Why Am I Always Sleepy No Matter How Much Sleep I Get

Anxiety can keep you up and wake you up in the night. In fact, RISE users say stress and anxiety are the biggest barriers stopping them from getting a good night’s sleep.

Dysania

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What Is Dysania?
• Symptoms of Dysania
• Causes of Spending Too Much Time in Bed
• Health Effects of Excessive Time in Bed
• Treatments for Excessive Time in Bed
• When to Talk to Your Doctor

Many people enjoy spending a few extra hours in bed on a weekend morning. However, some individuals frequently experience an extreme desire to remain in bed. They may even feel like they cannot get out of bed at all. These feelings and desires may be referred to as dysania, clinomania, or clinophilia.

All three of these terms describe spending excess time in bed Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source but not necessarily sleeping more. Although occasionally lounging in bed may not be a cause for concern, spending too much time in bed may make sleeping at night more difficult. It may also be a symptom of an underlying health condition Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source .

What Is Dysania?

Dysania means an extreme difficulty rising from bed or an inability to leave the bed. Dysania is closely associated with clinomania, which is an obsession with or profound desire for staying in bed. These terms are not widely recognized by the medical community.

Some professionals use the term clinophilia Trusted Source American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research. View Source , which refers to an excessive amount of time spent in bed both at night and during the day. Although a person with clinophilia spends more time lying in bed, the amount of time they spend sleeping does not necessarily increase.

Dysania, clinomania, and clinophilia are not standalone disorders themselves but may be symptoms of another condition Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . However, the use of these terms is inconsistent in the medical community. This means that few published research studies connect these terms to specific medical conditions.

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Symptoms of Dysania

Dysania is characterized by an overwhelming need to stay in bed. Individuals may experience other symptoms alongside dysania, depending on the underlying cause. Concurrent symptoms may include excessive daytime sleepiness Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source or fatigue Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source .

How Much Time in Bed Is Too Much?

The amount of time an individual needs to spend in bed varies depending on age and health Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Sleep experts recommend that the bed only be used for sleeping and sex, and not other activities, in order to improve sleep at night. Since the average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, that range may be a good estimate of the time most adults should spend in bed.

Causes of Spending Too Much Time in Bed

Spending excessive time in bed may be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as depression. Depression is a mood disorder that has many symptoms, including decreased interest in activities or other people, weight changes, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. These symptoms may contribute to a desire to stay in bed and not get up.

Too much time spent in bed can also be a symptom of hypersomnia. Hypersomnia is a disorder of excessive sleepiness that occurs even when a person should be awake. People with hypersomnia experience unrefreshing sleep at night and can fall asleep unintentionally during the daytime.

Other health issues may contribute to extra time spent in bed, though there is limited research on the association. For example, sleep inertia is a state of grogginess upon waking up in the morning that affects cognitive performance Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . This experience may make getting out of bed a challenge.

Some health conditions may cause extreme tiredness Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source or pain, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source . People with these conditions tend to have unrefreshing sleep. They may also sleep longer and may spend extra time in bed due to exhaustion.

Health Effects of Excessive Time in Bed

Excess time spent in bed can have consequences on sleep and the body. For instance, spending too much time overall in bed may make it harder to stay asleep at night Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source . Research shows that limiting the amount of time spent in bed can improve sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source for people with insomnia.

If a person does not change positions while lying in bed, they may develop pressure ulcers, also called bed sores Trusted Source Medline Plus MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. View Source . A sedentary lifestyle Trusted Source Medline Plus MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. View Source can also decrease muscle strength, weaken bones, and impact the immune system. Increasing physical activity can improve these outcomes.

Treatments for Excessive Time in Bed

Because excess time spent in bed may be a symptom of an underlying condition, treatment may be aimed at addressing the condition. For example, people with depression may benefit Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source from a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants.

Also, practicing sleep hygiene can help instill a healthy routine around sleep. Sleep hygiene includes several key components.

• Follow a consistent sleep schedule: Try going to bed and waking up at the same times every day, including on weekends. Aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
• Use the bed only for sleep and sex: Avoid activities like working or eating in bed.
• Create a quality sleep environment: The bedroom should be dark, quiet, and kept at a comfortable temperature for sleeping. Accessories such as blackout curtains or white noise machines can help block out unwanted light or sounds.
• Wind down before bedtime: Calming activities such as taking a bath, reading, or meditating can help you relax and feel sleepy before bedtime.
• Get sunlight and exercise during the day: Exposure to sunlight helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake rhythm Trusted Source National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) The NHLBI is the nation’s leader in the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders. View Source . Daytime physical activity Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. View Source can make falling asleep easier in the evening.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

If your desire to remain in bed is impacting your health and well-being, talk to your health care provider. Be sure to share other symptoms you may be experiencing, such as depressed mood, excessive daytime sleepiness, or fatigue. Your doctor can evaluate your symptoms and determine an appropriate course of action.

