How to Feel Awake in the Morning

Last Updated: October 8, 2021 References

If you are like most people, you have every intention of getting up the next morning with a fresh attitude and a fully alert and active brain. But when the alarm clock sounds, most of us reach for that snooze button, still hoping for a few more minutes of peaceful slumber. You can improve your ability to face each day feeling more awake and alert by making some simple changes in your schedule, possibly a few easy lifestyle adjustments, and consider getting a different type of alarm clock.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Coordinating Your Sleep Patterns

1
Try not to hit the snooze button. That old saying, “you snooze, you lose,” has some basis of truth when it comes to understanding the difficulty you have waking up when relying on that snooze button.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- You are likely putting yourself back into a deeper stage of sleep that is even more difficult to wake up from, even though you are only trying to get a few extras minutes of sleep.
- The best stage to wake from is stage 1. This is the stage of sleep when you are sleeping less deeply than the other stages, and is the easiest stage to wake from with a greater feeling of alertness.
- Stage 1 sleep usually occurs at the beginning of a sleep cycle and is sometimes referred to as relaxed wakefulness. Often people that are awakened during stage 1 sleep will think they have not yet fallen asleep.
- By hitting the snooze button, you are starting your sleep cycle over. The stage 1 part passes in just a few minutes at which point you are entering stages of sleep that are harder to wake from.
2
Allow extra time for your brain to wake up. Just because your feet are on the floor and your eyes are open, does not mean that your brain is awake.
- Everybody has a foggy, draggy, feeling for a few minutes to several hours after getting up in the morning. This is the time it takes for your brain to wake up.
- This is called sleep inertia and it is perfectly normal.
- Your brainstem wakes up as your eyes open and your feet hit the floor. This is the part of the brain that regulates basic physiological functions.
- Your cortical regions, including your prefrontal cortex, take a little longer to get going. These areas of your brain are responsible for decision making, planning, reaction time, mental performance, subjective alertness, attentiveness, self-control, and overall executive functions.
- Research studies have documented the time range for sleep inertia to be from one or two minutes to four hours, depending on the person and the variables regarding their sleep.
Advertisement
3
Reduce your sleep inertia. Sleep inertia can be manipulated so that you have shorter episodes every day.
- You can shorten the amount of time that you stay in a state of sleep inertia by manipulating some of your sleep variables.
- The most important variable to reduce your sleep inertia is to take steps to manipulate your body so that you consistently wake up in stage 1 sleep.
- Another critical variable is getting the right amount of sleep for your body.
- Research shows that using a standard alarm clock to wake up increases your odds of being awakened in a stage of deeper sleep thus contributing to longer periods of sleep inertia.
4
Reset your sleep rhythm using brain "cues." Zeitgebers are cues that your brain responds to specifically to regulate your natural circadian rhythm.^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source
HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
Go to source}
- The best zeitgeber, or cue, to help adjust your circadian and sleep rhythm, reduce sleep inertia, and wake up feeling more alert in the morning, is timely exposure to natural light.
- When it starts to get dark, your brain releases a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin helps your body relax and prepare for sleep.
- In the morning when your eyes are exposed to natural light, the natural release of melatonin is stopped and your body and your brain wake up.
- Improve your sleep quality and waking ability by increasing your exposure to more natural light throughout the day, but especially around dawn if at all possible.
- Your circadian rhythm and other biological clocks or natural schedules are regulated from one primary source in your brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The main nerves that connect to the suprachiasmatic nucleus are located just above the optic nerve.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
5
Expose your eyes to natural light. Avoid substituting artificial light sources. Artificial light does not produce the same critical signals to the brain to help reduce your sleep inertia and reset your circadian rhythms.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- One researcher reviewed melatonin levels in a small study group that were having trouble with lengthy sleep inertia. Melatonin levels were measured and were found to begin the initial increase around 10:30 pm, about two hours before bedtime. The study subjects would experience a reduction in melatonin the following morning around 8 am.
- The study subjects were then exposed to an outdoor camping situation for 7 days. At the end of the camping trip, the melatonin levels were measured again and found to be increasing just after dusk, and were reducing just prior to dawn.
- The researcher concluded that the exposure to natural light, and the absence of artificial light and alarm clocks, allowed the subjects’ brains and bodies to naturally reset their circadian rhythms. The sleep inertia problems were completely resolved by the end of the 7 days.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Using Technology to Help

