How to Wake Up When You Are Tired: Easier Mornings That Work

The grogginess you feel right after waking is called sleep inertia, and it usually fades within 15 to 30 minutes, although full alertness can take an hour or more (Hilditch and McHill, 2019). The most reliable way to wake up more easily is to get enough sleep at a steady time, then get bright light soon after you get up. Sleep inertia is worse after short sleep, when you wake in the middle of your biological night, and when the alarm pulls you out of deep sleep (Hilditch and McHill, 2019). This guide covers how to wake up when you are tired, how to wake up early, whether to snooze, how to wake up without caffeine, and when tiredness in the morning is worth a doctor's visit.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Morning grogginess is normal: alertness usually returns to its pre-sleep level within 30 minutes of waking, but full recovery can take at least an hour (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).
• Sleep first: adults need 7 or more hours, and the CDC's first sleep habit is going to bed and getting up at the same time every day (CDC).
• Snoozing: in a lab study of 31 habitual snoozers, 30 minutes of snoozing cost about 6 minutes of sleep and did not hurt test performance on waking (Sundelin and Landry, 2024).
• Quick fixes are unproven: a major review found no clear evidence that any wake-up trick done after waking gives an immediate, measurable boost (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

Why Is It So Hard to Wake Up?

Sleep inertia is the short period of sleepiness, disorientation and slower thinking right after you wake up. Researchers have found three things make it worse (Hilditch and McHill, 2019):

• Sleep loss: the less you slept the night before, and over the past few nights, the heavier the grogginess.
• Waking at the wrong biological time: getting up during your body clock's night, for example very early or after a time zone change, makes it harder.
• Waking from deep sleep: an alarm that goes off during slow-wave sleep leaves you groggier than one that goes off during lighter sleep.

So feeling foggy for the first few minutes is not a sign that something is wrong. Feeling exhausted every morning, though, usually points back to how much and how regularly you sleep.

If you are tired and hungry at the same time, our guide to why you might always feel hungry explains how short sleep drives appetite.

How to Wake Up When You Are Tired: 8 Tips

1. Protect your sleep

Adults aged 18 to 60 need 7 or more hours a night (CDC). Because prior sleep loss is one of the biggest drivers of morning grogginess (Hilditch and McHill, 2019), the most effective fix is often an earlier bedtime rather than a better alarm. Our guide to how much deep sleep you need covers the details.

2. Keep the same wake time every day

The CDC recommends going to bed and getting up at the same time every day (CDC). A steady schedule keeps your body clock in step, so your alarm is less likely to land in the middle of your biological night.

3. Get bright light soon after waking

Morning light is the strongest signal that sets your body clock earlier; travel guidance uses bright morning light for exactly this reason (CDC). Open the curtains or step outside soon after you get up. Our guide to the circadian rhythm explains how light sets your clock.

4. Give yourself a buffer

Because grogginess usually clears within 15 to 30 minutes (Hilditch and McHill, 2019), avoid scheduling anything demanding, like driving a long way or a big decision, in the first minutes after you wake.

5. Snooze or not? Decide on purpose

Snoozing is not as harmful as often claimed. In a study of habitual snoozers, 30 minutes of snoozing cost about 6 minutes of sleep and either improved or did not change performance on cognitive tests right after rising, compared with getting up at once (Sundelin and Landry, 2024). If you snooze, set the first alarm for when you can afford the extra time rather than setting it earlier to "fit in" snoozes.

6. Time your caffeine

Caffeine is the best-studied way to blunt sleep inertia, but the clearest evidence is for caffeine taken before a short nap of about 20 minutes, not after waking from a full night (Hilditch and McHill, 2019). If you drink coffee in the morning, avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening so it does not cut into the next night's sleep (CDC). For a smoother cup, see our guide to L-theanine and caffeine. For more ways to support daytime energy, browse our Natural Energy Supplements collection.