Why Am I Always Sleepy No Matter How Much Sleep I Get?

Why Am I Always Sleepy No Matter How Much Sleep I Get?

• You’re probably sleepy no matter how much sleep you get because you don’t know your sleep need, you’ve got high sleep debt, or you’re not in sync with your circadian rhythm.
• Hypersomnia, insomnia, sleep apnea, anxiety or depression, a medical condition, pregnancy, or poor sleep hygiene could also be to blame.
• Use the RISE app to find out how much sleep you need and get personalized recommendations to help you get it. 80% of RISE users feel more energy within five days.

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Feeling sleepy during the day when you haven’t had enough sleep is one thing. But it’s even more frustrating — and worrying — when you feel sleepy no matter how much sleep you get.

Below, we’ll dive into the reasons you might be feeling sleepy, despite feeling like you get plenty of sleep. These include not knowing your sleep need, having sleep debt, and being out of sync with your circadian rhythm — which the RISE app can help you fix. We’ll also cover the sleep disorders and medical conditions that could be to blame.

Advice from a sleep doctor:

“If you’re feeling tired no matter how much sleep you get, you may need even more sleep than you’re currently getting. Try heading to bed a little earlier than usual or making an afternoon nap part of your routine.”

Rise Science Medical Reviewer Dr. Chester Wu

1. You Don’t Know Your Sleep Need

Your sleep need is the amount of sleep your body needs each night. It’s determined by genetics, just like height and eye color.

If you don’t know your sleep need, you may be sleep deprived and not even know it.

Let’s say you shoot for eight hours of sleep because that’s the most recommended amount. But if you really need nine hours, you’ll still feel sleepy, despite feeling like you’re getting a full night’s rest.

And while your sleep need is set from early adulthood, there are times when you need more sleep than usual. These include:

• When you’re ill
• When you’ve just done intense exercise
• When you’ve got a muscle injury

Your sleep need may be more than you think: We looked at the sleep needs of 1.95 million RISE users aged 24 and older. The median sleep need was eight hours, but 48% of users needed eight hours or more. Some even needed a whopping 11 hours 30 minutes of sleep!

The RISE app can work out how much sleep you need.

One small sleep extension study looked at adults aged 20 to 26 and found the mean sleep need was eight hours 25 minutes. But sleep needs ranged from seven hours 17 minutes to nine hours 16 minutes.

The fix: Use the RISE app to find out your sleep need. RISE uses proprietary sleep-science-based models and a year’s worth of your phone use behavior to calculate your sleep need in hours and minutes.

This way, you know how much sleep time you need and whether you’re really getting enough shut-eye.

RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to view their sleep need.

2. You’ve Got High Sleep Debt

The RISE app can work out how much sleep debt you have.

Sleep debt is the amount of sleep you owe your body. If you haven’t been meeting your sleep need recently, you’ll have built up sleep debt and be feeling low on energy.

But it’s not just last night’s sleep you need to think about. We measure sleep debt over your last 14 nights.

That means you may have gotten enough sleep last night, but if you’ve been missing out on sleep over the last two weeks, you could still feel tired the next day.

You might spend a few nights sleeping for nine hours, for example, but if you’ve got high sleep debt, this may not be enough to catch up on sleep and boost your energy levels.

And if you don’t track your sleep with a device, you may think you’re meeting your sleep need, but you could be coming in short. A 2021 study found the overall agreement between self-reported sleep and sleep measured by a device was only 57%. (Sleep trackers aren’t perfect, either. Some may overly inflate your sleep duration as they mistake time spent watching TV or reading in bed for sleep time.)

One more thing to be aware of? We often forget about sleep efficiency, which takes into account the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and the times we wake up during the night. You might need eight hours of sleep. But spending eight hours in bed isn’t enough time to get you there.

Expert tip: Don’t worry too much about the quality of your sleep. While an interesting metric, experts still don’t have a set definition for sleep quality. Instead, focus on sleep debt and keeping it as low as possible. This will make the biggest difference to your energy levels.

The fix: RISE can work out how much sleep debt you’ve got. We recommend keeping this below five hours to feel the most energy each day.

Had a lack of sleep recently? You can lower your sleep debt by:

• Taking naps
• Going to bed a little earlier
• Sleeping in an hour or two later
• Improving your sleep hygiene, which will help you fall asleep faster and wake up less often throughout the night (more on this soon)

RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to view their sleep debt.

3. You’re Not in Sync With Your Circadian Rhythm

Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It runs on a roughly 24-hour cycle and plays a part in when you naturally feel sleepy and alert.

If you’re out of sync with it, you may feel tired, even if you’ve been meeting your sleep need overall.