1
Download an app to help. Believe it or not, “there’s an app for that.” Smartphones have several different apps that you can use to help wake you up while you are in stage 1 sleep.
- Some apps work by attempting to determine the stage of sleep you are in by monitoring your body movements. This requires placing the phone a certain way on the mattress and provides for a target wake-up time which varies based on the readings from the app.
- Other available technologies use headbands to determine brainwave activity and wakes you when you are in the lighter stages of sleep.
2
Use devices that incorporate light. To balance the melatonin response in your body, some alarms have been designed in the form of lamps.
- The alarm lamps use wavelengths of light that mimic natural daylight. Prior to your designated alarm time, the lamp begins by emitting low levels of light which gradually increase as your alarm time approaches. This helps to make your brain think it is daytime.
- Many available lamps use blue wavelengths of light which more naturally mimic natural light sources. Regular artificial lighting does not work. Artificial lighting does not send the same messages to your brain to wake up or help with regulating your sleep-wake cycle.
3
Calculate your best wake up and bedtimes. In addition to the non-traditional methods available as morning alarms, you may also want to calculate the time to go to sleep and to set your alarm based on standard sleep cycles.
- The standard sleep cycle is 90 minutes in length. Setting your alarm device, whatever you select, with 90-minute sleep intervals in mind, can help to minimize the amount of sleep inertia you experience.
- Once you fall asleep, your first 90-minute cycle begins. It may take some effort to determine the number of hours of sleep your body needs each night, but once you know that number you can use the amount of sleep you need in combination with the 90 minute sleep cycle time frame to optimize your sleep quality.
- Figure out your best bedtime by doing the math in reverse. Start with the time you need to get up each morning and calculate in reverse using 90-minute sleep cycles to determine your best bedtime.
- Be sure you allow yourself time to fall asleep. Use your knowledge regarding the number of hours of sleep your body needs to optimize the quality of your sleep, minimize sleep inertia and get up in the mornings feeling more awake, alert, and ready to face the day.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Getting the Right Amount of Sleep for You

1
Determine the number of hours of sleep you need. Every person’s needs are different.
- There are published guidelines available based on age, which is a great place to start, but you may need to take additional steps to determine your exact needs.
- Perform a simple sleep test. It will likely take more than one night to determine the results of this test. The next opportunity that you have to sleep in for a few days — a long weekend or a vacation — is your chance to perform this test. You may need several nights in a row to get the best results.
- Go to bed at a time you would like to be your normal bedtime. Resist staying up late even though you can sleep in the next day. Get accurate results from the test by sticking with a routine bedtime each night.
- Do not set an alarm clock. Sleep until you wake up naturally. The first night you will probably sleep for a very long time, maybe even 16 hours or more. This is because you are likely experiencing "sleep debt."
- Once your sleep debt is taken care of, continue to go to bed at the same time each night, never setting an alarm. After a few days, you will naturally wake up at about the same time each morning. By calculating how long you slept (if you fall asleep at 10 pm and wake up at 7 am, then you slept for nine hours), you know how much sleep you need each night.
2
Pay back your short-term sleep debt. Sleep debt occurs when you fail to get the amount of sleep your body needs (going to bed early and waking up early, etc.).^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} It accumulates over time, putting you deeper and deeper into debt.^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- You are adding minutes or hours to your sleep debt every time you cut your night’s sleep a little short. This can occur in both the short term and over months.
- You can repay your short-term sleep debt by adding an hour or so to each night’s sleep (going to bed early or sleeping later if possible) or by taking a nap.
- This means that you need to keep track of the hours of sleep you lost, therefore you need to know how much sleep you need.
3
Take a vacation for long-term debt. Longer term sleep debt accumulations may take several weeks, or even longer to pay back and get back on track.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Take a vacation with nothing on your schedule, then go to bed at the same time every night and sleep every morning until you wake up naturally.
- Don’t beat yourself up for sleeping a lot during this vacation. Just pay back your sleep debt and get back on a regular schedule.
- Once you have repaid your debt and you stick to a regular bedtime, you will reach a point where you no longer need that alarm clock in the mornings. This is provided that your bedtime is early enough to allow your body to get the exact amount of sleep it requires.
- Not everyone fits in the standard eight hours of sleep. Your body may require a little more sleep or a little less.
- If you have caught up on your sleep debt and you still feel fatigued during the day and have trouble waking up and getting out of bed, then you may have an underlying medical problem or medication that is contributing to the problem. Make an appointment with your doctor to figure out what is causing your fatigue.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Adjusting Your Daytime and Nighttime Habits

