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7 SURPRISING REASONS YOU WAKE UP TIRED

If youve ever woken up from a nights sleep and thought, Why am I so tired?,youre not alone. Millions ofpeople wake up from sleeping thinking they should just crawl back in bed. The good news is, there might be areason whyMsn.com Health Reports:1. You sleep poorly and wake with a bad taste in your mouth.What its a symptom of: Morning mouth can be a signal of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or

asymptomatic heartburn. Recent sleep studies have shown that up to 25 percent of people who report sleepingpoorly without a diagnosed cause have sleep-related acid reflux. But because they dont have obviousheartburn symptoms, theyre unaware of the condition.How it interrupts sleep: Acid reflux causes the body to partially awaken from sleep, even when there are nosymptoms of heartburn. The result of this silent reflux is fitful, uneven sleep, but when you wake up digestionis complete and you cant tell why you slept poorly.What to do: Follow treatment suggestions for heartburn, even though you arent experiencing classic heartburnsymptoms: Dont eat for at least two hours before hitting the sack, and avoid acid-causing foods in yourevening meals. (Alcohol, chocolate, heavy sauces, fatty meats, spicy foods, citrus fruits, and tomatoes allcontribute to heartburn and acid reflux.) Some doctors also recommend chewing gum before bed, because itboosts the production of saliva, which neutralizes stomach acid.Certain medications, particularly aspirin and other painkillers, are hard on the stomach and esophageal lining,

so dont take them just before bed.Sleep studies have shown that sleeping on the left side reduces symptoms, and sleeping on the right sidecauses them to worsen because acid takes longer to clear out of the esophagus when youre on your rightside. If you prefer to sleep on your back a position that can increase reflux elevating your head andshoulders can help.Losing weight can do wonders to banish heartburn and acid reflux. And if all else fails, try taking an over-the-counter antacid.2. You toss and turn or wake up often to use the bathroom.What its a symptom of: Nocturia is the official name for waking up in the middle of the night to use thebathroom. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that 65 percent of older adults are sleep deprived as aresult of frequent nighttime urination. Normally, our bodies have a natural process that concentrates urine whilewe sleep so we can get six to eight hours without waking. But as we get older, we become less able to hold

fluids for long periods because of a decline in antidiuretic hormones.How it interrupts sleep: For some people, the problem manifests as having to get up to use the bathroom, andthen being unable to get back to sleep. Once middle-of-the-night sleeplessness attacks, they lie awake forhours. But for others the problem is more subtle; they may sleep fitfully without waking fully, as the bodyattempts to send a signal that it needs to go.What to do: Start with simple steps. Dont drink any liquids for at least three hours before going to bed. Thisincludes foods with a lot of liquid in them, like soups or fruit. Lower your coffee and tea consumption; the acidsin coffee and tea can irritate the bladder. Dont drink alcohol, which functions as a diuretic as well as a bladderirritant.Go to the bathroom last thing before getting in bed and relax long enough to fully empty your bladder. Its alsoimportant to get checked for conditions that cause urination problems. Guys, this means getting your prostatechecked. Inflammation of the prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPN), and prostate tumors can all causefrequent urination. In women, overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, incontinence, and cystitis arecommon causes of urinary problems.Diabetes can also cause frequent urination, so if you havent been tested for diabetes recently, see yourdoctor. Certain drugs such as diuretics and heart medications can contribute to this problem; if thats the case,talk to your doctor about taking them earlier in the day. A prescription antidiuretic can cut down on nighttimeurination if all else fails and theres no underlying issue.3. Your jaw clicks, pops, or feels sore, or your teeth are wearing down.What its a symptom of: Teeth grinding, officially known as bruxism, is a subconscious neuromuscular activity.Bruxism often goes on without your being aware of it; experts estimate that only 5 percent of people who grindtheir teeth or clench their jaws know they do it until a sleep partner notices the telltale sound or a dentistdetects wear on the teeth. Jaw clenching is another form of bruxism, except you clench your teeth tightly

