How to Stop Waking Up Tired

If you’re wondering how to stop waking up tired, you are not alone. Many people are struggling with waking up tired, even if they had enough hours of sleep that night. This can be extremely frustrating and make daily life even more challenging. There may be a simple reason for why you’re waking up tired. We’ll explore reasons for waking up tired, and ways to wake up energized in this article. 

Why Do I Feel So Tired When I wake up? 

Many people are wondering how to stop feeling tired when waking up, and why it’s happening. Here are a few reasons why you may be waking up so tired. 

1. Sleep Inertia

Here’s the good news! Waking up tired and groggy is completely normal and may simply be sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is the natural transition period between sleep and waking and can hang out for up to an hour after you wake. Ever feel like your brain is a foggy cotton ball when waking? That’s because sleep inertia impacts your brain’s ability to work properly. It’s the same with your body—if you’ve ever tripped over your own feet on the way to the coffeepot, sleep inertia also impacts motor skills. 

2. Dietary and Lifestyle Choices

The quality of the sleep we get will have a direct impact on our energy the next day, and any early morning fatigue that you’re experiencing. Dietary and lifestyle choices include what you are eating and drinking before bed and your sleep hygiene. These habits  influence the quality of your sleep and how much you sleep. If you are waking up tired, it could be from poor quality sleep. Here are some dietary and lifestyle choices that could impact your quality of sleep:

1. Eating rich, fatty, or spicy foods close to bedtime.

2. Eating sugar before bed.

3. Any caffeine later in the day, depending on your sensitivity level. 

4. Drinking alcohol before bed.

5. Smoking. 

6. Exercising too little.

7. Not getting enough sunlight. 

8. Practicing poor sleep hygiene.

 

3. Health Conditions

If you’re always waking up tired, no matter what you do, then you may have a sleep disorder or another underlying health condition, such as depression. 

 

15 Ways to Stop Waking Up Tired

1. Use Herbs for Sleep

Try the classic sleep herb, valerian root, which acts as a natural sedative to calm the mind and body. Seattle Gummy Company’s (SGC) Slumber Shot sleep gummy offers a high dose of fast-acting valerian root in a sugar-free formula to soothe any sleep troubles. 

2. Try Ginkgo Biloba First Thing

Ginkgo biloba is a Chinese herb used to increase circulation, especially in the brain. This herb supports healthy cognition and good memory, making it a great herb for first thing in the morning. SGC’s energy gummy, the Mocca Shot, combines ginkgo biloba, B vitamins, and caffeine for steady, non-jittery energy that absorbs in minutes!

3. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

The way that you go to sleep influences how you wake up. Try sleep hygiene best practices like putting away screens for an hour before bed and choosing set times for sleeping and waking. 

4. Stop Hitting the Snooze Button

Hitting snooze and going back to sleep can impact your ability to function for the rest of the day. That eight-minute snooze is called fragmented sleep. Try avoiding the snooze button for a week and see how you feel. 

5. Try Caffeine Microdosing

Caffeine microdosing is taking caffeine at lower doses more frequently. It is thought to help sustain energy levels throughout the day and avoid caffeine crashes. Try tea or half-caffeinated coffee in the morning and see if that helps your morning energy levels. 

6. Avoid Sugar for Breakfast

Overly sweet foods in the morning cause blood sugar levels to rise and then fall quickly, leading to fatigue. Try to wait for lunch for sweets. 

7. Take Some Time Outside

Sunlight increases your quality of sleep, so try to get outside during the day. 

8. Try Morning Cardio

This is a surefire way to boost your energy first thing in the morning. Even a few minutes will be helpful. 

9. Identify Stressors

Take a look at stressors in your life that could be contributing to feeling tired in the morning. Even if you can’t fix them all, simply identifying them might bring some relief. 

10. Add a Pleasurable Activity to Your Morning

Give yourself something to look forward to in the morning, whether it’s a short scheduled chat with a friend or some morning comics. 

11. Consider Your Mental Health

If you continue to have issues waking up tired in the morning, consider talking to your doctor about depression or anxiety. 

12. Have an Energy Rich Breakfast

Choosing foods that will boost your energy throughout the day can take the edge off morning fatigue. Fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins make good breakfast foods. 

13. Wash Your Face with Cool Water

Cold showers reduced absences due to sick days in this study. Try washing your face with cool to cold water to start. 

14. Try a Morning Stretch Routine

Stretching your muscles awake will help to wake you up too by releasing energizing endorphins. 

15. Drink Water Right Away

Dehydration can lead to fatigue, brain fog, and poor moods, not just in the morning, but throughout the day. Try not only drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning but drinking more water throughout the day.