For example, research shows those with a regular sleep pattern feel less sleepiness than those who get the same amount of sleep at irregular times.

You might be out of sync with your circadian rhythm if:

• You work night shifts or do rotating shift work
• You have social jetlag, or an irregular sleep schedule (which about 87% of adults do)
• You’re working against your chronotype, like a night owl waking up early

The fix: RISE can predict your circadian rhythm each day and tell you when your body wants to wake up and go to sleep. You can then sync up your schedule with these times and aim to keep a regular sleep pattern.

You can also reset your circadian rhythm and shift your sleep cycle earlier or later if these times don’t match your lifestyle.

RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to see their circadian rhythm on the Energy screen.

4. You’ve Got Hypersomnia

Hypersomnia is a sleep disorder that causes you to sleep for long periods of time at night and still feel sleepy during the day. It affects about 4% to 6% of the population.

The common symptoms of hypersomnia include:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty waking up
• Slowed thinking or brain fog
• Memory problems
• Irritability

The common causes of hypersomnia include:

• Medical conditions like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
• Sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome
• Drug or alcohol abuse

You may also suffer from idiopathic hypersomnia. This is when there’s no known cause for your sleepiness.

The fix: Talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist if you think you’ve got hypersomnia. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes, like avoiding caffeine and keeping a regular sleep schedule.

5. You’ve Got Insomnia

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder going. You might not think you suffer from insomnia if you’re sleeping a lot, but hear us out.

There are different types of insomnia:

• Sleep onset insomnia: When you have trouble falling asleep.
• Sleep maintenance insomnia: When you have trouble staying asleep.
• Early morning awakening insomnia: When you wake up too early.
• Mixed insomnia: A combination of the above.

If you’ve got insomnia, you might spend 10 hours in bed, for example, but only get six hours of sleep. You might find yourself not able to sleep, even though you’re tired. And if you don’t meet your sleep need, you’ll feel sleepy, no matter how long you spend in bed.

The fix: Talk to a doctor or a sleep specialist. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a common first-line treatment.

And, counterintuitively, sleep restriction is a treatment option, which involves getting less sleep in the short term to help you feel sleepier at night in the long run. Sleep restriction should only be done with the help of a CBT-I therapist or app.

6. You’ve Got Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is another sleep disorder that could be causing you to feel tired, despite feeling like you get plenty of sleep. Research suggests about 90% of those with sleep apnea could be undiagnosed.

Sleep apnea is when your breathing is temporarily cut off during the night. Your body wakes itself up to kickstart your breathing. This can happen 30 times or more an hour, and you may not even realize you’re waking up so often.

You might spend plenty of time in bed, but still be seriously sleep deprived from all these sleep apnea episodes.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Waking up gasping for breath
• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty concentrating

The fix: Speak to a doctor or sleep specialist if you think you have sleep apnea. Treatments include weight loss, if needed, and sleeping with a continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine, which provides continuous air pressure to keep your airways open.

Heads-up: Other sleep disorders can also be to blame such as restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, or excessive daytime sleepiness, and circadian rhythm sleep disorders like delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.

7. You’ve Got Anxiety or Depression

The RISE app can guide you through relaxation exercises.

Mental health issues could be behind your fatigue.

Anxiety can keep you up and wake you up in the night. In fact, RISE users say stress and anxiety are the biggest barriers stopping them from getting a good night’s sleep.

Depression also interferes with sleep and can leave you feeling tired and uninterested in your usual daily activities.

Beyond getting enough sleep, anxiety and depression can make it harder to do energy-boosting activities like exercising or socializing. The result? You may feel low on energy, even after hours of sleep.

The fix: Speak to your doctor if you think you’ve got anxiety or depression. They may prescribe medication or therapy to help.

Lifestyle changes may also help. For example, breathing exercises have been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, and improve your sleep.

Here are three to try:

• Psychological sighing: A 2023 study (co-authored by one of our science advisors Dr. Jamie Zeitzer, co-director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences at Stanford University) found five minutes of psychological or cyclic sighing, which includes extended exhales, can improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
• 4-7-8 breathing: A 2022 study found 4-7-8 breathing can lower stress and anxiety.
• Diaphragmatic breathing: A 2021 study found diaphragmatic breathing can help nurses lower their anxiety and fall asleep faster.

RISE can walk you through breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing within the app.

RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to go right to their relaxation audio guide homepage and get started.

8. You’ve Got a Medical Condition

Medical conditions could be making you feel tired, even when you get enough sleep. And certain health conditions can make it hard to get the sleep you need in the first place.

• Heart disease
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• High blood pressure
• Iron deficiency anemia (when your body doesn’t make enough red blood cells)
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Chronic pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Type 2 diabetes
• Joint pain
• Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis
• ADHD (which is tightly linked to sleep problems)
• An illness like the common cold or COVID
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Side effects from medications like antidepressants and antihistamines

The fix: Talk to your doctor to get tested for an underlying health condition. They’ll be able to prescribe the best treatment option for you.

