Some people hop out of bed ready to take on the world. Others? Not so much. It’s pretty common to feel groggy first thing in the morning. You’re not alone if you find it hard to wake up even after a full night of shuteye. You may just be experiencing what’s known as “sleep inertia.”
This article will explore everything you need to know about the concept of sleep inertia and how to combat it.
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What is sleep inertia?
“Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess that occurs as soon as you wake up,” explains Shantha Gowda, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of ThinkSleep, a telehealth sleep practice.
In other words, it’s that disorienting feeling of sluggishness as your body and mind catch up with the fact that you’re awake. It’s also completely normal.
“A common myth is that we should wake up easily and feel refreshed if we’ve slept well,” says Gowda. “Sleep inertia is the reason this is not true. It’s normal for healthy, good sleepers to wake up feeling groggy and unrested.”
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What causes sleep inertia?
First, sleep inertia is not usually caused by bad sleep. Gowda says you should judge your sleep quality based on how alert you feel throughout the day—not whether you feel alert immediately after you wake up.
There are a few possible causes of consistent or worsening sleep inertia:
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High delta wave activity. Some research has linked sleep inertia with increased delta waves, electrical waves in the brain usually seen during NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. Sleep inertia may be worse if you’re suddenly awoken during NREM when your brain has not yet reduced delta waves.
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Sleep deprivation. While poor sleep doesn’t cause sleep inertia, sleep-deprived people tend to experience worse sleep inertia. If you don’t get enough hours of deep sleep at night, then you may also be experiencing exhaustion rather than sleep inertia. Symptoms are similar.
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Transitioning between sleep stages (such as when delta waves are high) might contribute to sleep inertia, but the phenomenon is also just a normal part of waking up. According to Gowda, it’s normal for cognitive and motor skills to be a bit impaired while your brain transitions from sleep to wakefulness.
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Sleep inertia symptoms
Symptoms of sleep inertia include:
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Grogginess
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Drowsiness
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Disorientation or confusion
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Impaired cognitive function (trouble focusing, slower reaction times, and lowered spatial awareness)
Another way to put it? It’s that disorienting feeling of being only half-awake when your alarm goes off—the one that makes you want to reach out your arm and blindly hit snooze even though you know it’ll make you late for work.
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How long does sleep inertia last?
Sleep inertia typically lasts 15 to 60 minutes. Research has found that most symptoms of sleep inertia resolve within 30 minutes of waking.
However, it’s important to understand that sleep inertia fades gradually rather than all at once. Cognitive performance may remain slightly below average for up to four hours after waking.
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How to get rid of sleep inertia
Although some degree of sleep inertia is normal, optimizing your sleep habits may improve morning alertness.
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Pick a consistent wake-up time. Waking up at the same time every day may help your body work through sleep inertia more quickly and efficiently. “Our body thrives and adjusts best with consistency,” says Gowda.
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Expose yourself to morning sunlight. Getting sun exposure in the morning can improve overall sleep quality. Gowda says it may also help your body quickly shake off sleep inertia.
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Get out of bed immediately. It may be tempting to hit snooze, but five more minutes in bed won’t magically make your grogginess disappear. “Snoozing is one of the worst things you can do because it just delays the inertia,” says Gowda.
In some cases, it’s better to accept sleep inertia than fight it. If you already have great sleep habits and can’t seem to shake off sleep inertia, then consider allowing yourself to have a slow-paced morning routine.
It might seem counterintuitive to set your alarm for 6 am instead of 6:30 am if you’re feeling groggy in the mornings, but taking 30 extra minutes to shower, sip a hot beverage, or engage in gentle morning exercise gives your body and brain time to adjust before work or school.
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FAQs
What does sleep inertia feel like?
Sleep inertia is impaired cognitive and physical function immediately after waking. It may feel like grogginess, sluggishness, drowsiness, and trouble thinking clearly while your body and brain wake up.
Is sleep inertia a good thing?
Sleep inertia is normal and healthy, says Gowda. But if your morning grogginess is interfering with your personal or work life, there are ways to adjust your sleep routine that can help.
Does napping help sleep inertia?
“Napping will not help sleep inertia because sleep inertia is not a consequence of insufficient sleep,” says Gowda. She says many people experience strong inertia after waking up from naps, especially naps that last longer than 20 or 30 minutes.
How do you fix sleep inertia?
“The key to battling sleep inertia: be informed that it is normal and healthy and that it is not reflective of your previous night’s sleep,” says Gowda. “Maintain a consistent wake time, get some movement and sunlight in the mornings, and limit naps to less than 30 minutes.”
When it comes to falling asleep, what’s a normal amount of time to lie in bed before drifting off? Here’s how long it should take you to fall asleep.
This article originally appeared on Saatva.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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