Why You're Still Tired After 8 Hours of Sleep (Especially for Women of Colour)

Kaajal C
Apr 28
3 min read

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel exhausted even after a full night's sleep, you're not alone — and you’re definitely not broken.

For many women of colour, chronic tiredness isn't just about sleep. It’s emotional, cultural, and even cellular.

In this blog post, we’re unpacking why true rest goes deeper than naps and vitamins — and how you can start reclaiming your energy today.

The Myth of Sleep = Energy (And Why It’s Not the Whole Story)

We've been sold the idea that if you get 7–8 hours of sleep every night, you should automatically wake up energized, ready to take on the world. But the truth? Sleep alone doesn’t heal emotional exhaustion — especially when you're carrying invisible loads you were never meant to bear.

Research shows that nearly 70% of women of color experience chronic fatigue symptoms, but only 50% ever get properly diagnosed. This isn’t just about tired bodies. It’s about tired souls.

Here's why:

Many of us are silently carrying generational, cultural, and emotional weight.
Strong Woman Syndrome — the belief that you must always be strong for others — runs deep.
Micro-stressors like blood sugar crashes and emotional burnout often go undetected.

Bottom line? Fatigue isn't just physical. It's emotional, cultural, and systemic.

What’s Actually Draining Your Energy?

It’s not just staying up late. It's the constant invisible burdens.

Here are a few silent energy drains many women of color face daily:

Cultural Expectations: Being the caretaker, the fixer, the one who always says yes.
Unspoken Emotional Labour: Managing everyone else's feelings before your own.
Blood Sugar Spikes and Crashes: Even without diabetes, unstable blood sugar can drain you fast.
Doom Scrolling: Flooding your mind with comparison and negativity right before bed.

All of this accumulates. It doesn’t matter if you slept 10 hours — if your mind and body are weighed down, you’ll still feel exhausted.

How to Reclaim Your Energy (Without Burning Out)

Good news: You don’t have to live stuck in permanent fatigue. Healing smarter — not pushing harder — is the new path forward.

Here are three powerful practices you can start today:

1. Take a Daily Energy Inventory

Every evening, ask yourself: "What or who drained me today?"

You can journal it, voice note it, or quickly jot it in your Notes app. Patterns will emerge — and once you spot them, you can start protecting your energy intentionally.

2. Start Your Day with Blood Sugar-Friendly Foods

No more riding the sugar rollercoaster!

Swap cereal for eggs, avocados, or nut butter.
Choose protein and good fats to stabilise your energy all day.

Even if you’re not diabetic, blood sugar balance is crucial for consistent focus and stamina.

3. Practice Joy Scrolling (Not Doom Scrolling)

You don’t have to ditch social media. But curate your feed to uplift and nourish you.

Follow:

People who inspire healthy habits.
Creators who bring you joy.
Communities that celebrate who you are, not shame you.

Your subconscious absorbs what you feed it — even digitally. Choose wisely.

Rest Isn't Passive — It's an Active Return to Yourself

We need to redefine rest beyond naps and Netflix. Real rest is anything that brings you back to yourself:

Setting a boundary (even if it’s uncomfortable).
Saying no without guilt.
Dancing. Journaling. Walking. Lifting heavy weights.
Taking a breath, a pause, a moment that belongs to you.

Rest is how we restore the parts of us that the world keeps trying to wear down. You don’t need to be fixed, beautiful soul. You just need space to release what isn't yours and restore what always was.

Conclusion: You’re Not Lazy — You’re Overdue for Real Restoration

If you’re constantly feeling tired despite doing “all the right things,” please hear this:

You are not broken. The world has been too heavy on you — and now you’re strong and informed enough to start putting things down.

Prioritise healing smarter, not pushing harder. Reclaim your energy by honoring your mind, your emotions, your body, and your boundaries.

Catch up soon,

Kaajal

If this resonated with you, I invite you to download my free 21 Day Soft Glow Reset tracker — a simple, soul-nourishing guide to help you start protecting your power today.

👉 Download it here

And I'd love to hear: What’s one thing you’re releasing this week to protect your energy?

Comment below or share your thoughts — your story matters here.