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Always exhausted? Here’s how to work out why and how to fix it

Everyone feels sleepy now and again. 

But trying to function through fatigue is a different story – particularly if it doesn’t let up.

If you’re too tired to mutter “Kia Ora” to someone during the day, even after a full night’s sleep, or you have struggled not to fall asleep behind the wheel or in a meeting, don’t let this pattern linger.

It’s time you investigate why you’re always tired and find a reason for your exhaustion – as well as a solution to treat it.

What could be causing my fatigue?

There are potentially many factors behind excessive sleepiness.

Is there something major happening in your life that has put you on edge? Can you pinpoint something at work that has you particularly stressed out? Or have you started taking any new medications?

Perhaps nothing comes to mind, but deep-down inside you know that you shouldn’t feel so tired. Something’s not right.

The most common sleeping disorder of all

Another cause of fatigue is sleep apnea – the most common sleeping disorder. In New Zealand, it’s estimated that more than 94,000 people have sleep apnea1.

It’s important that if you think you might have sleep apnea you seek treatment immediately as it can be dangerous if left untreated.

Being proactive and taking steps in the right direction is key. A good starting point is to research expert advice and EdenSleep has all the information you need in free eBook, ‘8 Ways to a Better Night’s Sleep.

If you’re still fighting fatigue once you’ve consumed the crucial information contained in this guide, you need to rule out sleep apnea.

You may also want to take our Free Online Sleep Assessment. This will take only 5 minutes to complete and will be analysed by the EdenSleep expert team.

Take Sleep Assessment

What happens if I don’t treat sleep apnea. Is it dangerous?

Absolutely. If you do have sleep apnea, it can put an extreme strain on your body so the sooner you seek treatment for the disorder the better.

As you sleep, the disorder makes you stop breathing for a few seconds, which causes you to choke. Not only does this sound unsettling to your bedtime partner, but the loss of air reduces your circulation of oxygen and can have major consequences, such as putting increasing pressure on your body’s metabolic systems.

In some extreme cases of sleep apnea, people can unknowingly stop breathing more than a hundred times per night2! It’s easy to see how that constant sleep disruption would cause someone to feel exhausted during the day.

Sleep has more of a bearing on your overall health than you might realise. If left untreated, sleep apnea can even increase the risk of other health problems such as high blood pressure, depression, stroke and type 2 diabetes3.

The good news

Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, are treatable.  Find out more by reading our ‘Three Pillars of Health’ eBook, which explores sleep, exercise and nutrition in-depth as the fundamental elements of a well-balanced lifestyle.

Download the ‘Three Pillars of Health’ eBook here.

 

References:

[1] Societal costs of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Phillippa Gander. The New Zealand Medical Journal

[2] http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea

[3] http://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/fact-sheets-a-z/191-obstructive-sleep-aponea.html

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