Having a hard time waking up. 7 Reasons You Can’t Wake Up: Expert Solutions for Better Mornings
Why do you have a hard time waking up. How can you fix sleep inertia. What is the impact of sleep debt on your mornings. How does circadian rhythm affect your ability to wake up. What role does sleep quality play in morning alertness. How can you improve your sleep environment for easier wake-ups. What lifestyle factors contribute to difficulty waking up.
Understanding Sleep Inertia: The Morning Grogginess Culprit
Sleep inertia is a common phenomenon that can make waking up feel like an insurmountable task. This groggy feeling upon waking is a natural part of the sleep-wake cycle, but its intensity and duration can vary significantly among individuals.
How long does sleep inertia typically last? Sleep inertia can persist anywhere from 15 minutes to over two hours. During this time, you may experience:
- Intense sleepiness
- Disorientation or brain fog
- Reduced mental performance
The impact of sleep inertia on cognitive function can be substantial. Research indicates that the performance impairment caused by sleep inertia can be comparable to or even worse than 40 hours of sleep deprivation. This highlights the importance of understanding and managing this phenomenon for optimal morning functioning.
Strategies to Overcome Sleep Inertia
While you can’t completely eliminate sleep inertia, there are several strategies to mitigate its effects:
- Exposure to sunlight: Natural light helps reset your circadian rhythm and promotes wakefulness.
- Moderate caffeine consumption: A cup of coffee can help jumpstart your alertness.
- Light exercise: Gentle physical activity can increase blood flow and boost energy levels.
- Consistent sleep schedule: Maintaining regular sleep-wake times can help regulate your body’s internal clock.
Is sleep inertia affected by chronotype? Indeed, your natural sleep-wake preference (chronotype) can influence the intensity of sleep inertia. Research suggests that night owls may experience more prolonged sleep inertia compared to early birds. If you’re a night owl, consider allowing extra time in the morning before engaging in demanding tasks.
The Role of Sleep Debt in Morning Struggles
Sleep debt, the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over time, can significantly impact your ability to wake up refreshed and alert. This concept is closely tied to your individual sleep need, which is genetically determined and can vary widely among people.
How much sleep do most people need? A comprehensive analysis of 1.95 million RISE app users aged 24 and up revealed that sleep needs ranged from 5 hours to 11 hours 30 minutes, with a median of 8 hours. Surprisingly, 48% of users required 8 hours or more of sleep per night.
When you consistently fall short of your sleep need, you accumulate sleep debt. This can exacerbate sleep inertia and lead to persistent low energy throughout the day. To address this issue, it’s crucial to:
- Determine your individual sleep need
- Track your actual sleep duration
- Gradually pay off accumulated sleep debt by increasing sleep time
Can sleep debt be repaid quickly? While it’s tempting to try and “catch up” on sleep during weekends, it’s more effective to consistently meet your sleep need over time. Dramatic changes in sleep patterns can disrupt your circadian rhythm and potentially worsen sleep inertia.
Circadian Rhythm Misalignment: A Hidden Wake-Up Saboteur
Your circadian rhythm, often referred to as your body’s internal clock, plays a crucial role in regulating sleep-wake cycles. When this rhythm is out of sync with your daily schedule, it can lead to significant difficulties in waking up and feeling alert in the morning.
How does circadian rhythm misalignment occur? Several factors can contribute to this misalignment:
- Irregular sleep schedules
- Shift work
- Jet lag from travel across time zones
- Excessive exposure to artificial light at night
- Insufficient exposure to natural light during the day
When your circadian rhythm is misaligned, you may find yourself feeling sleepy at inappropriate times and wide awake when you should be sleeping. This can create a vicious cycle of poor sleep quality and difficulty waking up.
Strategies for Realigning Your Circadian Rhythm
To improve your circadian alignment and make waking up easier, consider implementing these strategies:
- Maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends
- Expose yourself to bright light soon after waking
- Limit blue light exposure in the evening by using screen filters or blue light blocking glasses
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down
- Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime
Can melatonin supplements help regulate circadian rhythm? While melatonin can be useful for short-term circadian rhythm adjustments, such as managing jet lag, it’s not recommended for long-term use without medical supervision. Natural methods of regulating your circadian rhythm are generally preferable for sustainable improvements in sleep-wake patterns.
