If you sleep enough but still feel tired, it's rarely about laziness. Often something else is going on: a shortage, your thyroid, your testosterone, long-term stress or the quality of your sleep. A blood test helps rule out the physical causes.
We see this pattern a lot in men with busy jobs. The bed checks out, the feeling doesn't.
Why are you tired while sleeping enough?
Enough hours in bed isn't the same as good sleep. Restless sleep, waking often or snoring with breathing pauses can undermine your rest. On top of that, shortages and hormones can play a role, even if your sleep looks fine on paper.
A low ferritin, a slow thyroid or a low testosterone cause energy complaints that have nothing to do with how long you sleep.
What role do stress and cortisol play?
Long-term stress keeps your body in a high gear, at night too. Your cortisol can then get out of rhythm, which makes your sleep shallower and keeps you tired by day. There's more on this in our pillar always tired as a man.
When do you see your GP?
If the tiredness lasts longer than a few weeks, you fall asleep during the day or you snore with breathing pauses, discuss it with your GP. A blood test can map the physical side beforehand.
See also burnout or low testosterone.
Getting started
The Complete Men's Health Panel maps a number of markers linked to energy and recovery.
References
- Harman SM, et al. Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86(2):724-731. PMID: 11158037.
- NHG-Standaard Sleep problems and sleeping pills (biology). Dutch College of General Practitioners.
- Dutch Brain Foundation (Hersenstichting). Sleep and recovery: how sleep restores body and brain.
Disclaimer
Caliberhealth works with BIG-registered doctors who assess your blood results. This article gives general information and is not a substitute for medical advice from a GP or specialist. A blood test is a tool, not a diagnosis in itself. For serious symptoms, contact your GP, or in an emergency call 112.
الكاتب