Imagine waking up to your alarm clock and feeling so confused that you start talking to it. This is what happens to Brielle every morning. This feeling of grogginess is known as sleep drunkenness, or severe sleep inertia. It happens when you wake up suddenly and feel very disoriented. Research shows that about 1 in 7 people experience this, and it usually lasts for around 15 minutes after waking up.
Sometimes, people like Josh might accidentally pour cereal into the dishwasher because of sleep drunkenness. This happens because our sleep is divided into different stages. The first and second stages are light sleep, where it’s easy to wake up. The third stage is deep sleep, and then comes rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, where we dream. Sleep drunkenness occurs when you wake up during deep sleep or REM sleep.
For example, Maria might be called by her mom to get up, and she might find herself in the shower still wearing her pajamas. This happens because waking up from deep sleep leaves your brain with more adenosine, a chemical that makes you feel sleepy. That’s why you might feel so drowsy. Mike might even put his keys in the fridge and walk out with a carton of orange juice!
When you drink caffeine, like in coffee or tea, it helps to block the sleepy effects of adenosine and speeds up communication between nerve cells. This can help reduce the effects of sleep drunkenness if you have caffeine soon after waking up. Just be careful not to do what David did and pour your coffee into the sugar bowl by mistake!
If you ever find yourself talking to your alarm clock, remember that you’re not alone. Sleep drunkenness is a real condition, but there isn’t much you can do to completely prevent it. However, getting between 6 and 9 hours of sleep each night can help, as well as having your morning coffee.
Have you ever experienced sleep drunkenness? Feel free to share your story in the comments, and if you’re interested in learning more, consider subscribing to BrainCraft for new videos every Thursday!
Research the different stages of sleep and create a visual chart that explains each stage. Include details about what happens during light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Share your chart with the class and discuss how waking up during different stages can affect how you feel.
In groups, create short skits that demonstrate what sleep drunkenness might look like. Use examples from the article, like pouring cereal into the dishwasher or talking to an alarm clock. Perform your skits for the class and discuss how these scenarios relate to the stages of sleep.
Conduct a simple experiment to observe the effects of caffeine. Have a day where you drink a caffeinated beverage in the morning and another day without it. Record how you feel each morning and compare your levels of alertness. Share your findings with the class.
Keep a sleep diary for a week, noting the time you go to bed, the time you wake up, and how you feel in the morning. Reflect on any instances of sleep drunkenness and consider how your sleep patterns might be affecting it. Discuss your observations with a partner.
Imagine you are an interior designer tasked with creating the perfect sleep-friendly bedroom. Consider factors like lighting, noise, and comfort. Create a design plan or drawing and explain how your choices can help reduce sleep drunkenness and improve sleep quality.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
—
When she hears this sound, Brielle wakes up with a sudden jolt and starts having a conversation with her alarm clock. “Hello, good morning Brielle!” It’s just another morning of feeling groggy. Sleep drunkenness, or severe sleep inertia, occurs when you wake up suddenly and feel extremely disoriented. Research suggests it affects 1 in 7 people, and episodes typically last for about 15 minutes after waking up.
Occasionally, Josh pours his cereal into the dishwasher. When we sleep, we cycle through stages of light and deep sleep. The first and second stages are light sleep, where we can be easily awakened. In the third stage, we enter deep sleep, followed by rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, where our eyes move back and forth, and we are most likely to dream. Sleep drunkenness occurs when you wake up during deep sleep or REM sleep.
All of a sudden, Maria’s mom calls for her to get up. She crawls out of bed and into the shower, still in her pajamas. If you wake up from a deep sleep stage, your brain contains more adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep and suppresses arousal, which is why you feel so drowsy. Mike puts his keys in the fridge and walks out of his apartment carrying a carton of orange juice.
When you consume caffeine, it counteracts the drowsy effects of adenosine and speeds up communication between nerve cells. Caffeine may help reduce the effects of severe sleep inertia if you drink coffee or tea soon after waking up. David accidentally pours his freshly brewed coffee into the sugar bowl.
So, the next time you find yourself talking to your alarm clock, remember that you’re not alone. Sleep drunkenness is a recognized condition, but there’s not much you can do to prevent these confused episodes. Getting between 6 and 9 hours of sleep each night helps, as does your morning coffee.
Have you experienced sleep drunkenness before? Share your story in the comments, and if you haven’t already, subscribe to BrainCraft! I release a new video every Thursday.
—
This version maintains the original meaning while removing any informal or potentially confusing elements.
Sleep – A natural state of rest for the body and mind, during which consciousness is suspended and the body can recover and repair itself. – Getting enough sleep is important for maintaining good health and staying focused in school.
Drunkenness – A state of being intoxicated or impaired due to consuming too much alcohol, affecting one’s ability to think and move properly. – Drunkenness can lead to poor decision-making and dangerous situations.
Grogginess – A feeling of being sleepy or not fully alert, often experienced after waking up or when tired. – I felt grogginess in the morning because I stayed up too late last night.
Caffeine – A natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, and some soft drinks that can help people feel more awake and alert. – Drinking too much caffeine can make it hard to fall asleep at night.
Adenosine – A chemical in the brain that builds up during the day and makes us feel sleepy, helping to regulate our sleep-wake cycle. – As adenosine levels increase, we start to feel more tired and ready for sleep.
Drowsy – Feeling sleepy and lethargic, often as a result of not getting enough rest. – After lunch, I often feel drowsy and have trouble concentrating in class.
Alarm – A device or signal that is used to wake someone up or alert them to something important. – I set my alarm for 7:00 AM to make sure I wake up on time for school.
Sleepiness – The state of feeling ready to fall asleep or needing rest. – Sleepiness during the day can be a sign that you need more rest at night.
Coffee – A popular drink made from roasted coffee beans, often consumed for its stimulating effects due to caffeine. – My parents drink coffee every morning to help them wake up and start their day.
Communication – The process of sharing information, thoughts, or feelings with others through speaking, writing, or other methods. – Good communication is important for building strong relationships with friends and family.