The Impact of Sleep Quality on Morning Alertness
While sleep quantity is crucial, sleep quality plays an equally important role in determining how easily you can wake up and how alert you feel in the morning. Poor sleep quality can leave you feeling unrefreshed and groggy, even if you’ve spent an adequate amount of time in bed.
What factors influence sleep quality? Several elements contribute to the overall quality of your sleep:
- Sleep continuity (minimal awakenings during the night)
- Proper distribution of sleep stages (light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep)
- Timing of sleep relative to your circadian rhythm
- Environmental factors such as noise, light, and temperature
- Physical comfort (mattress quality, pillows, etc.)
Improving sleep quality can have a significant impact on your ability to wake up feeling refreshed and alert. Here are some strategies to enhance your sleep quality:
- Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows that support proper spinal alignment
- Maintain a cool, dark, and quiet sleep environment
- Practice relaxation techniques before bed to reduce stress and anxiety
- Avoid stimulating activities close to bedtime
- Consider using white noise or earplugs if external noises disrupt your sleep
How can you measure sleep quality? While subjective assessments (how you feel upon waking) are valuable, objective measures can provide more detailed insights. Sleep tracking devices and apps can monitor factors like sleep duration, awakenings, and even estimate sleep stages, giving you a clearer picture of your sleep quality over time.
Optimizing Your Sleep Environment for Easier Wake-Ups
Your sleep environment plays a crucial role in both the quality of your sleep and your ability to wake up refreshed. Creating an optimal sleep sanctuary can significantly improve your chances of waking up easily and feeling alert in the morning.
What elements should you consider when optimizing your sleep environment? Key factors include:
- Temperature: Maintaining a cool room temperature (around 65°F or 18°C) is generally ideal for sleep
- Lighting: Ensuring complete darkness during sleep hours and gradual light exposure upon waking
- Noise control: Minimizing disruptive sounds and considering the use of white noise if necessary
- Air quality: Ensuring proper ventilation and considering air purification if allergies are a concern
- Bedding comfort: Investing in high-quality, breathable bedding materials
Innovative Wake-Up Technologies
Advancements in sleep technology have introduced innovative solutions to make waking up easier and more natural. Some options to consider include:
- Sunrise alarm clocks: These devices simulate natural sunlight, gradually increasing light intensity to wake you gently
- Smart sleep tracking devices: These can monitor your sleep cycles and wake you during lighter stages of sleep
- Aromatherapy diffusers with timer functions: These can release invigorating scents to stimulate wakefulness
- Smartphone apps with customizable wake-up routines: These can combine light, sound, and even cognitive tasks to ease you into wakefulness
Can technology really improve wake-up experiences? While individual responses may vary, many people find that these technologies help create a more gradual and natural transition from sleep to wakefulness, reducing the shock of abrupt awakenings and potentially mitigating sleep inertia.
Lifestyle Factors Affecting Your Ability to Wake Up
Your daily habits and lifestyle choices can significantly impact your sleep quality and, consequently, your ability to wake up feeling refreshed. Addressing these factors can lead to substantial improvements in your morning alertness and overall well-being.
What lifestyle elements should you consider for better wake-ups? Key areas to focus on include:
- Diet: The timing and composition of your meals can affect sleep quality
- Exercise: Regular physical activity can improve sleep, but timing is crucial
- Stress management: Chronic stress can disrupt sleep patterns and make waking up difficult
- Caffeine and alcohol consumption: Both can interfere with sleep quality when consumed too close to bedtime
- Screen time: Excessive use of electronic devices, especially before bed, can disrupt your circadian rhythm
Dietary Considerations for Better Sleep and Wake-Ups
Your dietary habits can have a profound impact on your sleep quality and ability to wake up. Consider the following recommendations:
- Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime, as digestion can interfere with sleep quality
- Limit caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon and evening
- Moderate alcohol consumption, as it can disrupt sleep cycles even if it initially makes you feel drowsy
- Stay hydrated throughout the day, but reduce fluid intake close to bedtime to minimize nighttime awakenings
- Consider incorporating sleep-promoting foods into your diet, such as those rich in magnesium, tryptophan, and melatonin
How long before bed should you stop eating? As a general guideline, try to finish your last substantial meal at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you need a light snack closer to bedtime, opt for easily digestible options that combine complex carbohydrates with a small amount of protein.
