If exhaustion has become part of your daily life, now is the time to take steps to improve your sleep quality
We’d all like to be the kind of person who leaps out of bed with a spring in their step as soon as the alarm goes off, but for many of us, tiredness seems to be the default state in which we start our day. Sometimes, this tiredness can hang around for hours, or even all day, making exhaustion feel inescapable no matter how much sleep you’re getting.
This can have a negative impact on your energy levels, your mood and even your relationships, but you aren’t powerless when it comes to boosting your morning mood and energy. Here’s everything you need to know about waking up tired.
Reasons why you wake up tired
During the last hour of sleep or so, your body releases hormones like cortisol which prepare you for waking. This timing only works if you rouse naturally, so if you’re woken by an alarm, you could find yourself being shocked awake during a period of deep sleep, leaving you feeling groggy.
For most people, this tiredness that marks the transition between sleep and wakefulness – known as sleep inertia – dissipates within 15-60 minutes after waking. Sleep inertia can impact your motor and cognitive skills, and can last longer than an hour for some people.
When this is the case, there could be an underlying medical condition involved, such as insomnia. This is when you have trouble falling or staying asleep, and it can occur as a result of stress from life changes, or changes to your sleep schedule. Chronic insomnia occurs at least three nights a week for three months or more, resulting in a significant impact on your sleep health.
The importance of sleep hygiene
If you’re worried about the possibility of an underlying sleep condition impacting your morning energy levels, it’s important to seek out support from a health professional. You can also take steps in your own habits and routines in order to improve your sleep hygiene.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, and the best way to do this is to set yourself a clear schedule that you can stick to every night. Over time, your body will learn to respond in the right way at the right time, helping you wind down and perk up in the evening and morning respectively.
You should also aim to keep your bedroom cool and dark, and avoid coffee, alcohol or eating too close to bed. Avoid using your phone in the run up to bedtime too, and instead aim to read, meditate, stretch or enjoy a relaxing bath.
Becoming a morning person
Feeling energized in the morning is just as much about your morning behaviour as it is about your evening habits. If you can, avoid hitting the snooze button on your alarm, as it can increase your blood pressure and heartbeat, and an extra 10 minutes is not enough time to return to restorative sleep.
Instead, make the effort to get out of bed when your alarm goes off and expose yourself to natural light and fresh air as soon as you can, as this will help you feel fresher and more alert. Morning stretches, meditation and a cold glass of water can also help to boost your energy for the day ahead.