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I think everyone has thought at least once, "It's hard to wake up in the morning" or "I want to wake up feeling more refreshed." When you don't wake up well, your work and daily life performance can decline, with symptoms like "feeling sluggish all day" or "brain fog." In this article, we'll introduce methods to help you wake up feeling refreshed.
What percentage of people feel they don't wake up well?
Brain Sleep conducted a survey on "sleep-related concerns" targeting 252 men and women aged 20 to 69.
Out of 252 people, the most common response was "I don't feel refreshed when I wake up," with 70 people, followed by 54 people who answered "I still feel sleepy when I wake up." This shows that many people are struggling with not being able to wake up feeling refreshed.
Additionally, many people also answered "I wake up multiple times" and "I feel sleepy during the day," indicating that many feel their sleep quality is poor and they don't feel rested even after sufficient sleep.
According to research conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and Washington University, "two weeks of 6-hour sleep results in brain performance equivalent to two all-nighters," indicating a close relationship between sleep deprivation and daytime performance.
However, it is difficult for busy modern people to secure long hours of sleep every day. Therefore, recently, attention has been paid not only to sleep duration but also to sleep quality.
High-quality sleep allows you to efficiently rest your body and brain within a limited sleep time, maintaining a clear head the next morning. This can lead to increased concentration, a stable mental state without irritability, and ultimately, improved work performance.
Main Causes of Not Waking Up Refreshed
With changes in lifestyle in modern society, the number of people suffering from insomnia is increasing. In Japan, in particular, about 20% (1 in 5) of adults have sleep-related problems, and 30-40% experience some kind of insomnia symptom.
Reference: Insomnia | e-Health Net (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Among these, chronic insomnia is seen in about 10% of adults, with causes ranging widely from stress and anxiety to the effects of alcohol and sleep environment. Here are 7 reasons that prevent you from waking up feeling refreshed.
Excessive Stress
Psychological stress such as worries, irritation, and tension activates the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the brain. As a result, even if you fall asleep, your sleep will be shallow and you won't be able to get deep sleep. Of course, try not to accumulate stress, and try to avoid using your brain too much right before bed.
Anxiety due to being busy
If you have too many things to do and they are not organized, you may remember them before going to bed and feel anxious, making it difficult to fall asleep. To avoid going to bed with unstable emotions, try to organize your thoughts by visualizing your tasks and schedule.
Excessive alcohol consumption
While a small amount of alcohol is thought to help with smooth sleep initiation, excessive drinking is not recommended as it lowers sleep quality. If this continues chronically, it can lead to a constant state of insomnia, making it difficult to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.
Eating late at night
It is said that it takes about 2 to 3 hours for the stomach and intestines to settle down after a meal, so dinner should be finished 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. If you have to eat dinner late, have a snack earlier and choose easily digestible meals for the evening.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea Syndrome
People who habitually snore may have Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS). This condition causes frequent episodes of apnea or hypopnea during sleep, leading to a state of oxygen deprivation in the brain and body, which degrades sleep quality.
If you feel tired even after getting enough sleep, or if you experience severe daytime sleepiness, you might want to consider the possibility of SAS.
Shallow non-REM sleep
There are two types of sleep: "REM sleep" and "non-REM sleep." While there are individual differences, generally, immediately after falling asleep, the brain is in a state of deep non-REM sleep.
Then, about 90 minutes after falling asleep, the brain switches to REM sleep, where it is more active. After that, non-REM and REM sleep cycles repeat approximately every 90 minutes, and as morning approaches, the non-REM sleep intervals become shorter and REM sleep intervals become longer.
If you don't get enough deep non-REM sleep, which helps your brain and body recover from fatigue, your brain won't get enough rest even if you sleep for a long time. Also, if you don't get deep sleep, you're more likely to wake up from light or noise, making it harder to feel well-rested when you wake up in the morning.
Sleep Environment
To achieve comfortable sleep, it is very important to optimize your bedroom environment. In particular, the three elements of "light, temperature, and sound" are known to significantly impact sleep quality.
For example, using bedding that is not suitable for the season, or sleeping in an environment with inappropriate room temperature or humidity, can hinder proper thermoregulation and lead to shallow sleep.
As a result, problems such as waking up multiple times during the night and not feeling refreshed in the morning are likely to occur. To ensure quality sleep, it is important to adjust these environmental factors according to the season and your preferences.
12 Ways to Wake Up Feeling Refreshed in the Morning
How you wake up in the morning can be changed by your actions. Here are 12 ways to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.
Avoid caffeine 8 hours before bed
Caffeine stimulates the brain and keeps you awake. Although there are individual differences, it starts working about 30 minutes after intake and lasts for up to 8 hours.
Therefore, it is recommended to avoid consuming caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, green tea, and energy drinks in the evening.
If the effects of caffeine linger late into the night, the brain remains in an excited state even at bedtime, which can make it difficult to fall asleep or reduce sleep quality. For good quality sleep, it's important to pay attention to the timing of caffeine intake.
Finish dinner 2-3 hours before bed
For comfortable sleep and a healthy morning, managing your diet before bed is crucial. Eating right before bed puts a strain on your stomach, not only reducing sleep quality but also negatively affecting your stomach and intestines the next morning.
Especially fatty meats and fried foods take a long time to digest, so it's recommended to limit their consumption at dinner.
Also, if you do feel hungry at night, choosing easily digestible soups or warm drinks like hot milk can satisfy your hunger without disrupting good quality sleep.
Avoid blue light before bed
Blue light is known to disrupt the body's internal clock and affect the natural sleep cycle.
Reference: Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023 | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
This blue light is emitted not only from smartphones we use daily, but also from computer and TV screens.