Medical Conditions That May Affect Your Ability to Wake Up
While lifestyle factors and sleep habits play a significant role in your ability to wake up, certain medical conditions can also contribute to morning grogginess and difficulty rising. If you consistently struggle to wake up despite implementing good sleep hygiene practices, it may be worth considering whether an underlying medical condition is at play.
What medical conditions can affect wakefulness? Several health issues can impact your sleep quality and morning alertness, including:
- Sleep apnea: A condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep
- Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: A complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can’t be explained by any underlying medical condition
- Depression: Can lead to changes in sleep patterns and persistent fatigue
- Thyroid disorders: Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can affect sleep and energy levels
- Anemia: A condition where you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues
When to Seek Medical Advice
If you’re consistently having trouble waking up and feeling refreshed, even after addressing lifestyle factors and sleep hygiene, it may be time to consult a healthcare professional. Consider seeking medical advice if:
- You experience excessive daytime sleepiness that interferes with daily activities
- You have persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- You snore loudly or experience pauses in breathing during sleep (as reported by a partner)
- You experience sudden muscle weakness or paralysis when feeling strong emotions
- You have persistent morning headaches
- You feel unrefreshed even after sleeping for adequate durations
What types of doctors specialize in sleep issues? If you suspect a sleep disorder, consider consulting a sleep specialist. These professionals may include sleep medicine physicians, neurologists, pulmonologists, or psychiatrists with specialized training in sleep medicine. They can conduct comprehensive sleep evaluations, including sleep studies, to diagnose and treat underlying sleep disorders.
Remember, while occasional difficulty waking up is normal, persistent struggles could indicate a more serious issue. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if your sleep problems are significantly impacting your quality of life.
7 Reasons You Can’t Wake Up and How to Fix Them
Waking up with some degree of grogginess is normal. But if you struggle to wake up, or battle sleepiness all morning long, there could be a few culprits to blame.
And before you start spiraling, not all of them are medical conditions, and many of them can be fixed.
Below, we’ll dive into the reasons you can’t wake up and how to fix them. Plus, we’ll share how the RISE app can help you get enough sleep each night to make waking up easier to do.
Advice from a sleep doctor:
We asked our sleep advisor and medical reviewer, Dr. Chester Wu, who’s double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine, why people may find they can’t get up.
“You might feel like you can’t wake up because you’re sleep deprived and need more sleep overall. Try heading to bed a little earlier and see if it improves your mornings.”
Why can’t I wake up in the morning?
How to wake up more easily?
Why Can’t I Wake Up in the Morning?
Struggling to leave your bed in the morning? Here’s what could be at play.
1. Sleep Inertia
The RISE app can predict how long morning grogginess will last.
It’s natural to feel like you can’t wake up at first. This is due to sleep inertia.
Sleep inertia is the groggy feeling you get right after waking up. It happens even when you’ve had enough sleep, and it can last anywhere from 15 minutes to more than two hours.
Symptoms of sleep inertia include:
- Sleepiness
- Disorientation or brain fog
- Lowered mental performance
Sleep inertia doesn’t just leave you feeling like you can’t wake up, your mental performance takes a hit, too. A 2019 paper said the performance impairment from sleep inertia is the same as or worse than 40 hours of sleep deprivation.
One of our sleep advisors is Dr. Jamie Zeitzer, the co-director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences at Stanford University. He completed real-world research into sleep inertia and found people’s cognitive performance (measured through the speed of keystrokes and click interactions on a search engine) was lower during the first two hours after waking.
Once sleep inertia faded, people’s performance was at its best and then slowly got worse until they’d been awake for about 16 hours — usually the time people head to bed.