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together rather than moving them from side to side. Jaw clenching can be harder to detect than grinding, butone sign is waking with pain or stiffness in the neck.How it interrupts sleep: Bruxism involves tensing of the jaw muscles, so it interferes with the relaxationnecessary for deep sleep. And if youre fully grinding, your body is engaged in movement rather than resting.What to do: See a dentist. If you dont have one, dental schools often offer low -cost dental care provided bystudents supervised by a professor. A dentist can look for underlying causes, such as problems with your bitealignment, and can prescribe a mouth-guard-type device such as a dental splint. If jaw clenching is yourprimary issue, there are specific dental devices for that.Experts also suggest giving up gum chewing during the day, because the habitual chewing action can continue

at night. Some people who grind their teeth have experienced relief from botox injections to the jaw muscle.Others have had success using a new biofeedback device called Grindcare, approved by the FDA in 2010.4. You move all over the bed or wake tangled in the covers.What its a symptom of: That kind of movement indicates restless leg syndrome or a related problem, periodiclimb movement disorder (PLMD).How it interrupts sleep: Doctors dont know exactly what causes these sleep movement disorders, but they doknow theyre directly related to a lack of deep, restful, REM sleep. The restlessness can prevent you fromsinking into deep sleep, or a muscle jerk can wake or partially rouse you from deep sleep.What to do: See a doctor to discuss your symptoms and get a diagnosis, which may also involve looking forunderlying conditions related to restless leg syndrome or PLMD. Diabetes, arthritis, peripheral neuropathy,anemia, thyroid disease, and kidney problems can all contribute to restless leg syndrome and PLMD. Makesure to tell your doctor about any medications youre taking; a number of medications, including

antidepressants, antihistamines, and lithium, can cause restless leg syndrome as a side effect.You can also try making dietary changes to make sure youre getting enough iron and B vitamins, particularlyfolic acid, since iron and folate deficiency have been linked to restless leg syndrome. Red meat, spinach, andother leafy greens are good sources of both nutrients, but you may want to take supplements as well. If yourdoctor diagnoses restless leg syndrome or PLMD, medications used to treat Parkinsons can relieve symptomsby eliminating the muscle jerks. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to help you sleep more deeply, withthe idea of preventing the involuntary movements from keeping you in light sleep.5. You wake up with a dry mouth or horrible morning breath.What its a symptom of: Mouth breathing and snoring both disrupt sleep by compromising breathing. Look fordrool on your pillow or in the corners of your mouth. If you have a partner, ask him or her to monitor you forsnoring, gasping, or overloud breathing.How it interrupts sleep: Mouth breathing and snoring can interrupt sleep because youre not getting enough air

to fully relax. Severe snoring particularly when accompanied by gasps or snorts can also indicate a moreserious problem with obstructed breathing during sleep.What to do: Train yourself to breathe through your nose. Try snore-stopping nose strips, available over thecounter at the drugstore, or use saline nasal spray to irrigate your nasal passages. Experiment with sleeppositions; most people have a tendency to snore and breathe through their mouths when sleeping on theirbacks. Use pillows to prop yourself on your side, or try the tennis ball trick: Put a tennis ball in the back pocketof your pajama bottoms (or attach it some other way), so it alerts you when you roll over.If you typically drink alcohol in the evening, try cutting it out. Alcohol, a sedative, relaxes the muscles of thenose and throat, contributing to snoring. Other sedatives and sleeping pills do the same thing, so avoid usinganything sedating. Alcohol also can trigger snoring in two other ways: It makes you sleep more deeply initiallyand is dehydrating.Losing weight even just ten pounds can eliminate snoring, studies show. If none of these solutions work,

