Waking Up Tired Is Normal…Until It Isn't

"Feeling tired after waking up could be normal, as many people living in this modern society do not have sufficient sleep time, the recommended seven to nine hours for adults by the National Sleep Foundation," said Jinyoung Kim, Ph.D., a professor and expert on sleep disturbances and disorders at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Kim added that if symptoms of poor sleep occur often—for example, three days a week or more—even though you have enough sleep time, you may need to see a sleep doctor. They may recommend you undergo an overnight sleep study to examine if there are any unknown disorders disrupting quality sleep.

Peter Polos, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist and sleep expert for Sleep Number, a Minneapolis bed manufacturer, echoed that the most common reason for feeling tired after waking up is not getting enough sleep hours or enough quality sleep.

"If we follow a consistent sleep schedule seven days a week, weekends included, and get at least seven to nine hours each night, we are getting enough sleep," Polos said. "If we still wake up feeling tired, then we must look for reasons that contribute to poor sleep quality and there are many possible explanations."

How disrupted sleep affects sexual health

According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation has been directly linked to a lack of sexual desire and arousal in women, citing research published in the National Library of Medicine.

"Obtaining sufficient sleep is important to the promotion of healthy sexual desire and genital response, as well as the likelihood of engaging in partnered sexual activity," stated a study published in 2015.

So while a lack of sleep or continued disrupted sleep impacts the desire for sex, sex is also directly correlated to the quality of sleep a person gets.

A study published in 2019 stated: "Orgasms with a partner were associated with the perception of favorable sleep outcomes, however, orgasms achieved through masturbation were associated with the perception of better sleep quality and latency."

If a lack of sleep is causing a lack of desire, maybe consensual sexual activity or self-stimulation can potentially help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

Why do I wake up feeling tired?

Here are three reasons you may be waking up yawning every morning:

Disruption of the natural circadian rhythm

"Our bodies run on a 24-hour clock called our circadian rhythm, so when we stray from our regular sleep routine, it can cause us to feel tired, sluggish or not as productive throughout the day," Kim said.

The circadian rhythm is generated by our internal biological clock in the brain—called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)—entrained to external light and dark signals.

"So, light is the most important factor in our sleep-wake cycle," Kim said. "For example, if we are exposed to blue light late at night, the light signal is transferred to the SCN and then promotes wake-promoting centers in the brain which will inhibit initiating sleep."

Polos noted that while pre-bed social media scrolling may be tempting, the blue light from your smartphone delays the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps control the body's sleep cycle.

"Avoid texting, sending late-night emails or watching TV at least one hour before bed," he said. "Furthermore, for some individuals, the anticipation that comes from expecting a response to a text or email can also keep the brain stimulated and alter sleep onset and sleep maintenance."

Exercising and eating too close to bedtime

In addition to light, core body temperature and food intake at night affect sleep quality, Kim said.

"Intensive exercise in the late evening or night will increase our core body temperature and interfere with good sleep," she said. "Food intake can signal wakefulness as well. So we sleep better three to four hours after the last meal."

Polos noted that while exercise can promote sleep, exercising too close to bedtime can actually affect some people's ability to fall asleep.

"If you can make it work with your schedule, try exercising no later than one hour before bedtime, such as yoga, stretching or brisk walking," he said. "In general, vigorous cardio exercise can be inhibitory to sleep for many. However, it doesn't affect everyone the same, so see what works best for you."

Drinking alcohol close to bedtime

"Even though alcohol can make you feel sleepy and cause you to fall asleep, it alters our sleep stages and delays the REM cycle of sleep, pushing it later into the night," Polos said. "It's best to avoid it within four hours of bedtime."

Tiredness could signal a sleep disorder

People can practice a variety of habits to improve sleep, but if you're still struggling, it might be time to see your doctor to check for a sleep disorder.

"If there is an obvious reason they can think of that disturbs good, solid sleep for a certain period of time, for example, stress from family issue, pain, changes in bedroom environment—for example, temperature, light, noise, bed partners or travel—it will be likely to be temporary, 'normal' disrupted sleep," Kim said. "But if the disrupted sleep occurs at least three nights a week, lasts more than three months and interferes with their daily life too much, they would need to seek proper treatment."