1
Make your bedroom a peaceful environment. Keep your room at a cool temperature.^{[8]
X
Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} Make sure you are able to make it dark at night, either with blackout curtains or a sleeping mask. Use earplugs or a fan to block out external noises ^{[9]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Use your bed for sleep and sex only. Don't use your bed for things like studying, reading, playing video games, using any device with a screen (laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc.), and watching television.
- Be sure your mattress is supportive and comfortable. If you share the bed, make sure there is room for both people to sleep comfortably. Try not to let children or pets sleep in your bed as they can be disruptive.
2
Eat a balanced diet. Eating a healthy diet helps your body to function more efficiently in all areas including a healthy sleep cycle, but there are some specific things you can do to help improve your sleep quality.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Avoid heavy meals late at night and just before bedtime, and avoid going to bed hungry.
- Don't drink too many fluids before bed or you may have to get up in the night to use the bathroom, disrupting your sleep.
- Limit your intake of caffeine. Don't drink caffeinated beverages after 2 pm.
- Stop smoking or avoid smoking close to bedtime. Nicotine acts like a stimulant and can prevent you from falling asleep.
- Avoid consuming alcohol close to bedtime. Even if you "pass out" from alcohol, you won't actually be getting quality sleep.
3
Modify your activity throughout the day. Exercising, exposure to sunlight, and napping can all contribute to how well you sleep at night.^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Exercise according to recommended guidelines. This includes at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week. Exercise routines during the daytime or early evening and avoid exercising right before bed. Exercising first thing in the morning can help you feel energized and awake.
- The link between proper exercise and sleep is well-documented. Studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise, such as walking, can significantly reduce the amount of time that individuals with insomnia take to fall asleep compared to no exercise at all.^{[12]
  X
  Research source}
- Take advantage of daytime natural light exposure. Sunlight stimulates your body to produce vitamin D and helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Try to get sunlight during the day and avoid it in the later hours.
- If you need a nap, try to limit the nap to 20 to 30 minutes in the mid-afternoon.
4
Develop a relaxation routine before bedtime. The light from television and the screens of smartphones and other devices can stimulate you and keep you awake, so instead find other activities that relax you, like reading, meditating, journaling, or knitting.
- Consider taking a warm bath or shower, or listening to soothing music or nature sounds. Whatever works for you is great. If possible, try to lower the lights during your relaxation time.
- Develop healthy ways to relieve stress. Give yourself permission to take breaks throughout the day to relax, talk about something fun, and enjoy a laugh with friends. By managing your stress during the day, you are helping to relieve that build-up of things to worry about just before bed.
5
Stick with your schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning, including weekends and holidays.^{[13]
X
Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} Don't give in to the temptation to stay up late and sleep in the next day.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Even if you do not feel tired or sleepy, try maintaining your scheduled bedtime. If you have difficulty falling asleep quickly for several nights then you may need to adjust your bedtime.
- There are different ideas about when you should go to sleep — some guidelines suggest you go to sleep only when you start feeling sleepy, while others say stick to your schedule. However, it is possible that you won't feel tired at first, but climbing into bed at the same time each night will trigger your body to feel sleepy.
- If it takes you longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep, get up and do something relaxing for a few minutes, like reading, then try again. If you continue to lay in bed, you may begin stressing about not being able to fall asleep, which will just keep you awake.
- Avoid watching the clock. Try not to think about going to sleep or when you have to get up. Meditate, think positive thoughts, or use visual imagery to picture yourself somewhere relaxing.
6
Feel more refreshed. There are practical things you can do once you are awake to help you feel more positive about the day and more refreshed.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- One of the best ways to get going in the morning is to have a good laugh. Enjoy your favorite early morning radio shows that incorporate fun into their morning shows.
- You can also listen to upbeat music, get some fresh air, take a shower, or enjoy the smell of breakfast cooking, even if you have to cook it yourself.
- Coffee and energy drinks can also help, although those beverages contain caffeine. Check with your doctor to be sure you are not overdoing the caffeine each morning and throughout the day.
7
Talk to your doctor if you continue to have difficulty waking up. There may be an underlying medical reason that is making it difficult for you to fall asleep or get restful sleep. You may have an illness or medical condition, or it may be related to medications you are taking.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- Mental health issues can sometimes contribute to difficult sleeping or waking up feeling unrefreshed. Examples of problems that may need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist or psychologist include depression, insomnia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic sleep disorder, and problems with nightmares or other emotionally disturbing sleep problems.
- Other medical conditions that are commonly related to sleep problems include sleep apnea, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, COPD and other breathing related disorders, allergies, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, and multiple sclerosis.
- Some sleep problems are caused by disorders directly related to sleep. Examples of these disorders include circadian rhythm sleep disorders, delayed phase sleep problems, narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleep walking, sleep talking, REM sleep disorders, and shift work sleep disorder.
8
Pay attention to changes in your sleep patterns. Some symptoms of sleep disorders include excessive sleepiness during the day, lingering fatigue, irregular breathing or increased movement during sleep, difficulty sleeping when you are tired and it is time for sleep, and abnormal sleep behaviors, which can include things like sleep talking and walking in your sleep.^{[17]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Talk with your doctor as soon as you notice you are having trouble sleeping. Your doctor will help you understand why you aren't sleeping well and can help treat the cause of your sleep problems.
9
Review your medications. Many medications can cause either excessive sleepiness, fatigue, problems waking up refreshed, and problems with getting enough sleep.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- Do not adjust your medications on your own. If you think a medication is causing or contributing to your problem, talk to your doctor. In many cases, the dose can be adjusted or another drug can be prescribed in place of the medication that is causing the problem.
- Hundreds of medications have excessive sleepiness as a listed side effect. That list is too lengthy to reproduce here. Everything from antihistamines, to blood pressure medication, to pain meds can cause problems with alertness and sleepiness. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you think one of your medications may be interfering with your sleep.
- Talk to your doctor if you feel any medication you are taking is preventing you from sleeping or interfering with your ability to wake up feeling alert and refreshed.

Expert Q&A

Question

Why don't I feel rested when I wake up?

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Expert Answer

The main reason might be just not getting enough sleep. However, the quality of your sleep is important as well. Make sure you're sleeping in a quiet, cold environment. Pain from musculoskeletal issues or a medical condition can also impact your quality of sleep. Keep in mind that if you have any sleep debt, you'll need to catch up on sleep before you will feel well-rested, which can take more than one night.