Here’s Dr. Zeitzer’s best advice for overcoming sleep inertia:
Sleep inertia can make it feel like you can’t wake up, even when you’ve had enough sleep. Try getting out in sunlight, having a cup of coffee, and getting some exercise to shake off the grogginess faster.
You can’t escape sleep inertia altogether, but getting enough sleep overall will make it feel more manageable in the long run. Although, if you lost out on sleep recently and then slept for longer than usual — known as recovery sleep — you may feel more sleep inertia at first.
Want to beat sleep inertia at its own game? RISE can predict how long your sleep inertia is expected to last each morning. We call this your “grogginess zone.” With a rough idea of timings, you can schedule your day to match.
For example, try doing easy tasks during your grogginess zone — like a morning routine, household chores, or admin — and schedule hard tasks, like a work report, for when sleep inertia has passed. Try giving yourself about 90 minutes in the morning before you have to be “on.”
Expert tip: Sleep inertia may hit you harder if you’re a night owl. One study found it took early birds 10 to 20 minutes to get over sleep inertia, whereas it took about 30 minutes for night owls. If you’re a later riser, give yourself more time in the morning before you need to be “on.”
RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to see their upcoming energy peaks and dips on the Energy screen.
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2. Sleep Debt
Sleep debt is the measure of how much sleep you owe your body. It’s compared against your sleep need, the genetically determined amount of sleep you need.
If you need eight hours of sleep each night, but you’ve only been getting six hours recently, you’ll have built up sleep debt.
Sleep debt can make sleep inertia feel worse and last longer. And it can lead to low energy all day long, not just when you first wake up.
What we know about sleep need: When we looked at the sleep needs of 1.95 million RISE users aged 24 and up, we found they ranged from five hours to 11 hours 30 minutes. The median sleep need was eight hours, but a surprising 48% of users need eight hours or more sleep a night.
The RISE app can work out how much sleep you need.
See once and for all if you’re getting enough sleep each night. RISE can work out your unique sleep need and whether you’ve got any sleep debt.
RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to view their sleep need and here to view their sleep debt.
3. Being Out of Sync With Your Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It helps to control your sleep cycle and when you feel sleepy and alert over a roughly 24-hour cycle.
You can get out of sync with your circadian rhythm, and this can make it hard to wake up.
You might be out of sync with your circadian rhythm if:
- You work night shifts or do rotating shift work
- You’ve got social jet lag — or an irregular sleep schedule (which about 87% of adults do)
- You’re at odds with your chronotype — like a night owl on an early schedule
Your energy levels naturally fluctuate as part of your circadian rhythm over about 24 hours. If you wake up during a low point, you’ll feel more tired than usual and may struggle to wake up. And if you wake up during deep sleep (which can happen if your sleep schedule is irregular), you may feel groggier, too.
As well as your energy levels, the stress hormone cortisol fluctuates as part of your circadian rhythm. When everything’s running smoothly, your body produces cortisol in the morning to give you an energizing boost and help wake you up.
But if you’re out of sync with your circadian rhythm, this can happen at the wrong time, meaning waking up will feel harder.
This may all sound like a lot, but RISE can predict your circadian rhythm each day and show you a simple visualization. The app will show you when your body naturally wants to wake up and go to sleep. You can then try to stay in sync with these times to make mornings easier.
Expert tip: If the times your body wants to sleep and wake up don’t match your lifestyle or work schedule, you can reset your circadian rhythm and shift the timings earlier or later. RISE’s smart schedule feature can suggest a daily bedtime that gently shifts to train your body to get enough sleep at the right times for you.
RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to see their circadian rhythm on the Energy screen.
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4. Stress and Anxiety
Too stressed and anxious to sleep? You’re not alone. Among RISE users, stress and anxiety are the most common barriers to a good night’s sleep. Users say they struggle to fall and stay asleep because of them.
And as we’ve covered, if you’re struggling to sleep at night, it’s going to be harder to get up the next day.
The link between anxiety and sleep goes the other way, too. Research shows if you don’t get enough sleep, your anxiety levels can go up. So you can find yourself in a vicious circle of more anxiety, more sleep loss, and more trouble waking up.
Want to break the cycle? We’ve covered tips on how to sleep with anxiety here.
