Why am I tired even after a full night of sleep?
Total sleep duration is only one factor. Sleep quality (fragmentation), timing relative to your chronotype, and the sleep stage you wake from all influence how rested you feel.
Quality vs. quantity
Eight hours of fragmented sleep (multiple wake-ups, snoring partner, alcohol-influenced) is less restorative than 7 hours of consolidated sleep. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index measures both.
Wake stage
Waking from N3 deep sleep produces severe inertia even after a perfect night. Trotti (2017) discusses this as the dominant inertia determinant.
Hidden disorders
If tiredness persists despite 7–9 hours and good hygiene, consider sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, or thyroid issues. A sleep study can identify them.
Sources
- Trotti, Nature and Science of Sleep, 2017. Sleep inertia: current insights
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