Why Do I Feel Sleepy All the Time?

• Signs
  • What are signs of excessive daytime sleepiness?
• Causes
  • Sleepiness caused by sleep deprivation or disorders
  • Sleepiness caused by other medical and brain conditions
  • Sleepiness caused by lifestyle

Do you feel sleepy during the day even after getting enough sleep at night? Daytime sleepiness can affect your productivity, work performance, and relationships. 

While being tired occasionally isn’t really a big deal, persistence drowsiness can have serious effects on your health. It’s important to be aware of the signs of excessive daytime sleepiness and factors that may be causing it.

Signs of excessive daytime sleepiness include:

• Frequent yawning
• Heavy eyelids
• Powerful urge to doze off

While there are many causes, the most common are sleep deprivation or disorders, although medical and brain conditions may also be the culprit.

Some of the common reasons for excessive daytime sleepiness include:

• Failure to prioritize sleep: Staying up late to watch TV or waking up early even though you haven’t gotten enough sleep can cause drowsiness that accumulates over time. Lack of sleep over an extended period can lead to insufficient sleep syndrome.
• Insomnia: Insomnia is a disorder that can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep for as long as you need or want. It can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder where something that is blocking your air passage during the night disrupts your breathing and thus your sleep.
• Snoring: Snoring has often been linked to poor nighttime sleep quality due to frequent disruption in your sleep cycles.
• Restless leg syndrome: This is a condition that causes a strong urge to move one’s legs or other extremities, disrupting total sleep time and sleep quality.
• Poor sleep quality: Not getting enough sleep is not just about the amount of sleep but also the quality of sleep. People who don’t go through sleep cycles smoothly may not get enough deep sleep and may not wake up feeling refreshed even after sleeping for the recommended number of hours.
• Pain: Pain caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia, or herniated discs can complicate sleep and make a person drowsy during the day.
• Frequent nighttime urination: Also known as nocturia, frequent nighttime urination is when you need to wake up multiple times in the middle of the night to go pee.

Medications, mental health disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other health problems can cause daytime drowsiness.

• Medications may include:
  • Sedatives
  • Antidepressants
  • Pain medications
  • Antihistamines
• Mental health disorders may include:
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • General anxiety disorder
• Neurodegenerative diseases may include:
  • Dementia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis
• Neurodevelopmental disorders may include:
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism spectrum disorder
• Other medical conditions may include:
  • Diabetes
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Anemia
  • Abnormal blood sodium levels
  • Electrolyte imbalance

Other factors that may cause drowsiness include:

• Sedentary lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle can sap your energy and make you feel exhausted.
• Stress: Stress can take a toll on your energy reserves and cause fatigue.