The Reason You’re Tired is that You’re Just Too Thinky
I clicked on this Science of Us article because I also feel exhausted after sitting in front of the computer all day. Like disproportionately tired considering I haven’t done much more than think and type.
The article outlines how your brain uses up enormous quantities of oxygen; how it requires 20% of the energy in your body as a baseline and then thinking hard uses even more energy. It totally makes sense, until it doesn’t make sense.
Because here is the thing: if thinking hard makes you tired, then why am I up all night, unable to sleep because I am THINKING? Shouldn’t the thinking be wearing me out and making me sleepy? Shouldn’t it be using up all of my energy and tiring me instead of making me feel more awake? Surely worrying burns through energy faster than, let’s say, writing a blog post. Bedtime is when I am doing my best, anticipatory stress work, much more so than when I’m in the zone and think that I will accomplish everything on my to-do list.
I need to poke around through some of the links in the article.
6 comments
I am pretty sure no one yet understands sleep. Don’t try to make sense of it.
I can totally relate to being tired and then anxious and not being able to sleep. I’ve started to wonder if some of the time my insomnia has to do with being overtired – like maybe I should’ve already gone to bed but now my body’s having to kind of revv up to keep going. Like an overtired little kid. Does that make sense?
All that to say, I think there might be something to what the article was saying. Maybe. I’d love to know what you find out!
Ha the title perfectly describes me–I’m too thinky at night so I can’t fall asleep so I’m tired. Repeat. It’s very annoyung when I read a little, get nice and sleepy, turn off the light, then my brain goes “zoinks!” and rehashes all the bad things no matter how old.
I think it’s the “wrong” kinds of thoughts that keep me awake: when I distract myself with other thoughts I can fall asleep. Usually that means thinking of something outside myself or my concerns: something abstract or information dense that I enjoy thinking about but ends up making me sleepy. Lately I’ve been falling asleep to online lectures and if I wake up at night sometimes I’ll put one on. Sounds kind of ridiculous but it works!
Ha, I can totally relate. Worrying does wear me out, but that usually doesn’t translate to actual sleep. Interesting article for us worriers.
Let me know if you find the answer to that conundrum.