Minal sets three alarms every morning. She snoozes two and drags herself out of bed with the third. Even after 8 to 9 hours of sleep, her body begs for more. By the time she reaches the office, her eyelids already feel heavy. And by 3 p.m., she’s yawning through meetings and wondering: Why do I feel sleepy all the time?
Sounds familiar? Does a full night’s sleep still not stop your yawns? Do you also feel tired, low on energy, and sleepy for no clear reason? You’re not alone. Millions of people experience this.
But here’s the twist: it’s not just about a disturbed sleep routine! Sometimes, your body is sending you clues that something deeper is going on.
Through this blog, you will find the most common causes of excessive sleep and tiredness—and more importantly, simple tips to recharge your body so you can wake up feeling fresh and full of energy every single morning.
I know, you’re already sleepy. Scroll to the end for a quick cheat sheet (TL; DR) that summarizes all the causes and fixes in one place.
Most Common Causes of Excessive Sleep and Tiredness
Here’s the list of the most common causes of daytime tiredness and sleepiness:
1
You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency— Linus Pauling.
When we think of constant yawning, low energy, & tiredness in the daytime, the primary reasons we think of are long working hours and inadequate sleep. But no! The truth is, Vitamin deficiencies are among the most overlooked reasons for oversleepiness & tiredness.How to avoid being sleepy (Review Article)
A research study shows that vitamin deficiencies—especially B2, B12, B6, folate, and D—affect half of the adults in Indian cities. This shows widespread nutrient gaps leading to fatigue, reduced cognitive function, and poor sleep. You can say that fatigue is a silent epidemic.
Check your blood for major Vitamins like D, B complex, or B12, and C. Check your iron levels and hemoglobin, along with magnesium, zinc, and calcium levels. Start improving your diet and talk to your doctor. If too low, start the supplements. This will make a great change, I can say this by personal experience.
2
Stress is a part of life. And it’s hard to keep up the positivity 24/7.
But here’s the truth: your emotions don’t just affect your mood. They talk to your body. And when stress overstays its welcome, your energy, digestion, and sleep are the ones who suffer—making stress one of the biggest determinants of fatigue and tiredness in daily life.
When you feel like life is too much, rest. Because, “Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.” – Mark Black
Take time off, travel, or just stay home, reconnect, and come back. You will see the difference for sure. Give importance to your mental health; everything else can wait.
Help your body, do stress management exercises—deep breathing, short walks, talking to friends, etc. Find what your ‘stress exit’ is. When you’re calm, the body follows, you get to sleep deeply, and wake up fresh, all nourished!
3
Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow! —Tom Roth
Nighttime sleep isn’t just rest—it’s when your body repairs, your brain resets, and your energy refills. Disrupted nighttime sleep can be the reason for daytime sleepiness & tiredness.
If you don’t want that annoying question to eat your brain, “Why do I feel sleepy all the time?”, follow some of these nighttime rituals.
- Have calming teas like chamomile tea right before going to bed at night. These natural herbs reduce stress and boost sleep.
- Also, massaging warm olive oil into the soles of your feet (approved by many ayurvedic specialists) before going to bed relaxes your nerves & improves circulation. Leading to deeper and better sleep!
- Sleep in complete darkness. Light is not for nighttime, as it affects the release of the sleep hormone in the body.
4
Sustained exhaustion is not a rite of passage. It’s a mark of stupidity. —Jason Fried
Many of us work late, travel a lot between office & home, and juggle deadlines with little time for ourselves. This constant pressure leads to exhaustion, both mentally and physically-which can be one of the reasons for oversleepiness. And it would be wrong to glorify burnout. If you’re always tired, it’s not normal. It means something’s wrong in the body.
5
By doing the same thing day after day … the mind, like a mill-turning bullock, will be kept going round and round a narrow range of habit. — Rabindranath Tagore, “The Cult of the Charka”
Routine can kill creativity and energy. When we are trapped into doing the same thing every day, it drains our minds as much as lack of sleep does. And routine gives rise to boredom.
6
Boredom: The desire for desires. —Leo Tolstoy
Boredom doesn’t just mean you don’t have anything to do — it’s about wanting something to want. When your mind craves something meaningful and also challenging but finds nothing engaging, it gets restless.
That’s why you may scroll Instagram for hours, not happily, but to fill the void, and in turn end up feeling more tired. With time, this mental starvation saps your energy, leaving you tired and sleepy.
Interestingly, high achievers and goal-oriented people get more bored. And when their high-achieving needs are not met (in any area of life), nothing else excites them. This leads to low energy, laziness, and unhappiness.
Boredom can be a gift—it leads to creativity. —Martha Gill
Controversially, boredom is our subconscious motivational alarm. That is, we become creative when we are bored.
Recharge Through Hobbies!
Even the great personalities swear by their hobbies as a source of joy and energy. MS Dhoni turns to his love for motorbikes to recharge even between a busy career. While hockey player Navjot Kaur finds peace in music and painting.
Even the great Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, despite having immense responsibilities, nurtured his soul by writing Tamil poetry and playing the veena. Also, Zakir Khan, the comedian, plays sitar and writes poems.
These people show that hobbies aren’t just for “time-pass”. They are very important to break monotony, fight boredom, and beat stress.
Whether it’s art, music, writing, gardening, decorating, dancing, or collecting something, hobbies can boost your mind, give refreshing feelings, and create small pockets of happiness in a routine-driven life.
They are like personal achievements, which help you avoid being sleepy and tired all the time and fill you with purpose.
Final Takeaway
Minal’s story is not any different than yours. So if you’re thinking, “Why do I feel sleepy all the time?” Don’t just blame it on laziness or ignore it. Get your vitamins checked—the real reason is hiding in your diet, your stress levels, and how deeply you sleep.
Small changes like fixing vitamin gaps, calming rituals, and finding life outside work can truly transform the way you wake up.
TL, DR (Too Long to Read, Don’t Worry, I’ve Got You)
Here’s your quick cheat sheet to wake up feeling refreshed:
| Common Culprit | Smart Fix at a Glance |
| Vitamin Deficiencies | Check levels, nourish with diet or supplements |
| Disrupted Nights | Olive oil foot massage to ease into sleep |
| Mind on Overdrive | Chamomile tea, dark room, no screens |
| Emotional Boredom | Make time for hobbies that spark joy |
| Stress Spillover | Journaling, breathing to unwind before bed |
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