Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 3 hrs ago
Why you may feel tired despite getting seven to nine hours of sleep
Dr Shivani Swami says enough hours in bed may not mean restful sleep for people who wake up tired.
Repeated interruptions can keep the body from moving through normal sleep cycles, even if a person does not remember waking.
Loud snoring, breathing pauses, gasping or choking at night, and daytime sleepiness can signal obstructive sleep apnoea, which happens when the upper airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep.
The condition can affect people at a normal weight, so weight alone cannot rule it out.
Irregular sleep schedules, late caffeine, alcohol, stress, depression, anxiety and some breathing or other sleep disorders can also reduce sleep quality.
Persistent tiredness with breathing warning signs warrants medical evaluation, rather than being dismissed as ordinary fatigue.
Getting seven to nine hours of sleep does not guarantee that sleep is restorative, pulmonologist Dr Shivani Swami says.
Repeatedly interrupted sleep can leave people tired, sleepy during the day, unable to concentrate or experiencing morning headaches.
Loud persistent snoring, breathing pauses, gasping or choking during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness are warning signs of obstructive sleep apnoea.
Irregular sleep schedules, late-day caffeine, alcohol, electronic devices at night, stress and some health conditions can also affect sleep quality.
Swami advises seeking medical evaluation when unrefreshing sleep persists, especially alongside snoring or breathing pauses.
- Who
- Dr Shivani Swami, Additional Director of Pulmonology at CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, explains possible causes.
- What
- The story describes why people may feel tired despite sleeping seven to nine hours and lists possible warning signs and causes.
- When
- Published on 13 October 2026.
- Where
- The advice was shared in an interaction with HT Lifestyle; Swami is with CK Birla Hospitals in Jaipur.
- Why
- Interrupted or poor-quality sleep and underlying health conditions can prevent restorative rest.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
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- Sleep duration
- Seven to nine hours may not mean sleep is restorative
- Warning signs
- Loud persistent snoring, breathing pauses, gasping or choking, excessive daytime sleepiness
- Expert
- Dr Shivani Swami
- Hospital
- CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur
- Publication date
- 13 October 2026
What people are saying
Sleep is not just about the number of hours we spend in bed; it is about how effectively the body and brain recover during that time.
Loud and persistent snoring, pauses in breathing noticed by a family member, gasping or choking during sleep, and excessive sleepiness during the day are important warning signs that should not be ignored.
Sources
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