Why You Can Sleep 7–8 Hours and Still Wake Up Exhausted: Eddie’s Story & the Hidden Red Flag
- The Sleep Fixer
- Nov 21
- 3 min read
Most of us grow up believing that if we get our 7–8 hours of sleep, we should wake up feeling refreshed, energised and ready for the day.But what happens when you are hitting those hours… and still feel completely exhausted?
This is exactly what happened to “Eddie,” a client in his mid-40s whose story highlights one of the most misunderstood sleep problems out there: poor sleep quality and undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea.
This blog takes you through Eddie’s journey — the signs he ignored, the red flags we uncovered, what his sleep study showed, and how treatment transformed his life.
Meet Eddie: The Man Sleeping 7–8 Hours and Waking Up Tired
Eddie was doing everything “right.”• 7–8 hours of sleep most nights• A stable home life• Low stress• Consistent routine• Active lifestyle• Healthy diet• Normal weight• No major medical conditions
Yet every morning he woke up feeling exhausted; sometimes more tired than when he went to bed.
That alone was a red flag.
The Symptoms He Ignored
Eddie brushed off signs that something deeper was wrong, including:
1. Loud, disruptive snoring
His wife often moved to another room because of the noise.She also noticed pauses and gasps in his breathing — a classic but often overlooked sign of sleep apnoea.
2. Morning exhaustion
Despite his 7–8 hour nights, he struggled to wake up. It felt like his body hadn’t actually slept.
3. Daytime sleepiness
Eddie regularly experienced:• Micro-sleeps at his desk• “Head-nodding” moments watching TV• Feeling unsafe driving• Losing concentration in meetings
These tiny involuntary drops into sleep — sometimes just seconds long — are your brain begging for rest.
4. Brain fog & irritability
He couldn’t think clearly, felt slower mentally, and his mood was deteriorating.
5. Dependence on caffeine
He was using caffeine to feel “normal” and to stay awake through the day.
The Myth Eddie Believed: “I’m Not Overweight, So It Can’t Be Sleep Apnoea”
This myth stops thousands of people from seeking help.
Yes — weight can be a factor, but it is only one of many.
Other causes include:• Narrow airway shape• Neck or jaw structure• Nasal congestion• Genetics• Hormones• Sleep position• Facial anatomy
Eddie was slim, active, and healthy and he still had moderate sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea does not have a body type.
Sleep Quantity vs Sleep Quality
This is the part most people get wrong.
You can be asleep for 7–8 hours…but if your airway is collapsing dozens of times per hour (as in sleep apnoea), your sleep stages are repeatedly interrupted.
This prevents:✔ deep sleep✔ REM sleep✔ full restoration of the brain and body
So you wake up feeling like you've barely slept at all.
The Screening Tools Eddie Completed
Before referring him to the GP, I asked Eddie to complete two evidence-based screening tools:
Assesses:• Snoring• Tiredness• Observed apnoeas• Blood pressure• BMI• Age• Neck circumference• Gender
Measures the likelihood of dozing in everyday situations.
Eddie scored high on both — clear indicators he needed a sleep study.
The Diagnosis
His GP arranged a home sleep study — a simple overnight test that monitors oxygen drops overnight.
The result:👉 Moderate obstructive sleep apnoea
His exhaustion wasn’t due to lack of hours. It was due to lack of quality.
The Treatment That Changed Everything
Eddie was prescribed a CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).
It keeps the airway open so breathing remains steady through the night.CPAP is the gold standard treatment for sleep apnoea.
Eddie’s results were life-changing:
• Snoring reduced dramatically• Feeling alert in the mornings• No more micro-sleeps• Brain clarity restored• Mood improved• Back to safe driving• Sharing a bed with his wife again
And importantly — he finally felt like himself again.
What We Did While Waiting for CPAP
While we waited for the machine to arrive, we used behavioural strategies to keep him safe and functioning:
• Morning daylight within 1 hour of waking• Standing during afternoon meetings• Walking during audio-only calls• Upright posture on the sofa• Ice water for alertness• No caffeine after 2pm• Cool circulating air• Regular meals to stabilise blood sugar• Avoiding low-arousal evening activities• Scheduled rest breaks instead of unintentional micro-naps
These reduced daytime sleepiness while awaiting his device.
If Eddie Sounds Like You… Don’t Ignore It
Loud snoring, unrefreshing sleep, and daytime tiredness are not normal.
They are red flags for disrupted sleep and potential sleep apnoea.
The good news?It is completely treatable — and often life-changing.
Your next steps:
Complete STOP-Bang
Complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Speak to your GP
Ask for a sleep study
Prioritise sleep quality, not just hours
Final Thoughts
Eddie’s story is a powerful reminder that sleep problems aren’t always obvious — and that sleep quality matters just as much, if not more, than sleep quantity.
Don’t wait until you reach breaking point.
Your body is talking to you.
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