9. You’re Pregnant

Pregnancy is a common cause of fatigue.

One reason for that is because it’s hard to get enough sleep when you’re expecting. Hormones wreak havoc with your body temperature and mood, symptoms like leg cramps and nausea keep you up, and it gets more and more difficult to find a comfortable position the further along in your pregnancy you are.

But even if you do meet your sleep need, you may still feel tired when pregnant. Your body’s working hard growing a new human and carrying around extra weight, and you may be feeling anxious about impending motherhood or maternity leave.

The fix: Try taking afternoon naps to make up for any lost sleep at night. Check RISE for when your afternoon dip in energy will be each day. This is the ideal time to take a nap as it’s far away enough from bedtime that it shouldn’t make it harder to fall asleep at night.

We’ve covered more advice on how to get energy when pregnant here.

Heads-up: Beyond pregnancy, women and those assigned female at birth are more likely to have sleep problems in general, and therefore feel tired despite feeling like they spent a long time in bed.

You might get insomnia before your period or struggle to sleep during menopause, for example. We’ve covered more reasons for female fatigue here.

10. You’ve Got Poor Sleep Hygiene

The RISE app can tell you when to do 20+ sleep hygiene habits.

Sleep hygiene is the set of behaviors you can do to get a good night’s sleep.

If you’ve got poor sleep hygiene, you may find it hard to drift off and find yourself waking up in the middle of the night. It’ll be even harder to meet your sleep need and, even if you do, the sleep you get may be broken and not as restorative as it could be.

The fix: Improve your sleep hygiene.

• Getting out in sunlight for at least 10 minutes in the morning
• Avoiding bright light in the run-up to bedtime
• Avoiding caffeine, large meals, alcohol, and intense physical activity too close to bedtime
• Making sure your sleep environment is quiet, dark, and cool
• Making time to relax and unwind before bed

RISE can guide you through 20+ sleep hygiene habits each day at the time that makes them the most effective for you.

RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to set up their 20+ in-app habit notifications.

Stop Feeling Sleepy All the Time with RISE

If you’re feeling sleepy all the time, the first thing to do is to check your sleep need and sleep debt. You may need more sleep each night than you think, and you may have some sleep debt to pay back.

Next, check to see if you’re living in sync with your circadian rhythm. If not, this could be draining your energy, even when you’re getting enough sleep overall.

Still feeling sleepy? It’s time to talk to a healthcare professional. A sleep disorder, like sleep apnea or hypersomnia, or a medical condition, like depression or anemia, could be to blame.

The RISE app can help you get more energy. RISE can work out your sleep need, how much sleep debt you have, and predict your circadian rhythm each day to help you stay in sync.

RISE can also tell you when to do 20+ sleep hygiene habits each day to make getting a good night’s sleep even easier.

It works fast, too: 80% of RISE users feel more energy within five days.

FAQs

Why am I always sleepy no matter how much sleep I get?

You might be always sleepy no matter how much sleep you get because you’re still not getting enough sleep, you’ve got sleep debt from previous short nights of sleep, you’re out of sync with your circadian rhythm, you’re pregnant, you’ve got anxiety or depression, or you’ve got a sleep disorder or an underlying medical condition.

Why am I always sleepy no matter how much sleep I get pregnant?

You may be sleepy no matter how much sleep you get when pregnant because you’re still not sleeping enough, you’ve got sleep debt from previous short nights of sleep, you’re out of sync with your circadian rhythm, or you have sleep problems from pregnancy. Fatigue is also a common pregnancy symptom.

Why am I still sleepy throughout the day even though I sleep enough?

You may be still sleepy throughout the day even though you sleep enough because you actually need more sleep than you think. You may also have high sleep debt from previous short nights of sleep or be out of sync with your circadian rhythm. A sleep disorder, mental health issues, or medical condition can also be to blame.

Always tired no matter what

If you’re always tired no matter what, you may need more sleep than you think you need. You may also have high sleep debt from previous short nights of sleep or be out of sync with your circadian rhythm. A sleep disorder, mental health issues, or medical condition can also be to blame.

What deficiency causes tiredness and fatigue?

Deficiencies that cause tiredness and fatigue include iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D deficiencies. Eat a balanced diet, get sunlight, and seek medical advice to get blood tests for vitamin deficiencies and suggested supplements if needed.

What should I do if I feel sleepy all day?

The most important things to do if you feel sleepy all day are to pay down your sleep debt and get in sync with your circadian rhythm. Do this by sleeping for longer at night, taking naps, and keeping a regular sleep schedule. Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and reducing stress levels can also help to boost your energy levels.