Why You Feel Groggy When You Wake Up

Research shows that what causes this groggy state of sleep inertia is lack of cerebral blood flow when you first wake up. It takes time for your brain to get back into gear after being asleep. That means the cerebral blood flow must achieve normal levels before you feel fully awake and back to reality.

Most people can relate to waking up and not being sure what day it is or the eerie feeling of being unsure where you are. That’s because the blood flow in your brain is shifting to the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain which reestablishes our consciousness. We’re coming out of sleep and our brain is waking up, remembering who and where we are.

Waking up in the middle of a deep sleep cycle often makes you even more tired. That applies to naps, too. Because the first sleep cycle you go through is very rich deep sleep, it’s a jolt to come out of that abruptly.

The best way to avoid sleep inertia is not to rely on a certain time to be awakened, but rather to wake up naturally. You can do this without an alarm clock once you get into better sleeping habits and go to bed at a consistent time. If you do not have a good night’s sleep, it will take even longer for you to wake up.

Snooze buttons are really counter-productive and not entirely necessary. You can learn to live without a snooze button if you follow some good sleep habits such as:

• Go to bed at a regular time each night
• Avoid blue light from your digital device or tv at least an hour before sleep
• Eat your evening meal before 7pm
• Don’t drink alcohol, instead try a cup of warm chamomile (or other decaf) tea
• Do some deep breathing and meditation to unload your mind
• Make your bedroom a Sleep Oasis® that’s cool and dark with hypoallergenic bamboo sheets, pillows, and bedding.
• Try sleeping in the buff and see how you like it

Good sleep habits help to ensure better health and vitality. Deep, restful sleep also helps you perform your job better and enjoy friends and family much more. Make restful sleep a priority, remove the alarm clock, create an inviting bedroom, and start sleeping better.

 And remember, that every purchase you make with Island Slumber, ensures that a new tree is planted somewhere in the U.S. by our respected partners, American Forests. When you make the choice of buying fine quality products made from sustainable bamboo, you are contributing to a healthier Mother Earth. Make a difference by shopping green and living green.