7. Wind down earlier at night

Turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed and avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime are on the CDC's list of sleep habits (CDC). A better night is the most reliable way to an easier morning; see how to fall asleep fast.

8. Move during the day

Regular exercise is also on the CDC's list of habits for better sleep (CDC). A morning walk outside combines movement with daylight; our science-based morning routine builds it in.

How to Wake Up Early

To wake up earlier, move your bedtime earlier along with your alarm, so you are not simply cutting sleep. Get bright light soon after the new wake time, since morning light pulls the body clock earlier (CDC), and keep the new time on weekends too, in line with the CDC's advice to get up at the same time every day (CDC). Shift in small steps; travel guidance moves sleep by about an hour a day (CDC), and a smaller step is easier to keep at home.

If your morning coffee leaves you flat by mid-afternoon, our guide to the caffeine crash explains why and how to time caffeine better.

Later in the day, our guide to how to stay awake covers caffeine naps and short walks, and coffee alternatives lists drinks with less or no caffeine.

How to Wake Up Without Caffeine

Without caffeine, the levers are the ones above: enough sleep, a steady wake time and morning light. Researchers note there is no clear evidence yet that tricks done after waking, such as sound, cold or splashing water, give an immediate measurable effect (Hilditch and McHill, 2019), so think of them as personal preferences rather than proven fixes.

If your bedtime keeps drifting later, our guide to how to fix your sleep schedule shows how to reset it in small steps.

Why Do I Wake Up Tired Every Day?

If you sleep 7 or more hours and still wake up exhausted most days, something else may be going on. Common things to check include low iron or low vitamin B12, both of which can leave you tired or weak (NIH ODS; NIH ODS); see our chart of vitamin B12 foods and our guide to fatigue vs burnout. Waking very early and not getting back to sleep is covered in why you wake up at 3am, and grogginess after a flight in our jet lag guide.

Our Methyl B-12 Nasal Spray provides 408 mcg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin per two-spray serving, once a day; learn more on our methyl B12 ingredient page and our non-stimulant energy and focus hub.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you feel exhausted most mornings despite enough sleep, if you snore loudly or someone notices you stop breathing in your sleep, or if daytime sleepiness affects driving, work or safety. A doctor can check for medical causes and test your iron and B12 levels (NIH ODS).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I wake up when I am really tired?

Get up at your usual time, get bright light, give yourself 15 to 30 minutes before anything demanding, and go to bed earlier that night. Grogginess usually clears within 30 minutes (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

How long does morning grogginess last?

Usually 15 to 30 minutes, though full alertness can take at least an hour after waking (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

Is it bad to hit snooze?

Not necessarily. In habitual snoozers, 30 minutes of snoozing cost about 6 minutes of sleep and did not hurt cognitive test performance on waking (Sundelin and Landry, 2024).

How can I wake up earlier?

Move your bedtime earlier with your alarm, get bright light soon after waking and keep the same wake time every day, including weekends (CDC; CDC).

How do I wake up without coffee?

Enough sleep, a steady wake time and morning light are the main levers; no after-waking trick has clear evidence of an immediate effect (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

Why am I so groggy when I wake up?

Grogginess is worse after short sleep, when you wake during your body clock's night, and when you wake from deep sleep (Hilditch and McHill, 2019).

How much sleep do I need to wake up refreshed?

The CDC recommends 7 or more hours for adults aged 18 to 60 (CDC).

Can low B12 make it hard to wake up?

Low vitamin B12 can make you feel tired or weak (NIH ODS). If you are tired most days, ask your doctor about checking your levels.

Sources

• Hilditch CJ, McHill AW. Sleep inertia: current insights. Nat Sci Sleep. 2019. PubMed 31692489
• Sundelin T, Landry S. Is snoozing losing? Why intermittent morning alarms are used and how they affect sleep, cognition, cortisol, and mood. J Sleep Res. 2024. PubMed 37849039
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep. CDC
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jet Lag Disorder. CDC Yellow Book. CDC
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.