Try this tonight: Psychological or cyclic sighing, which includes long exhales, can help to reduce anxiety and improve mood. A 2023 study co-authored by our advisor Dr. Jamie Zeitzer found five minutes of psychological sighing may be all it takes.
We’ve covered how to do this breathing exercise here.
5. Mental Health Conditions
Mental health conditions can make it hard to sleep. A 2020 study found those with anxiety disorders often have sleep problems like nighttime awakenings or shortened sleep, more light sleep, and less deep sleep.
To make matters worse, mental health conditions like depression can rob you of motivation, meaning you may struggle to get out of bed, even when you’ve had enough sleep. And mental health issues often come with daytime sleepiness as a symptom.
Mental health issues that can make it hard to wake up include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Seasonal affective disorder
6. Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders can make it hard to get enough sleep each night. With this lack of sleep, you can easily build up sleep debt, and this can make you feel like you can’t wake up in the morning.
These include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
- Periodic limb movements disorder
- Narcolepsy
- Hypersomnia (research shows those with hypersomnia feel a more severe form of sleep inertia known as sleep drunkenness)
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders like delayed sleep phase disorder
Heads-up: When you try to wake up but can’t, you’re likely experiencing sleep paralysis. This is when you’re conscious but unable to move any part of your body as your muscles are temporarily paralyzed. While sleep paralysis isn’t dangerous, it can create a lot of anxiety and distress that impact sleep, even after the episode. Keep your sleep debt and anxiety low, and stay in sync with your circadian rhythm, to reduce how often sleep paralysis happens.
7.
Medical Conditions
Medical conditions can either make it hard to get the sleep you need or cause morning fatigue as a symptom.
These include:
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Heart disease
- Chronic fatigue
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- High blood pressure
While not medical conditions, pregnancy, menopause, and your period could be a female-specific reason you can’t wake up. Fluctuating hormones, mood changes, and pain can cause you to build up sleep debt and get out of sync with your circadian rhythm. We’ve covered more reasons for female fatigue here.
How to Wake Up More Easily?
The RISE app can guide you through 20+ sleep hygiene habits.
Here’s how you can have more energy in the morning to make waking up easier:
- Keep a regular sleep schedule: This will keep your circadian rhythm in check. And research shows those with a regular sleep routine feel more alert than those who don’t, even if they get the same amount of sleep.
- Resist the snooze button: While keeping your regular sleep pattern, don’t hit the snooze button. A 2022 sleep study found hitting snooze on your alarm clock prolongs sleep inertia compared to using a single alarm. RISE’s alarm feature can help if you’re a serial snoozer. When you turn the alarm off, RISE will send you straight to your favorite app for 15 minutes of guilt-free phone time. This will help you wake up slowly and get you through your initial sleep inertia without hitting snooze.
- Use the right alarm sounds: Research from 2020 shows melodic sounds as an alarm can help to reduce sleep inertia. You can choose from melodic sounds, your choice of music, and watch and phone vibrations with RISE’s alarm.
- Lower your sleep debt: Check RISE to see how much sleep debt you have and try lowering it to make waking up easier. You can lower your sleep debt by going to bed a little earlier, sleeping in a little later, and taking afternoon naps.
- Do some morning exercise: As hard as it can be to exercise when you feel like you can’t wake up, physical activity can help to shake off sleep inertia faster. One study found even 30 seconds of exercise can help. Exercise throughout the day can also help you wake up the next morning. A 2022 study found the more daytime physical activity people did, the more alert they felt the next morning.
- Get out in sunlight: Bright light exposure in the morning resets your circadian rhythm for the day and suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin. This will help wake you up in the morning and make it easier to fall asleep that night, making the next morning even easier. Aim to get 10 minutes of natural light as soon as possible after waking up. Make this 15 to 20 minutes if it’s overcast or you’re getting light through a window.
- Enjoy a cup of coffee: Caffeine can temporarily block the sleepiness chemical adenosine from working in your brain. It can also boost serotonin, improving your mood. Enjoy coffee in the morning, and then cut yourself off in the afternoon to make sure it doesn’t keep you up. RISE can tell you exactly when to stop drinking coffee.