consult a doctor to get tested for sleep-disordered breathing conditions such as apnea.6. You sleep fitfully, feel exhausted all the time, and wake with a sore throat or neck pain.What its a symptom of:Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder defined as breathing interrupted by intervals often seconds or more. A milder sleep breathing problem is upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), in whichbreathing is obstructed but stops for shorter intervals of under ten seconds. The number of people who havesleep apnea and dont know it is astounding; experts estimate that 20 million Americans have sleep apnea,and 87 percent of those are unaware they have the problem. One mistaken assumption is that you have tosnore to have sleep apnea. In fact, many people with apnea dont snore.How it interrupts sleep: Obstructive sleep apnea results when the throat closes and cuts off airflow, preventingyou from getting enough oxygen. UARS is similar, but its usually tongue position that blocks air from gettinginto the throat. Blood oxygen levels drop, and when the brain knows its not getting enough oxygen, it starts to

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wake up. This causes fitful, unproductive sleep. Weight gain is a major factor in sleep apnea, because whenpeople gain weight they end up with extra-soft tissue in the throat area, which causes or contributes to theblockage.What to do: See an otolaryngologist, who will examine your nose, mouth, and throat to see whats interruptingyour breathing and how to fix the problem. Its also important to have your oxygen levels measured duringsleep. Your doctor will likely recommend using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device, a maskthat blows air directly into your airways. Studies have shown CPAP masks to be extremely effective in treatingsleep apnea. Another mask called a BiPap (Bilevel positive airway pressure device) works similarly but hasdual pressure settings. Airway masks only work if you wear them, so work closely with your doctor to choose a

model thats comfortable for you.Other options include oral appliances, which change your mouth position by moving your jaw forward to openup the throat, and surgery, which aims to remove the excess tissue from the throat. Newer, minimally invasiveoutpatient surgical treatments include the Pillar procedure, which involves using permanent stitches to firm upthe soft palate; coblation, which uses radiofrequency to shrink nasal tissues; and use of a carbon dioxide laserto shrink the tonsils.7. You get a full nights sleep but feel groggy all the time or get sleepy while driving.What its a symptom of: This signals circadian rhythm problems or, more simply, getting out of sync with nightand day. Irregular sleep patterns, staying up late under bright lights, working a shift schedule, using computersand other devices in bed, and having too much light in the room while you sleep can d isrupt your bodysnatural sleep-wake cycle.Why it interrupts sleep: The onset of darkness triggers production of the hormone melatonin, which tells the

brain its time to sleep. Conversely, when your eyes register light, it shuts off melatonin production and tells youits time to wake up. Even a small amount of ambient light in the room can keep your body from falling into andremaining in a deep sleep. The use of devices with lighted screens is especially problematic in terms ofmelatonin production because the light shines directly into your eyes. This light is also at the blue end of thespectrum, which scientists believe is particularly disruptive to circadian rhythms.What to do: Try to get on a regular sleep schedule thats not too far off from the natural cycle of night and day and preferably the same schedule all week. (Experts recommend 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. or 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.every night, but thats just a general outline.) If you struggle with not feeling alert in the morning, go outside andtake a brisk walk in daylight to feel more awake; youll find that its much easier to fall asleep the followingnight. This is also a trick experts recommend to help night owls reset their internal clocks. Force yourself to getup and get into bright light one or two mornings in a row and youll be less likely to get that second wind andburn the midnight oil or experience nighttime sleeplessness.

As much as possible, banish all screens (TVs, computers, and iPads) for at least an hour before bed. Readingis much more sleep-inducing than looking at a lighted screen, but make sure your reading light isnt too brightand turn it so it doesnt shine in your eyes. Remove night-lights; if you need to get up in the middle of the night,keep a small flashlight next to your bed, being careful to turn it away from you. Check your bedroom for allsources of light, however small. Does your smoke alarm have a light in it? Put tape over it. Use an alarm clockwithout a lighted dial, or cover it. If your windows allow moonlight and light from streetlights to shine in, installblackout curtains or shades tightly fitted to the window frames. Dont charge laptops, phones, cameras, andother devices in your bedroom unless you cover the light they give of.