Are you tired all the time?
So many people experience the syndrome that there is now an acronym for it, TATT-tired all the time.
If you are one of those people you probably assume that by going to bed at a decent hour you are getting enough sleep.
Don’t assume!
My Story
Right in the middle of the pandemic, I flew across the United States to spend a week with our youngest daughter and her family.
Because I was in a different time zone and spending the days playing with and caring for an infant and a toddler, I expected to be exhausted. I should have been exhausted.
A few days in, I realized that not only was I not tired, but I also actually felt pretty good. How was that even possible?
A weird combination of the different time zone and a kid friendly sleep schedule allowed me to get more sleep than I had in years.
I was not tired for a very valid reason. I was getting enough sleep.
At home, because I went to bed at what I considered a normal time, it didn’t occur to me that I might not be getting enough sleep.
Apparently, it didn’t occur to my doctors to ask, either. Because, honestly, if you are going to the doctor because you are tired all the time, the doctor would rightly assume that get enough sleep has been checked off the list.
Only when I slept for ten hours multiple nights in a row and woke without the aid of an alarm clock did it occur to me that my problem was the result of not getting enough sleep.
How much sleep do you need?
One easy way to figure out your personal sleep requirement, is to go to bed and sleep until you wake up without the aid of an alarm clock.
The number of hours that you sleep before you wake naturally, is the ideal number of hours of sleep your body needs. .
It may take a few nights of filling your sleep tank before your body resets to the norm for your personal sleep requirement.
It took me a few nights of ten hours of sleep per night before I was able to wake naturally. My personal nightly sleep requirement is pretty darn high.
If you don’t have the luxury of a few nights dedicated to figuring this out, go to bed a little earlier each night until you wake up just before the alarm clock goes off.
What time do you need to go to bed?
Once you figure out how many hours per night your body requires to feel rested, count backwards from the time you need to wake up.
I get up at six every morning. I need to go to bed by nine.
And there is the root of the problem.
How do you work all day, take care of all your home responsibilities and extra-curricular activities, and get to bed early enough?
Deciding to make sleep a priority will involve some difficult decisions.
I was so tired of feeling tired all the time that I returned home absolutely determined.
Except for Sunday morning worship, I gave up every single ongoing commitment outside of work and home.
While that may not be remotely possible, begin by making an honest assessment of the number of available hours for activities and obligations.
Instead of constantly adding more to your day, be intentional about what can be eliminated.
Why is it so important to get enough sleep?
Our bodies NEED sleep!
Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems.
Obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke and depression have all been linked to long-term sleep deprivation.
And that’s in adults.
The effect of sleep deprivation in kids and preteens is so alarming, I decided to link to a study so you can see for yourself.
Children’s Sleep Linked to Brain Development
And yet, sleep is the first thing to go when there’s too much to do and too little time in which to get it done.
Start thinking of sleep as an investment.
Instead of investing in products, start investing in your mental and physical health by sleeping.
There’s the added bonus of sleep being absolutely free.
If you want to invest in your child’s mental and physical health, the best place to start is with a good night’s sleep.
Thinking of sleep as an investment will make it easier to make it a priority.
Are you tired all the time?
Absolutely you should consult a doctor to rule out any underlying cause.
But don’t make the mistake of thinking diet, exercise, and vitamins are a worthy substitute for sleep.
If you’re one of the millions of people who are tired all the time, first and foremost, invest in a good night’s sleep.
You will be surprised to find how much better you feel.
Updated 10/04/2024
This post is not intended to be a medical opinion or professional advice. It is not advice of any kind. It’s not even scientific. It’s my story about what worked for me.
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