- Eat a complex carb-rich breakfast: A 2022 study found a breakfast rich in carbohydrates that are slowly digested and absorbed was linked to higher morning alertness, whereas a high-protein breakfast was linked to lower alertness. Opt for whole grains and fruits as part of your breakfast.
- Have a morning routine you look forward to: This could include having a cup of coffee, going for a walk with a podcast, or meditating in the garden. Try to include sleep-boosting behaviors like getting out in sunlight and exercising. Having a morning routine you enjoy can help when mental health issues make it hard to leave your bed. Remember to do easy tasks while sleep inertia is causing early morning drowsiness, and save hard tasks for when sleep inertia passes.
- Having a relaxing bedtime routine: This will help you slow down for sleep and drift off more easily. Try reading, doing yoga, or journaling before bed.
- Speak to a healthcare professional: Get medical advice if you think a health problem, sleep disorder, or mental health issue could be the reason you can’t wake up. A doctor or sleep specialist can recommend the best treatment options to help, such as medication, lifestyle changes, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
We’ve covered more tips to make getting out of bed easier here.
RISE can tell you when to do many of these sleep habits each day as part of something known as sleep hygiene, so you don’t need to keep track of them all.
RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to set up their 20+ in-app habit notifications.
The RISE app’s Smart Alarm can help you wake up more easily.
Make Waking Up Easier Each Day
If you can’t wake up, you might be battling sleep inertia. Sleep debt and being out of sync with your circadian rhythm can also contribute to low energy in the morning — and all day long. And anxiety, mental health issues, sleep disorders, and medical conditions could also be behind your low energy.
To make waking up easier, turn to the RISE app. RISE can tell you how much sleep debt you have, so you can see if you need to lower it, and it can predict your circadian rhythm each day, so you can work to stay in sync.
The good news? Lowering your sleep debt and getting in sync with your body clock will boost everything from your morning energy to your productivity and overall health and wellness.
And as 80% of RISE users get better sleep and more energy within five days, you could be waking up easier within the week.
8 Tips to Train Yourself to Wake Up in the Morning
If your constant use of the snooze button and your morning zombie routine is getting old, there’s help. It begins with figuring out the different reasons why you can’t wake up in the morning and what to do about them.
Chances are you’re not getting enough sleep and need to tweak your bedtime routine. If a sleep disorder or other underlying condition is to blame for your morning sleepiness, there are treatments available.
We’ll cover all of that and more here so you can become one of those perky morning people.
Difficulty getting up in the morning isn’t just about loving your sleep and hating mornings. Lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and medications can make it hard to wake up. These include:
- parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors
- sleep apnea, which causes periods of stopped breathing during sleep
- sleep deficiency, which can involve not getting good quality sleep, or sleep deprivation, which is not getting enough sleep
- stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep
- depression, which has been linked to excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia
- circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which can prevent you from developing a regular sleep routine, such as shift work sleep disorder and irregular sleep-wake disorder
- certain medications, including beta blockers, certain muscle relaxants, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants
- chronic pain, which can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep
There are a number of things you can do to help you wake up. If an underlying condition is causing your excessive sleepiness or drowsiness in the morning, you may need a combination of home remedies and medical treatment.
The following are tips and treatments that can help you sleep better and wake up better.
Get on a sleep schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is a must if you want to get on a good sleep schedule and train yourself to wake up early.
Figure out how much sleep you need — seven to nine hours per night is recommended — and aim to get to bed early enough so you wake up feeling refreshed.
Stick to your sleep schedule every day, including your days off, and your body will eventually begin waking up naturally.
Improve your bedtime routine
You may be sabotaging your efforts to get up early without even realizing it. Drinking caffeine in the later part of the day and using devices that emit blue light before bed can prevent you from falling asleep.
To improve your bedtime routine, try doing something relaxing before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath. Avoid activities that’ve been shown to interfere with your circadian rhythm and cause sleeplessness, including:
- looking at screens, like your laptop or phone
- drinking caffeine within six hours before bedtime
- napping or spending too much time in bed during the day
- drinking alcohol before bed
Move your alarm to avoid hitting snooze
Tempting as that snooze button and getting “just a few more minutes” may be, falling back asleep after waking is sleep fragmentation.
