most comfortable. Also, if you’ve had your mattress for 8-10 years, invest in a new one. You’ll be amazed at how well you sleep!

Your pillow can also be the culprit of a poor night’s sleep. Pillows should be somewhat firm and even, just like your mattress! If you have a bad pillow, you will spend so much time that you should be sleeping tossing and turning. Even if it doesn’t completely wake you up, you’re not getting the really good quality of sleep that makes you feel refreshed upon wakening. To test your pillow, lay it flat against the middle of your arm. A good pillow will keep its sides up and not drop down along your arms.

Constant Waking

Obviously, if you keep waking up at night, you won’t get a good sleep. But some people wake up for only seconds and don’t realize it. This gives the misconception that they’ve slept through the night when in actuality, they’ve only gotten a few hours. To make sure you fall asleep and stay asleep, make sure that the sleeping conditions are conducive to just that. Make sure the room is dark and at a good temperature. If you find that you’re getting up often to go to the bathroom, make sure you don’t drink anything at least two hours before bedtime. This should be enough to keep you feeling comfortable until morning.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a major reason why people feel so tired! Even though many of us use caffeine to help us wake up, drinking too much can actually have the opposite effect. Too much caffeine can make your body depend on it. And if that happens and you don’t feed your fix, you will automatically feel exhausted, even if just mentally. Try to cut back on the amount of caffeine you’re drinking throughout the day. And cut all caffeine out of your diet several hours before bedtime. This is sure to keep you up!

Stress

Ever lay in bed tossing and turning because you’re worried about something? It’s true that sometimes our own minds are responsible for us not getting enough sleep. Worrying about finances or a big meeting the next day might make it impossible for your mind to unwind and relax enough to let you go to sleep. To help with this, try some different stress-relieving methods. Try writing down all your worries before you go to sleep. Also make sure that you’re not working right up until bedtime. You need at least one hour for your brain to calm down enough from stress to ensure that it doesn’t interrupt your sleep. After all, sleep is a huge remedy for stress. And you can’t have one without having the other!

Illness

Of course, sometimes these reasons aren’t why you feel tired all the time. In some cases, your tiredness may be due to a serious illness. One of the signs of depression for example is that you just can’t seem to wake up and have no motivation for anything. If you find that you feel tired all the time and just can’t seem to shake it no matter what you do, it’s important that you see your doctor. He or she might be able to tell you a medical reason behind it and put you on the road to good sleep and good health!