Especially when exposed to blue light from these devices at night, the secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone, is suppressed, which can lead to difficulty falling asleep and reduced sleep quality.
For comfortable sleep, try to refrain from using digital devices 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Bathe 90 minutes before bed
The autonomic nervous system is divided into the "sympathetic nervous system," which is dominant during activity, and the "parasympathetic nervous system," which is dominant during relaxation. They balance each other to regulate the body.
Soaking in slightly warm water (40 degrees Celsius) 90 minutes before sleep not only boosts the parasympathetic nervous system for relaxation, but also induces sleepiness as body temperature drops.
Furthermore, there are two types of body temperature: "skin temperature" and "core body temperature," with core body temperature being about 2 degrees higher than skin temperature. To achieve good quality sleep, it is effective to raise the skin temperature and lower the core body temperature.
The easiest way to achieve this ideal temperature balance is to take a bath before bed. However, be careful not to take a hot bath above 42 degrees Celsius right before bed, as this can increase sympathetic nervous system activity.
Also, if you want to know more about how to bathe 90 minutes before bedtime, please refer to the column below.
Rule 7: Finish bathing 90 minutes before bed / Take a shower if you're going to bed soon
Use bedding that suits you
For comfortable sleep, be particular about your pillow and futon. Using bedding that doesn't fit your body type or sleeping posture can put unnecessary strain on your neck and back, making it difficult to breathe and worsening snoring.
Furthermore, if your body doesn't suit your bedding, you might toss and turn more, or subconsciously adjust your posture, leading to shallower sleep. Therefore, choosing bedding that suits you can contribute to good quality sleep.
Also, please refer to the following for more details on how to choose bedding.
How to choose the right pillow to improve sleep quality. What are the selection criteria you won't regret?
Change your morning wake-up! How to choose a mattress that will improve your quality of life
Sleep in a dark room
Melatonin is an important hormone that promotes sleep, but its secretion varies depending on the surrounding brightness. Dimming the room promotes melatonin secretion, making it easier to feel naturally sleepy.
Therefore, dimming the lights slightly before bed to create a dimly lit environment is the first step towards good quality sleep. If you are uncomfortable with complete darkness, use indirect lighting to maintain a relaxing level of brightness while promoting melatonin secretion.
Take in the morning sun
When you wake up, open the curtains and expose yourself to sunlight for about 15 seconds. When you bask in sunlight, the secretion of melatonin, which controls sleep, stops. Serotonin, the source of energy, will be actively secreted, and your body and mind will wake up refreshed.
It is also said that exposing your eyes to light resets your internal clock, and the sleep switch turns on about 14-16 hours later.
Drink a glass of water
Humans sweat about one glass (approx. 200cc) during sleep, so hydration upon waking is essential. Drinking a glass of water or hot water first thing in the morning replenishes the moisture lost during the night.
This not only balances the body's water content but also activates bowel movements, promoting natural bowel elimination. Furthermore, morning hydration helps refresh the body and regulate the internal clock, which in turn can improve sleep quality at night.
Do stretches
Morning stretches are important for loosening the body stiffened by night's sleep and starting the day in good health. Stretching upon waking helps alleviate stiff shoulders and back stiffness, and reduces body swelling accumulated during the night.
It also boosts basal metabolism and helps transition the body from hibernation mode to active mode.
A particularly effective stretch is a full-body stretch. Lie on your back and extend your arms and legs widely, stretching your entire body comfortably.
Additionally, rotating your wrists and ankles vigorously promotes blood circulation in the extremities, helping your body wake up more easily.
By incorporating these simple stretches into your morning routine, you can maintain good physical condition throughout the day.
Play music that helps you wake up
Loud sirens, warning sounds, construction noises, and other sounds that people tend to find unpleasant are effective for waking up, but they can abruptly activate the sympathetic nervous system and cause stress.
From the perspective of auditory stimulation, sounds with high frequencies of around 1,500 to 3,000 hertz, such as xylophone sounds, bell sounds, and the sound of gentle waves, are said to be good for waking up. Start with a low volume and gradually increase it.
Wake up during shallow sleep
The human body naturally begins to prepare for waking in the morning, with body temperature and heart rate gradually rising. Since sleep becomes shallower, if you can wake up at this time, you can have a pleasant morning.
As an effective way to wake up, it is recommended to set a short alarm at a low volume 20 minutes before your desired wake-up time. If you wake up at this point, it means your sleep was sufficiently shallow, and it was an ideal time to wake up.
Even if you don't wake up to this initial alarm, your sleep is likely to be naturally shallow by your actual wake-up time, and as a result, you'll be able to wake up feeling refreshed.
Have breakfast
When body temperature rises after the first meal, the internal clock resets, and the brain and body smoothly switch to active mode. In particular, effectively incorporating energy sources like rice or bread, and protein to raise body temperature, is recommended.
Also, to boost your morning motivation, it's effective to prepare something to look forward to the day before. For example, making time to listen to your favorite music or preparing a delicious breakfast the night before can make you look forward to waking up in the morning.
5 Recommended Items for a Refreshing Morning Wake-Up
Here are some items recommended by Brain Sleep. Please refer to them to get good quality sleep.
Try these methods to wake up refreshed in the morning and start your day right!
Good quality sleep is the foundation not only for maintaining physical and mental health but also for maximizing performance in work and daily life. By combining various methods introduced so far, such as creating a conducive environment before bed and implementing techniques for a refreshing morning wake-up, you can achieve higher quality sleep. Establishing comfortable sleep habits will be an important step towards living a fulfilling life.
Reference books
"Stanford's Best Sleep" (Sunmark Publishing)
"Sleep Disorders: Overcoming Modern National Diseases with the Power of Science" (Kadokawa Shinsho)