According to research, sleep fragmentation increases daytime sleepiness and grogginess, decreases performance, and makes you feel run-down.
If you’re accustomed to hitting snooze, try moving your alarm away from your bed so you have to get up to turn it off.
Eat better
Eating a healthy diet increases your energy and helps you sleep better. On the flip side, foods that are generally considered unhealthy can make you feel sluggish and zap your energy.
Aim for a well-balanced diet full of foods that increase your energy, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Get regular exercise
Exercise has been proven to improve sleep and conditions that can cause insomnia and excessive sleepiness, such as anxiety and depression.
It also increases energy levels by reducing fatigue, including in people with conditions associated with chronic fatigue, according to research.
Enjoy the daylight
Daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep.
If you get some sun first thing in the morning, it can help boost your mood and energy levels for the rest of the day. Try opening your blinds as soon as you get up, having your coffee outside, or going for a short walk.
You could also try sleeping with your blinds open so you wake up to sunshine — that is, as long as it’s not too bright outside your bedroom window at night.
Gloomy day? No worries. Just turn on the lights or use a light-up alarm clock.
Get a sleep study
If you can’t get up in the mornings after trying other methods or have noticed sleep disorder warning signs, talk to a doctor about a referral to a sleep specialist.
Participating in a sleep study can help diagnose a sleep disorder that may be to blame for your morning fatigue.
Treat a sleep disorder
If you’re diagnosed with a sleep disorder, such as chronic insomnia or restless leg syndrome (RLS), treatment can help you sleep and wake up better. Treatment depends on the specific sleep disorder and might include:
- prescription drugs, such as sleep aids or medication for RLS
- melatonin
- a breathing device for obstructive sleep apnea
- behavioral therapy
- surgery for obstructive sleep apnea
Having trouble waking up in the morning is just one sign you’re not getting enough sleep. Here are some others:
- excessive yawning
- irritability
- lack of motivation
- fatigue
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- brain fog
- increased appetite
It’s possible to train yourself to wake up on time in the morning. A few changes to your routine can help you get rid of your morning fatigue so you can be up and at ’em bright and early.
If you worry that you have a sleep disorder or other medical condition that may be contributing to your morning fatigue, see a doctor.
What to do if it’s hard to wake up in the morning
https://ria.ru/20121023/774952000.html
What to do if it’s hard to wake up in the morning
What to do if it’s hard to wake up in the morning – RIA Novosti, 09/18/2013
9000 2 What to do if it’s hard to wake up in the morning
There are few lucky people who manage to wake up immediately at the sound of an alarm clock, get up and start the day in a cheerful state of mind. For most of us, getting up in the morning is a real challenge. Psychologist Maria Pugacheva and neurologist Vladislav Novozhilov told the portal “In Moscow” about how to make your awakening not so difficult, and maybe even pleasant.
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state of mind to start the day. For most of us, getting up in the morning is a real challenge. Psychologist Maria Pugacheva and neurologist Vladislav Novozhilov told the portal “In Moscow” about how to make your awakening not so difficult, and maybe even pleasant.
Step 1
Psychologist Maria Pugacheva: Try not to overexert your body at night so that it has time to sleep and fully recover: do not overeat at night and drink alcoholic beverages, do not spend a lot of time at the computer or watching TV before going to bed otherwise the brain will be in an excited state.
Also, in order to sleep better and feel fresh in the morning, be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed or leave the window open at night for fresh air.
Vladislav Novozhilov, a neurologist at the MedicCity clinic: To fall asleep earlier and have time to sleep, start getting ready for bed in advance: dim the lights an hour before bedtime, refrain from tea, coffee, cola and other stimulating drinks at night, complete all the tasks, requiring mental effort. You can read fiction or listen to light pleasant music. Spend time with loved ones, but do not solve serious issues at the same time.
The quality of sleep also matters. Alcohol or sleeping pills in the evening disturb our sleep. Formally, we are sleeping at the same time, and it even seems that it is sound. But the dream is incomplete. If you have such a habit, try to give it up, if necessary, consult a doctor.
