Health
The real reasons you’re still exhausted after 8 hours of sleep, according to an expert
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Getting a full eight hours of sleep and still feeling drowsy? Sleep experts say it’s not just about how much shuteye you get.
Dr. Wendy Troxel, a licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND based in Utah, emphasized the “really important distinction” between quantity and quality of sleep.
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“Many people will say, ‘Man, I’m sleeping enough, I got seven to eight hours of sleep, but I still wake up feeling groggy and not refreshed,’” she told Fox News Digital during an in-studio interview. “About one in three adults has non-restorative sleep quality.”
Sleep quality could be making you feel groggy, despite the number of hours you slept, an expert said. (iStock)
“There are many factors that can contribute to poor sleep quality, regardless of how many hours you slept,” Troxel noted.
These include drinking alcohol — a “major contributor” to poor quality or disrupted sleep — and consuming caffeine late in the day.
Being stressed or feeling worried about something can also contribute to fragmented sleep, as can phone use at bedtime.
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Troxel addressed the belief that women need more sleep than men, noting that research does support it — though only slightly, by about 10 to 15 extra minutes per night.
“What we absolutely know is that women’s sleep quality often suffers more than men’s,” she said. “They may be getting more non-restorative sleep quality, therefore needing slightly more sleep.”
Women are also twice as likely to have insomnia compared to men, and their risk for sleep disturbances “skyrockets” during the menopausal transition.
Women suffer from poorer sleep quality than men, according to the expert. (iStock)
For those who claim they sleep better with fewer hours of sleep — and feel sleepier when they get the recommended seven to nine hours — Troxel said this is not an indicator that they actually require less shuteye. “It’s simply that their body is not used to it,” she said.
Laboratory studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes impairments in judgment, according to the expert. “That means someone who thinks they’re fine with only four hours of sleep per night likely isn’t aware of the impact sleep deprivation has on their cognition and performance.”
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For those getting less than the recommended amount, Troxel recommends taking small steps toward sleeping longer. That might mean adding about 15 minutes each night to see how it impacts the body, eventually getting into a healthier circadian rhythm.
“You will likely see benefits when you increase your sleep in small increments,” she said.
The expert recommends adding a few extra minutes of sleep each night to work up to a longer duration of rest. (iStock)
Tips for better quality sleep
Quality sleep hinges on following a healthy lifestyle and a consistent sleep-wake schedule, according to experts.
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Eating a nutritious diet free of foods that cause upset stomach or indigestion, especially in the late evening hours, can help improve sleep quality, Troxel shared.
“You don’t want to be starving at bedtime, but you also don’t want to be trying to fall asleep on a full stomach while your body’s still actively digesting,” she said.
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Exercise helps to promote quality sleep, just as sleep also improves exercise quality. However, it’s best to avoid vigorous physical activity too close to bedtime, Troxel advised.
“Exercise is very stimulating, particularly if it’s in a social environment, and that can disrupt sleep,” she said. “Exercising earlier in the day is better.”
“Those who are natural morning people are more likely to benefit from exercising earlier,” Troxel said. (iStock)
That doesn’t have to mean working out first thing in the morning, Troxel noted, as not everyone’s circadian rhythm supports early wake-ups for exercise.
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“Those who are natural morning people are more likely to benefit from exercising earlier,” she said. “If you’re a night owl, don’t expect to love doing a workout first thing in the morning. That might not be consistent with your circadian rhythm.”
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Troxel added that people should not be “sleep-shamed” for adhering to their own internal clocks.
“These cultural trends have these subtle, or not-so-subtle, ways of undermining people’s sleep-wake biology, which is largely out of our control,” she said.
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A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Aging, investigated how a diet change and easy exercise regimen affected men between the ages of 50 and 74 over a three-month period.
Researchers designed a clinical trial involving 48 overweight men in Japan. Over a 12-week period, half of the participants followed a strictly structured wellness routine, while the other half maintained their usual habits.
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For the intervention group, the routine required consuming 100 grams of plain yogurt every day.
This group also received individualized dietary counseling that advised them to curb overeating, avoid excessive snacking and cut out sugary drinks.
