Trotti LM. (2017). Waking up is the hardest thing I do all day: Sleep inertia and sleep drunkenness. DOI: Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. The trouble is, sleep cycle lengths are hard to predict. And if you get up to use the bathroom at night, it can throw your whole timing off.

Anxiety can affect a person’s ability to fall asleep. Feeling anxious throughout the day can also cause daytime fatigue. Stutz, J., et al. (2019). Effects of evening exercise on sleep in healthy participants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ritchie HK, et al. (2017). Impact of sleep inertia on visual selective attention for rare targets and the influence of chronotype. DOI:

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There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Both can cause feelings of excessive tiredness. They may also cause the following symptoms: Experiencing excessive nighttime urination or nocturia: Waking to go to the bathroom throughout the night can cause people to wake up tired in the morning. In some cases, nocturia may indicate an underlying health condition. In other cases, it may simply be a sign that a person is consuming too many liquids before bedtime. Hilditch CJ, et al. (2017). A review of short naps and sleep inertia: Do naps of 30 min or less really avoid sleep inertia and slow-wave sleep? DOI:

A 2018 study found that caffeinated gum helped night shift workers combat the effects of sleep inertia after a nap. The study had only 5 participants, though, and the gum took 15 to 25 minutes to take effect. Strategic napping A 2016 review of studies suggests that getting a glimpse of the sunrise might help you speed up the process of feeling fully alert after waking.Researchers caution that this kind of short nap is really only effective if you’re not already sleep deprived. And if you do shift work, you may need to also consider the time of day and your prior sleep situation. Light exposure A short nap, ideally between 10 to 20 minutes in the afternoon, can help counteract your sleepiness. https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/news/latest-news/the-sleep-calculator-is-just-unscientific-hype.html Not getting enough exercise: Getting regular exercise can help promote restful sleep. However, people should avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime, as this may increase alertness and delay sleep.

N2 is a period of light sleep where your muscles relax, your heartbeat and breathing slow, and your eye movement stop. Log off from all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Some people find that it’s easier to forego the electronic devices, including tablets, laptops, and even televisions, if they keep them out of the bedroom altogether.

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PLMD mainly affects the lower limbs, causing muscle twitches and jerking movements. These repetitive limb movements occur around every 15–40 seconds. Irish LA, et al. (2015). The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence. DOI: A person who grinds their teeth while sleeping may experience one or more of the following symptoms: Individuals who think they may have sleep apnea should see a doctor. Medical treatment can help prevent heart problems and other potential complications. Insomnia

An underactive thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone. This can lead to the following symptoms: N1 is the transitional period when your breathing, heartbeat, and brain waves slow to usher you into sleep. Nighttime digestive issues can prevent a person from getting to sleep. They may also interrupt a person’s sleep. It is good to avoid caffeine and other stimulants close to bedtime and limit caffeine intake during the day. Caffeine can act as a diuretic, resulting in a need to urinate more frequently.If essential medications contain caffeine, a person should talk with a doctor about the best time to take them. Avoiding alcohol in the evenings Poor sleep hygiene can result in poor quality sleep. Examples of poor sleep hygiene practices include: Centofanti SA, et al. (2018). The effectiveness Of caffeine gum in reducing sleep inertia following a 30 min nighttime nap opportunity: Preliminary results. DOI: