Sleep Inertia: Why Do You Wake Up Clumsily And In A Bad Mood

Clumsy and a bad mood when standing up are common in people who suffer from sleep inertia. This state, also known as sleep inertia, is the moment immediately after waking up when various cognitive and emotional abilities decline. When it takes too long, it can become a serious problem.

Many people feel tired immediately after waking up, despite having slept through the hours recommended by specialists. Their mind cannot think clearly and their body stumbles easily over everything. They think they are overcome by sudden clumsiness and bad temper.

However, what they experience is not a strange phenomenon at all. This is a problem called “sleep inertia.” Science began to disseminate data about it in the 1960s. It is a temporary state of reduced cognitive ability and alertness.

Usually, this condition lasts up to about an hour after waking up. However, this period varies from case to case. Some live it for fifteen minutes, others an hour or even longer. Duration is believed to be related to the phase of sleep that was interrupted.

What characterizes sleep inertia?

This period of clumsiness and malaise upon awakening is characterized by a marked reduction in alertness that is typical of an awake person. There is a large increase in sleepiness and poor brain performance.

Similarly, there is irritability, overestimated intolerance, bad mood and even depressive states. Sleep inertia may be accompanied by general disorientation or confusion.

It is a phenomenon that interferes with normal mental or physical tasks, and results in shorter reaction times, poor short-term memory, and sluggish thinking. It works a bit like jet lag.

Clumsy and a bad mood when you wake up can be a medical issue

Contrary to what many people think, experiencing these clumsiness and bad mood after waking up is a medical matter, not a result of character or personality traits.

In fact, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has placed the inert state of sleep on the list of parasomnias, or sleep disorders.

Sleep inertia affects adults and teenagers indiscriminately. Therefore, the origin of the problem cannot be explained by the age of those who suffer from it. Rather, it may be a problem with modern life that deviates from its natural cycles and does not respect the circadian rhythms of sleep.

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioral changes that occur in the course of the daily cycle. They are directly related to the occurrence of light and darkness.

There are theories that the fact that the natural cycle of waking up with sunrise and sleeping in the presence of artificial light such as a television or cell phone is interrupted, affects our sleep.

During sleep inertia, the brain performs the functions typical of deep sleep phases. Hence, some studies suggest a relationship between circadian rhythms and sleep inertia. This would be explained by the fact that the brain wakes up during the restful sleep phase, according to what is set by the biological clock.

Sleep Inertia: Data to Consider

Sleep inertia seems harmless, which only exposes those who suffer from it to the morning clumsiness and bad mood. However, sometimes it turns out to be more than that. Research studies have shown that if sleep is interrupted during the deep phase, brain performance can drop dramatically.

This low brain capacity causes slow reactions to everyday situations. In addition, difficulties in overcoming somnolence can be a risk in some professions. Those who have to work shifts during which they take a nap risk suddenly interrupting sleep and experiencing sleep inertia.

The clumsiness they cause can endanger others. Effective ways to prevent sleep inertia and thus avoid clumsiness and bad mood upon awakening have not been found. However, to prevent it, strict sleep hygiene is recommended.

This hygiene includes, among other things, seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a day. Do not do this with TVs or computers in the room. It’s important to stick to a routine and avoid stimulants before going to bed.

The article was written and reviewed by the doctor Leonardo Biolatto.