Why am I tired all the time? Metabolism, Sleep & Hormones Explained

Rick Miller
Jun 23
4 min read

You go to bed at a decent time.

You clock 7, maybe even 8 hours.

But you wake up feeling like a used dishcloth.

Groggy. Drained. Unmotivated.

Why am I tired all the time?

Sound familiar?

You're not alone — and you're not broken.

But if you're a high-performing man, it’s time to stop blaming age, stress, or poor willpower.

The truth is, most energy issues start below the surface, in your metabolism, your hormones, and your circadian rhythm. And you can’t fix what you’re not measuring.

Let’s break it down.

Sleep Isn’t Just About Time in Bed — It’s About Energy Restoration

Man yawning with eyes closed, wearing a white robe against a light background. His hand covers his mouth, conveying tiredness. — Feeling tired all the time even after 8 hours of sleep?

You can sleep for 8 hours and still wake up shattered if your mitochondria — the energy factories in your cells — aren’t working properly.

You need three things for deep, restorative sleep:

Proper sleep architecture (enough deep and REM sleep)
Balanced hormones (melatonin, cortisol, testosterone, insulin)
Efficient cellular energy production

If any of those are off, you’re not just tired. You’re running on metabolic fumes.

Why am I tired all the time? The Missing Link

Your metabolism isn’t just about calories — it’s about how efficiently your cells generate usable energy.

If your resting metabolic rate is underperforming — something we measure directly at Miller Health — you may not be producing enough ATP even during sleep.

That means:

Morning brain fog
Cravings
Low libido
A flat, “meh” feeling that doesn’t shift with coffee

And here’s the kicker.

Low testosterone (which may be secondary to poor gut health) fuels this downward spiral.

Poor sleep means lower testosterone.

And low testosterone impairs sleep quality, fat burning, and mental drive. It's a metabolic loop — and it spirals quickly.

Why Your Sleep Tracker Might Be Making You Feel Worse

Let’s ruffle a few feathers.

Sleep trackers have become the latest status symbol of the health-conscious executive.

Oura rings, WHOOP straps, smartwatches — all promising next-level sleep insights.

Here’s the problem:

Sleep trackers measure movement, heart rate, and temperature — but not restoration.

You might get a “great” sleep score and still wake up like a zombie.

Or worse — a bad score that ruins your confidence before sunrise.

This is called data anxiety — and it disconnects you from your actual biology. Instead of asking “How do I feel?”, you start chasing sleep scores like a FitBit-fuelled hamster.

Over-reliance on wearables dulls your natural intuition and creates a false sense of control. And there's a deeper problem: some trackers emit non-native EMFs at night — potentially disrupting melatonin, redox balance, and deep sleep itself.

So the tool tracking your sleep?

Might be causing the very disruption it claims to diagnose.

What We See in Clinic: When 'Normal' Bloods Miss the Mark

Most men who walk into my clinic have been told “everything looks normal.”But they feel anything but.

Here’s what we often find:

✅ Low-normal testosterone
✅ Raised inflammatory markers (hsCRP)
✅ Low free T3 or signs of sluggish thyroid function
✅ Cortisol rhythm completely flipped (wired at night, flat in the morning)

And it gets worse with visceral fat and reduced muscle mass — both of which quietly wreck sleep quality and mitochondrial output.

The Circadian Trap: How Light, Stress & Devices Hijack Your Hormones

Your body doesn’t just want routine — it requires it.

Circadian mismatch happens when your internal clock (regulated by light, food, and temperature) is out of sync with your lifestyle:

Blue light after sunset kills melatonin
Late-night emails spike dopamine and cortisol
Irregular wake times impair sleep efficiency
Too little daylight means too little serotonin (which you need to make melatonin)

Circadian biology, quantum light, and mitochondrial redox suggest that restorative sleep requires more than a good mattress — it demands light discipline, magnetic alignment, and metabolic coherence.

How We Test at Miller Health

Here’s how we actually get answers:

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Testing

We measure how your body produces energy at rest. If your RMR is suppressed, we know fatigue isn’t “in your head” — it’s in your mitochondria.

2. DEXA Scan

We look beyond body fat:

Visceral fat (linked to poor sleep and testosterone suppression)
Muscle mass (linked to insulin sensitivity and recovery)
Bone density (long-term hormonal health)

3. Advanced blood tests

We go deeper than your GP:

Testosterone (total and free)
Cortisol rhythm
Fasting glucose and HbA 1c
Thyroid function
Inflammatory markers
Nutrient status (B12, Folate, Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium)

This gives us the real picture of what’s draining your batteries — and how to recharge them.

🧘‍♂️ 5 Fixes You Can Start Today

Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking – Resets circadian rhythm and boosts natural cortisol.
Protein + fat breakfast – Stabilises blood sugar and sets your energy tone for the day.
Cut screens after 9pm – Or use red light modes / blue blockers.
Ditch the wearables at night – Trust your body, not your app.
Get tested – If you’re waking tired every day, it’s time to stop guessing.