Step 2
Neurologist Vladislav Novozhilov: The shape of the pillow we sleep on is of great importance – if you sleep on your stomach, the pillow should be very thin. If you sleep on your side, the pillow should be so thick that your head is at the level of the spine – then the cervical vertebrae will not move and pinch the vessels of the brain. For sleeping on your side, a pillow is easy to pick up while lying in front of a mirror.
If you sleep on your back, the pillow should be of medium thickness so that your head does not tip back or forward. If you sleep in different positions, choose a pillow for the position in which you spend most of your time. After all, a pillow should just be comfortable.
Step 3
Psychologist Maria Pugacheva: Avoid the bad habit of setting the alarm clock 15-20 minutes early, or dragging out time after its last call. All these “techniques” actually only make us nervous internally: then we begin to calculate the time, then we begin to feel sorry for ourselves, thus, getting up becomes a more painful and protracted process. Determine in advance for yourself the exact time of awakening and observe it.
Set yourself up for the fact that the most difficult thing is only the first 10-20 seconds: the alarm rings, you turn it off, come to your senses a little and get out of bed. All! And then everything will be fine – after 15-20 minutes you will no longer feel tired or heaviness – you definitely need to know this and prepare in advance. For example, immediately go to the bathroom and wash yourself with cool water, or better – take a contrast shower – it is important to stir up the body. Make yourself a coffee – it’s practically 90% guarantee that you will come to a vigorous state. Prepare yourself something especially delicious for breakfast in advance, because you should reward yourself for the feat of a difficult awakening.
Neurologist Vladislav Novozhilov: When you wake up, don’t jump up right away. First smile, then stretch, and only then get up. Do, for example, a light warm-up, but in no case a heavy exercise – in the morning the body is not yet ready for heavy loads. Turn on bright lights. Put on some fun music.
How to wake up easily. Somnologist advises
Somnologist Maria Ovsyannikova told how to forget about sticky eyes, drowsiness and morning sickness once and for all.
Step 1. Prepare your bed
To wake up easily, you need to prepare for sleep correctly. To begin with: a place to sleep should be comfortable – without voids and height differences, not cramped, with linen without hard folds. The room should be dark: make sure that the light sources do not interfere with sleep.
- See also: What gadgets will help improve sleep? Top most useful devices from AliExpress
Step 2. We remove the phone half an hour before bedtime
Put the phone aside half an hour before bedtime. The flickering of the screen makes it difficult to fall asleep: the body thinks that it is still day outside the window. Devote the last half hour before going to bed to meditation, plans for the future, pleasant memories. It is better to go to bed before midnight – it will be easier to wake up. In no case should you eat up before going to bed: then sticky eyes and a feeling of weakness in the morning will be provided to you.
- On this topic: Eat at night, fight on the Internet! Bad advice on how to definitely not get enough sleep
Step 3. After waking up – breathe and stretch
The first minutes after waking up are an important time. Set your alarm 5-10 minutes early so you don’t rush. Lying in bed, take a few deep breaths in and out. Pull your joints. Massage your earlobes, head, fingers. Get up slowly, without sudden movements.
The body needs time to switch from sleep to work. If you immediately jump out of bed, then the day can begin with a headache, pressure surges, pain in the joints and back. Plus, you will take a bad mood and a feeling of “lack of sleep” out of bed with you.
- For those who no longer have the strength: 9 tips on how to overcome fatigue and regain energy curtains. Sunlight blocks the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Thanks to the light, all body systems receive a signal that it is time to wake up. And it is for this reason that it is so difficult to get up on cloudy days when there is little light and no sun.
Step 5. We plan time so as to do things without haste
“Easy awakening is a matter of the correct mode, settings and attitude. Train yourself to go to bed and wake up at the same time. The body will get used to these hours: getting up in the morning will be easier. Plan your time so that you don’t rush in the morning. The lack of stress, the ability to lie in bed after the alarm – all this will help to forget about morning sleepiness.
- See also: How to stop being late? A short guide to help you become punctual
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Natural remedy based on the roots of valerian, motherwort, oregano and sweet clover.