A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research. (iStock)
They were also instructed to walk or use a stepper machine for roughly 30 minutes a day, at least three days each week.
To measure the impact of these changes, the scientists collected blood samples from all participants before and after the study, and also analyzed DNA for chemical changes that act as indicators of cellular age.
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Specifically, they used a measurement tool called DunedinPACE. Rather than assessing a person’s chronological age in years, this tool calculates the precise rate at which an individual’s body is currently aging.
The men who consumed the probiotic yogurt, adjusted their diets and exercised showed a statistically significant reduction in their pace of aging compared to the control group, the researchers said.
The anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component on its own due to the variety in the study, the researchers noted. (iStock)
On average, the speed of their biological aging slowed by approximately 2.2%. This reduction is roughly comparable to the slowing of biological aging observed in a previous two-year U.S. study, in which participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%.
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This reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss , meaning it did not directly correlate with changes in the participants’ body mass index or the exact number of exercise sessions they logged.
The researchers also recorded a noticeable improvement in a specific DNA marker that is linked to kidney function.
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Because this study combined three distinct factors — probiotics, diet and exercise — the authors concluded that the anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component. Instead, the slowed aging rate appears to be the result of a combined effect.
The reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss, the study found. (iStock)
The researchers also acknowledged clear limitations of the study, including its small sample size and short duration. Also, the participant pool was restricted to overweight men of a single nationality.
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More research is needed to determine whether these short-term biological shifts can translate into permanent, long-term health benefits, the study stated.
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The simple act of noting how fast your heart is beating while you’re at rest may be the key to measuring your overall health.
Resting heart rate is defined by Mayo Clinic as the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. A slower resting heart rate means the heart does not have the work as heard to pump blood through the body — something typical of someone who is more fit.
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Athletes who are very fit may have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic.
Your resting heart rate can vary due to a variety of factors, including age, physical activity levels, sleep health, smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, anxiety, hormones, body type and certain medications.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults, according to medical experts. (iStock)
But a resting heart rate that’s often too high or too low may signal a health issue.
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A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body, such as anemia, an infection or a thyroid problem, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body. (iStock)
If your heart rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute, this is a sign to talk with your heart care provider.
The same advice applies if you are not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is frequently below 60 beats per minute.
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Talk to your doctor if other symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath occur.
How to measure your heart rate
You can check your own heart rate by tracking your pulse on your wrist or neck. The best time of day to measure resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, says Mayo Clinic.
Place your index and middle fingers inside the wrist below the thumb, to feel the radial artery; or, do so on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery.
Place your index and middle fingers on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery — and count how many beats per minute. (iStock)
Count the number of times your pulse beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this number by four to calculate beats per minute.
Wearable devices can also detect and track resting heart rate, although this may not always be accurate.
How to lower your heart rate
If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, there are a few ways to work toward lowering it.
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Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate and increase the heart’s aerobic capacity and max heart rate, according to Harvard.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, it’s important to work your way up in difficulty when following a new workout routine.
Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate, Harvard Health says. But it’s vital to work your way up carefully. (iStock)
Some medications, such as beta blockers, can also lower heart rate. In the same way, managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can also help.
Cleveland Clinic also recommends cutting back on harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and raise your heart rate.
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Adequate sleep can also help bring your heart rate down, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight.
Cardiologist Tamanna Singh, M.D., shared with Cleveland Clinic that lowering your heart rate takes time as various lifestyle changes kick in.
Managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can help lower your resting heart rate,
“Just like building your biceps and triceps, it takes time for your heart to become stronger,” the doctor said.
Singh recommended focusing on heart rate patterns rather than dialing in on just the number.
Take note of how your heart rate changes after eating certain foods, when you’re dehydrated or after you’ve begun a new exercise or stress management routine.
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“If you notice that your heart rate is consistently over 100, mention it to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes and they don’t seem to be working,” she said.
“Your resting heart rate isn’t the be-all, end-all of your health, but it’s definitely a marker that you should pay attention to.”
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