Can't Wake Up in the Morning
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Difficulty waking up in the morning
Hard to wake up in the morning
Sleep inertia
I can't get out of bed in the morning
Can't wake up in the morning
Hard to get up in the morning
Tired in the morning
About the Symptom
Trouble waking up in the mornings is a common symptom. It can involve oversleeping or ongoing sleepiness that makes it hard to wake up.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Disorder of consciousness
- Suicidal thought
- Fainting with loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing / breathlessness
- Recent weight loss
- Decrease in sleeping desire
Possible Causes
Generally, Can't wake up in the morning can be related to:
- Depression
Depression is a mental illness that leads to low mood, reduced energy levels, and changes in sleep. This affects everyday activities like attending school and work. As the condition worsens, patients might have suicidal thoughts. Although stress and past trauma can cause depression, it can take time to identify and address causes, and genetic factors may also be at play.
- Orthostatic Dysregulation
Orthostatic dysregulation (OD) is a general term that describes abnormal blood pressure changes triggered by sitting up or standing, most commonly resulting in low (orthostatic hypotension) or, less commonly, high blood pressure (orthostatic hypertension). OD is most common in the elderly, and can be due to certain medications (e.g. anti-depressants and anti-hypertensives), certain diseases affecting the nervous system (e.g. diabetes, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis), and can be seen in certain sleep disorders.
- Sleep Disorder
Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the quality, timing, or duration of your sleep, impacting your ability to function when you're awake. There are many types of sleep disorders, including disturbances in sleep quality or quantity, excessive daytime sleepiness, abnormal behaviors during sleep, sleep disorders related to mental disorders, and more. Narcolepsy is one such disorder, often grouped under hypersomnias - a category of conditions characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness - and can be mistaken for or coexist with other sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment.
- Bipolar Disorder
- Adjustment Disorder
- Migraine
- Tension Headache
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do you struggle to wake up on time each morning?
- How long have you had difficulty waking up in the morning, morning sluggishness, and tiredness?
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Feb 6, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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FAQs
Q.
Child Sleeping During Play? Identifying Early Warning Signs
A.
Falling asleep during play can be normal in infants and toddlers after missed naps, illness, or very active days, but in preschoolers and older children it is a red flag for excessive daytime sleepiness that should be evaluated. Causes include not enough sleep, poor sleep quality from snoring or sleep apnea, narcolepsy, medical conditions like anemia or thyroid problems, and medication effects, with urgent signs such as difficulty to wake, breathing pauses, seizures, or collapse needing immediate care; see below for the full list of red flags, home steps to improve sleep, and when to see a pediatrician or sleep specialist.
References:
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30410886/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29502931/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24340097/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33582490/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nlm.nih.gov/28164805/
Q.
Locked In? 3 Simple Tricks to "Wake Up" Your Body Faster
A.
You can break sleep paralysis faster by doing three things: start tiny movements like wiggling a toe or blinking, breathe slowly in for 4 seconds and out for 6, and refocus your thoughts while reminding yourself you are safe. There are several factors to consider; see below for common triggers, prevention strategies, and the red flags that mean you should talk to a doctor, since frequent episodes, severe daytime sleepiness, or loud snoring and gasping could point to narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or another condition.
References:
* Buysse DJ, et al. Strategies to Overcome Sleep Inertia: A Systematic Review. Sleep Med Rev. 2020 Aug;52:101309. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101309. Epub 2020 May 23. PMID: 32464731.
* Chang C, et al. Light exposure as a modulator of human circadian physiology and mood. J Affect Disord. 2023 Dec 15;343:249-258. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.067. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PMID: 37628905.
* Pan Y, et al. Acute effects of morning exercise on cognitive functions in young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol. 2022 Jul 19;13:933614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.933614. PMID: 35926521; PMCID: PMC9341409.
* D'Anci KE, et al. Effect of mild dehydration on cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiol Behav. 2022 Nov 1;256:113941. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113941. Epub 2022 Aug 23. PMID: 36024982.
* McLellan TM, et al. The effects of caffeine on cognitive performance and mood in healthy volunteers: an update. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018 Nov;235(11):3193-3209. doi: 10.1007/s00213-018-5042-4. Epub 2018 Sep 10. PMID: 30200829.
Q.
The "Brain Fog" Barrier: Why Waking Up Feels Impossible
A.
Morning brain fog that makes waking up feel impossible often has real biological causes, including prolonged sleep inertia, sleep disorders like sleep apnea or narcolepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness, mental health conditions, hormonal or medical problems, and medication side effects. There are several factors to consider, along with red flags and practical steps such as improving sleep timing, using morning light, and knowing when to seek tests like a sleep study or thyroid and iron labs. See below for the complete answer, which includes specific warning signs and next steps that could change your healthcare plan.
References:
* Pejovic S, Pejovic V, Stojkovic M, Krstic D, Vujnovic S, Pajovic B, Kostic V. Sleep inertia: practical considerations for the aerospace environment. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2017 Jan;117(1):1-10. PMID: 27709292. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-016-3475-6.
* Van der Linden D, Frese M, Meijman TF. Cognitive Fatigue. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 Jul 10;8:456. PMID: 25071663. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00456.
* Cagnie B, Van Huffel L, De Wandele I, De Hertogh W, Calders P, Meeus M. Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Clin Imaging. 2016 May-Jun;40(3):477-80. PMID: 27083049. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2016.03.003.
* Leng Y, Musiek ES, Holtzman DM. Sleep, circadian rhythms, and cognitive decline. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Dec;119:106-118. PMID: 32861074. DOI: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2020.100192.
* Ma Y, Li W, Wei C, Guo W, Wang H. The impact of chronic sleep deprivation on executive functions: a systematic review. Expert Rev Neurother. 2023 Apr;23(4):307-318. PMID: 36881734. DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2185244.
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