Sleep disorders include a wide variety of issues that can delay, fragment, shorten or lengthen sleep, according to Polos. Here are four sleep disorders you may be familiar with:

Obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder occurring when throat muscles relax and the airway is narrowed or closed, momentarily cutting off a person's breathing, Polos said.

"Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are snoring, waking with a dry mouth or sore throat, waking up in the middle of the night by gasping or choking, morning headache, excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, etcetera," Kim said.

Insomnia

"Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, where it is hard to fall asleep or stay asleep," Polos said. "Insomnia can come in a variety of ways, including sleep onset, sleep maintenance and chronic insomnia. Sleep onset insomnia tends to be more common in those who cannot relax or wind down properly, [and] maintenance insomnia tends to occur more in the elderly, those who use stimulants or depressants, such as alcohol, and those with medical conditions."

According to Kim, symptoms of insomnia are difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep (i.e., waking up too often) and waking up too early. Insomniacs may experience daytime symptoms such as sleepiness, feeling exhausted and difficulty concentrating.

Restless legs syndrome

"Restless leg syndrome occurs when an individual has an irresistible need to move their legs at night in response to a sensation in the legs only relieved by movement," Polos explained. "This can be disruptive to not only the person experiencing it, but their bed partner as well."

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is associated with excessive daytime sleepiness and may occur with loss of muscle tone, which can result in sudden sleep "attacks," according to Polos. In other words, people with narcolepsy often have difficulty staying awake.

Inequality in a couple's sleep

Sleeping with another person means sleep disorders or interrupted sleep can affect two people every night.

"For many reasons, solving the sleep problem of one partner is not solved by the other [partner] sleeping in another room," Polos said. "Firstly, this can significantly alter the relationship dynamic, often generating feelings of resentment and abandonment. If the situation has advanced to this point, I strongly advise people to consult a sleep specialist because the reasons may be fixable."

Polos added that there may be a couple of other reasons you or your partner might be keeping each other up at night:

Snoring

Snoring can be remedied by switching your sleep position or the bed or the pillow you use.

"Pillows can properly align your head, neck and shoulder to help open airways and reduce snoring," Polos said. "Adjustable beds are also great options for partners who have different sleeping preferences because they allow you to change the settings to your liking."

Temperature

"Temperature is also a common sleep issue for a variety of reasons, whether it's because your room is too hot or you're sleeping in heavy bedding or clothes," Polos said. "It's especially true for couples. In fact, 83 percent of couples actually sleep too hot or too cold. If you and your partner can't agree on an ideal temperature, you might want to consider temperature balancing options."

Polos added that if these adjustments don't prove to be beneficial or other behavior and findings are present, seeking medical evaluation is advised.

What happens if disrupted sleep continues?

Kim outlined four examples of the physical and mental effects of prolonged disrupted sleep:

1. Cardiovascular diseases. "Our cardiovascular system should slow down during sleep to be restored for the next day," Kim said. "But disrupted sleep leads to prolonged activation of the cardiovascular system—for example, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, contraction of blood vessels—during the night, so if it lasts long, it can be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases."
2. Inhibited growth. The production of growth hormone that plays a key role in muscle growth and the recovery of cells and tissues in the body peaks at early night, according to Kim. A late time to bed and disturbed sleep can affect growth—especially in children—and recovery, too.
3. Decreased cognitive function. "Sleep is essential to process all the information obtained during the day and store them as long-term memory, so it helps learning and cognitive function," Kim said.
4. Ineffective glymphatic system. Recently, researchers found a role of deep sleep in the glymphatic system, which is a lymphatic system in the brain responsible for cleaning out the waste produced during the day. Those waste products (amyloid beta and tau proteins) are known to be the most significant factors in the development of severe cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease.

Clearly, sleep quality affects many facets of physical and mental health. If you're concerned about your sleep habits, talk to your doctor or a specialist for advice.