{"id":2421,"date":"2021-08-06T17:36:02","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T21:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hamptonroadsent.com\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2021-08-06T17:36:05","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T21:36:05","slug":"is-falling-asleep-too-fast-a-bad-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hamptonroadsent.com\/is-falling-asleep-too-fast-a-bad-thing\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Falling Asleep Too Fast a Bad Thing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re able to fall asleep quickly<\/a> anywhere, like at the Newport News Station<\/a> or nap any time, you may think that you\u2019re an excellent sleeper. However, falling asleep too fast may actually be a sign you have a sleep disorder<\/a>. Below we review what causes sleepiness, how fast is too fast when it comes to falling asleep, why you may be excessively sleepy and how excessive sleepiness is evaluated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Causes Sleepiness?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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We feel sleepy due to an accumulation of the neurochemical adenosine. As we use energy and metabolize food during the day, adenosine levels slowly increase until we get sleepy enough to go to bed. Then during sleep, the chemical is cleared from our brains by the lymphatic system, so that when we wake up, adenosine levels and the feeling of sleepiness are at their lowest point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longer you are awake, the higher your adenosine levels can get. This phenomenon is known as homeostatic sleep drive, also referred to as \u201csleep load\u201d or \u201csleep debt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Fast Is Too Fast When It Comes to Falling Asleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The time it takes to fall asleep is called \u201csleep onset latency.\u201d It takes the average person between five and 15 minutes to fall asleep at night. If it takes longer than 20 to 30 minutes, it may be a sign of insomnia. Conversely, if it takes less than five minutes to fall asleep, it could be a sign of a pathological level of sleepiness, which may be due to inadequate or fragmented sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, you may be falling asleep quickly because you\u2019re being deprived of good sleep, rather than because you\u2019re a \u201cgood sleeper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You\u2019re Excessively Sleepy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most commonly, excessive sleepiness is caused by sleep deprivation. This is because if you\u2019re not getting sufficient sleep, the adenosine that has accumulated isn\u2019t clearing away by morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re spending at least seven hours asleep at night, it may be the case that your excessive sleepiness is the result of poor sleep quality due to a sleep disorder. Below are some common sleep disorders that cause sleep fragmentation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n