Still exhausted despite getting seven or eight hours of sleep?



Your alarm has just sounded. Ugh. Still exhausted, you grumble and push "snooze" a few more times before ultimately pulling yourself out of bed. Mathematically, you determine that you have slept enough hours (even though you could definitely sleep more). Perhaps you've been attempting to go to bed earlier and are disappointed that you're not yet reaping the rewards. What's up?

One possible explanation is that your sleep has not been as restful as you believe. It has been "junk sleep," i.e., not sufficient in duration or quality to nourish the brain and body. For instance, you may have slept for eight hours, but your sleep was not restful, or you may have awakened frequently throughout the night.

Over 36 million people have viewed the word "junk sleep" on TikTok, but if you've never heard of it, how can you tell if you're experiencing it, what causes it, and how can you overcome it?

Signs You're Suffering from 'Junk Sleep'


Many of us routinely awaken feeling exhausted. It makes reasonable that we require a few minutes (and several glasses of coffee) to start rolling. But at what point does insufficient sleep become a problem that has to be addressed?

If you've ever questioned whether or not you genuinely fell asleep, you understand what we're discussing here.

"You may wake up feeling as though you didn't sleep at all," said Kristen Casey, a licenced clinical psychologist and specialist in insomnia. "You awaken feeling fatigued, foggy, and angry. This type of sleep does not repair our biological functions and impairs our performance the following day."

In other words, this is not a typical desire to sleep longer since your bed is so nice.

You are not doing well mentally, emotionally, or physically.

On the note of functioning, you are having difficulty. According to Phil Lawlor, a sleep expert at the mattress business Dormeo, you may feel more nervous, sad, forgetful, easily distracted, and angry. Long-term, you may face increased susceptibility to illness, chronic discomfort, digestive or cardiovascular difficulties, and excessive weariness.

In addition, you may experience changes in your dietary habits. "Another lesser-known sign is that you may eat more than normal," said Nicole Eichelberger, a consultant at Mattressive and certified sleep specialist specialised in insomnia. This is because even one night of sleep deprivation boosts ghrelin levels, the "hunger hormone."

You do not believe in the value of sleep and good sleep hygiene.

Since "our thoughts can affect how we feel, behave, and experience the world, including the world of sleep," Casey enjoys assisting others in examining how they think about sleep. "For instance, if you do not value sleep, you may not prioritise your sleep routine or care about waking up at the same time every day."

This viewpoint does not have to be an explicit "I despise sleep and sleep is irrelevant" It may appear more subtly or take the form of "revenge nighttime procrastination," which is intentionally delaying sleep to gain extra free time. (Understandable, but unhelpful!)

Casey said that as a result, you may not practise sound sleep hygiene, such as incorporating a restorative buffer before bed.

What Causes "Junk Sleep" And How To Overcome It

Numerous variables can lead to poor sleep, some of which we can manage more than others. What you should know and what you can do:

Environmental Factors

Casey identified a variety of sounds that could prevent you from sleeping soundly throughout the night, including children waking up, pets, traffic, a snoring partner, or a roommate watching television.

Other environmental elements that we perceive include excessive heat or cold, sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress, bodily pain, illness, and excessive light.


The "feeling" characteristics encompass our emotions as well. "People who are stressed or depressed typically have trouble sleeping," explained Eichelberger. This can be produced by a variety of circumstances, such as low self-esteem, guilt, rage, or a general feeling of hopelessness. (After all, if emotions were not a factor, Taylor Swift's "Midnights" album would not exist.)

Adjust as much as you can. Examples include purchasing a soft mattress topper, turning up the air conditioner, installing blackout curtains, taking Tums to soothe acid reflux, ensuring you eat enough so you don't wake up hungry, wearing earplugs, and relocating stressful objects such as your work laptop.

Behavioral Variables


You have more control over certain circumstances, such as browsing through your phone or viewing a movie late at night. The Sleep Foundation suggests putting your phone aside one hour before bed.

"Even though surfing social media or watching television offers you something to do, your brain is responding to the stimuli whether you are aware of it or not," Casey explained. This might cause problems going asleep and staying asleep, as well as restless sleep.

The strong blue light emitted from LED screens on electronic gadgets is a sleep disruptor that tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime, so you won't feel sleepy when it's time to close your eyes, as stated by Lawlor.

According to Casey, substances, including alcohol in particular, are not a good idea either. According to the Sleep Foundation, depending on how much you drink, alcohol can reduce sleep quality by between 9 and 39 percent. In addition to causing nightmares, alcohol and drugs can impair sleep.

We are considering a number of the similar remedies for behavioural issues. What are some not-so-great activities you're doing before bed, and what is a better, feasible option? Possibly, this entails consuming decaffeinated coffee, reading between episodes of a television show and sleep, taking a warm bath or using the restroom prior to settling into bed.

If you plan to use your phone in bed, Lawlor recommends enabling night mode. According to him, it decreases blue light emissions and dims the brightness. While not using your phone at all is preferable, this is the second-best alternative. On the iPhone, navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift. Click Settings > Display > Enable or disable the dark theme on an Android device.

Continue to experience morning discomfort? You may wish to consult with an expert. "Always consult your physician if you suspect you are experiencing a sleep issue or sleeplessness," Casey said.

There are a few things we can do to address all of this, but we cannot eradicate it entirely. Casey said, "Some of these may be beyond our control, so have patience with yourself." Validate your frustrations and do all you can — without judgement — to help yourself fall asleep. Despite the fact that sleeplessness can make you feel hopeless, there is still a chance for improvement.