Why Is It So Hard To Wake Up?

Why is it so difficult to wake up? Every individual at some point has felt the disorienting effects of being woken out of sleep. Whether you jolt awake from a nap after hearing a noise or feel thrust into consciousness by your jarring alarm, there are a few reasons why it is so hard to wake up.

As individuals get older, the greater the appreciation is for undisturbed slumber. It’s rare to be able to wake up naturally after an adequate night of rest. The unceasing responsibilities from school, work, or social commitments don’t allow the luxury of being gently coaxed out of sleep and into the day ahead.

Mattress Warehouse broke down all the reasons why it is so difficult to wake up, so you can identify problems in your sleep schedule. If it’s hard to wake up, it could indicate a larger issue with your biological clock or lifestyle choices.

Why Is It So Difficult To Wake Up?

Unfortunately, circadian rhythms don’t often align with daily realities. Society doesn’t pause to accommodate the temptation of hitting the snooze button five times. There are real negative consequences associated with disrupting our circadian rhythms.

Answering the question of why it is so difficult to wake up isn’t straightforward. There are several possible explanations of chronic exhaustion when you first wake up.

Sleep Inertia Makes It Hard to Wake Up

Sleep inertia is a physiological phenomenon in which an individual experiences impaired cognitive and sensory-motor performance immediately after awakening. This grogginess persists during the transition from sleep to wakefulness and can lead to disorientation and a decline in both mental and physical dexterity throughout the day. Individuals experiencing sleep inertia typically have a strong desire to return to sleep, hence why you hit the snooze button several times.

The amount of time that sleep inertia lingers is dependent upon the individual, but studies have shown that it can last from one minute to four hours. However, in the absence of severe sleep deprivation, the duration of sleep inertia rarely exceeds 30 minutes.

The scope and severity of sleep inertia also depend on what phase of the sleep cycle the individual was in when woken. Abrupt awakening during a slow wave sleep episode, when your body is in a deeper sleep, produces more sleep inertia than awakening in stage 1 or 2 when your body is in a lighter sleep. 

What Can Amplify The Effects Of Sleep Inertia?

1. Going to bed at the wrong time. If your body clock naturally signals for the release of melatonin later, it will be hard to fall asleep and even harder to wake up. If you experience chronic sleep inertia, it could be because your body is still producing melatonin while you are trying to wake up. To fix this problem, try training your body to adjust by going to bed a little bit earlier each night. Make sure to stay on schedule during the weekend too and don’t sleep in much longer than your normal week day waking time. If sleep is elusive when you try to go to bed, try to trick your brain into falling asleep faster.
2. Dragging out your alarm. If you notoriously roll over and snooze your alarm when it goes off to get a few extra minutes of sleep, you’re actually hurting yourself. The average snooze lasts between five to 10 minutes which isn’t enough to fall into a restful sleep, so you’re only getting broken, fragmented moments of semi-consciousness. This bad habit extends the length of sleep inertia. It’s better to set your alarm for the time you actually need to get out of bed and ensure your alarm is across the room, so you’re forced to get out of bed to turn it off.
3. Poor sleep environment. There are many environmental factors that could make it more difficult to wake up. Evaluate your bedroom with your five senses. Loud noises, unnatural light, or a poor-quality mattress can cause fits of wakefulness. Consider trying tips for a better night’s sleep.

How To Wake Up More Easily

The best way to counteract sleep inertia is to optimize for both sleep quantity and quality. Every individual requires a different number of hours to feel fully rested. How many hours of sleep are right for you? It’s dependent on a mix of environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors.

There are many habits that can help boost your energy in the morning. The most crucial factor in limiting the effects of sleep inertia is discipline. People who do not naturally rise easily must commit to proactively adjusting their sleep schedule.

There are a few ways to fall asleep instantly, which will ensure that you maximize your sleep quantity while in bed.

Improve Your Sleep Quality And Wake Up Refreshed

It might be difficult to wake up because your sleep quality is poor. If this is the case, the first environmental culprit might be your mattress. If your mattress is over eight years old or is cheaply constructed, then it’s time to upgrade your sleep system.

It’s easy to wake up when you feel fully rested. Visit Mattress Warehouse to undergo our bedMATCH™ diagnostic system. This revolutionary technology uses scientific data and mathematical calculations to determine the perfect mattress for your body type and sleep preferences.

Although you’ll sleep more soundly and wake up easier, it might be harder to leave the comfort of your new bed. Visit Mattress Warehouse today and change the way you sleep.

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