Why is the body tired but the brain is still alert?
According to expert Shrey Kumar Srivastav, senior consultant and general practitioner, Sharda Hospital (Noida, India), the body and brain have different needs when resting. While your body is exhausted, your muscles are tense and need to recover, your brain can still function continuously.
The brain is easily stimulated, thinking about outstanding issues of the day or worrying about upcoming plans. Therefore, even when the body is tired, the brain remains highly alert, making it difficult for you to fall asleep, according to Onlymyhealth.
Common causes of difficulty falling asleep despite fatigue
Exposure to blue light from electronic screens: Using phones, tablets or watching TV before bed exposes your eyes to blue light. This type of light can inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. In addition, the content on the screen also stimulates the brain, making it difficult for you to relax and fall into sleep.
Consume caffeine in the afternoon or evening: Caffeine can stay in the body for many hours after consumption. If you drink coffee, tea, energy drinks or chocolate late in the day, you may feel alert in the evening and have difficulty falling asleep, or have interrupted sleep in the middle of the night.
Irregular sleep schedule: Late sleep or sleeping on the weekend disrupts the body's natural circadian rhythm. This reduces sleep quality and makes you feel tired even after getting enough sleep. Continuous changes in sleep-wake time make it difficult for the body to maintain a stable state of rest.
Stress and thinking too much before going to bed: Anxiety about work, studying or personal problems increases brain activity and stimulates the body to produce the stress hormone cortisol. This makes it difficult for you to relax and leads to insomnia or poor sleep.
Lack of relaxation before bed: If you don't have time for your body and mind to prepare for sleep, it will be difficult for you to get a resting state. Lack of light activities such as reading, listening to music, meditating or taking warm water baths can make sleep arrive later and of poor quality.
How to improve sleep?
Minimize exposure to screens before bed: turn off all electronic devices at least 60 - 90 minutes before bedtime.
Limit caffeine: Do not drink coffee, tea or caffeinated drinks after early afternoon.
Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Reduce stress: Record or list tasks to do the next day to reduce stressful thinking.
Create a relaxation routine before bed: Take a warm bath, meditate lightly or read to help the brain and body easily switch to a state of rest.
