Do you find yourself falling asleep too fast? It could be a health concern you should think about. It is normal to have a bedtime routine when preparing to sleep. However, when you just get to your bed and you cover yourself you fall asleep immediately with minimal awareness. It could be your body’s way of confirming a health concern and the need to go to a sleep doctor for further tests. It is important to realize that falling asleep is not a bad thing if it’s in the first minutes of being in bed. But, passing out once you lay your head on my pillow is not normal just as trying to fall asleep for more than three hours of lying in bed. This is some of the reasons why sleep specialist’s advice you to journal your sleep routine in detail in case of such instances. Therefore, in case of any shift from a good sleep regimen to all of a sudden falling asleep fast. It could be a health concern with some of the below reasons as to why you are falling asleep quick.
Chronic sleep deprivation
Those in habit of constantly sleeping less than 8 hours a night. They are likely to suffer from sleep deprivation and tend to sleep fast once they lay on the bed. By the time you are passing out so quick at night your level of sleep deprivation is chronic and already affects a large part of your life. Many people assume what sleeping fewer hours do to their body and overall health. Thinking they can cover up the sleep debt later but most of the time they are not able to. Some of the common sleep habits that contribute to chronic sleep deprivation when done consistently are, late-night exercises, using electronic gadgets in bed among others and interestingly enough they can be easily fixed.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Anyone suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome sleeps easily not only at night but also has a lot of quick day time sleepiness. Since this condition has extreme fatigue. Those suffering from it most of the time still experience it even after having a full eight hours of sleep at night. By experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome for a while even after having full nights of sleep. Consult with your sleep doctor for it is an underlying condition of a more serious matter. Since quality sleep has already been ruled out. You can try doing meditation and yoga exercises that are helpful to help you relax and be able to make your mind be at ease prior to sleeping.
You could be falling sick
By falling asleep almost every night. This could also be a sign that you are getting sick and this is one of the symptoms. This could also be due to the after-effects of the medications you could be treating. Optionally you could be coming down with the flu or some other type of illness. Hence, falling asleep fast becomes easy for your system. By getting the necessary rest and recovery that your body needs are a great way to solve this health concern. Therefore, when you fall asleep quick or are very fatigued get some rest and see if you feel better. Having caffeine to stay awake or energy drinks to boost your energy will just make things worse. Creating a great sleep routine can help as well.
You are stressed
Many times when we have stressed our body uses sleep as a defense mechanism. Hence, you tend to curl up in bed and go to sleep every time you get the opportunity to. This shows how stressed you are and sleeping helps your body to reduce the amount of stress its undergoing. Although people handle stress in different ways, by the time it is affecting your health it has increased to a level worth taking note on. See a therapist for sleep should be used to recover and feel better instead of a way to escape from stress-related issues.
Hormonal shifts
When your hormones are fluctuating they interfere a lot with your sleep cycle. Different hormones in the body have different functions and create various moods. For instance, the progesterone hormone causes an overwhelming need to sleep which is also called crushing fatigue. That is experienced in the first and last stages of the menstrual cycle as well as menopause. The hormonal shifts, especially during your period, can make you sleep fast and it is quite normal but after your period it’s a cause of concern. If your energy does not recover consult your doctor to treat any underlying health concerns.
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the many sleep disorders that causes severe sleep fragmentation. The sleep fragmentation keeps you awake at night constantly and most times you don’t even realize it. This makes you experience sleep fatigue the next day making you sleep easily during the day. Plus, at night you also fall asleep quickly and it becomes an unhealthy cycle that shows you should get the sleep apnea treated or controlled. By being sleep deprived constantly from sleep apnea you are forced to sleep quicker. With its other symptoms such as snoring, dry mouth and gasping for air. Sleep apnea is a health condition that should be addressed fast.
You have depression
While you find yourself at odd hours falling asleep and in any place. It is a sign that you could be having depression or have a type of mood disorder that could be a trigger of this fast sleep patterns. For instance, anxiety as a mood disorder creates a high level of exhaustion by the end of the day. The bipolar disorder affects the quality of sleep as well. Talk to a specialist if you have any of the above concerns. A lack of quality sleep many times will also cause you to sleep quickly and often. All of the mentioned effects affect sleep and have many health concerns that constantly disrupt sleep.