Experts Offer Answers to the Question ‘Why Can’t I Wake up in the Morning?’ and 1 Response Is Surprising

Sometimes, you can curate a nearly perfect bedtime routine, maintain a quality sleep schedule and still struggle to wake up (and stay awake) in the morning. If you’ve experienced this issue, you’ve wondered: “Why can’t I wake up in the morning?” There are a few potential reasons this may happen, but one that you may not yet have considered is your alarms. Especially if you’re someone who sets your phone or alarm clock to continuously go off until you’re out of bed, this may hinder your ability to keep your eyes open.  

A recent video went viral on TikTok in which nurse Jordan Bruss told viewers why they shouldn’t set multiple morning alarms as it can have health drawbacks.  

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“Waking to multiple alarms every morning really disrupts your rapid eye movement (REM) cycle frequently,” she says in the video. “This actually causes sleep inertia, increased drowsiness, fatigue, mood swings and it also raises your cortisol levels. Every time your alarm goes off, you’re in that fight or flight response.” 

@jordan.bruss

Good sleep hygiene is a big part of my physical and mental health. I promise I would not be in the shape I am in without doing some serious research in the deep sleep department. Don’t cause yourself extra physical and mental stress. Excess cortisol levels make you gain and hang on to weight. So when the alarm goes off, it’s time, get up. You’ll look and feel better! #fyp #sleep #sleephygiene #cortisol #cortisollevels #healthylifestyle #healthcoach #lifecoach #nursecoach

♬ original sound – Jordan

Why can’t I wake up in the morning? Experts weigh in on the effects of multiple alarms  

“The idea that setting multiple alarms makes it harder to wake up is valid,” affirms Shelby Harris, Psy.D, Director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis. “When you keep waking up to different alarms, it fragments your sleep, which can leave you feeling more groggy and tired once you finally get up. In other words, this repeated interruption can make it harder to get out of bed because your body never fully wakes up.” 

While stress can, of course, make it more challenging to relax and fall asleep, it can also make it hard to fully wake up. The stress from the jarring sound of the alarm as well as the anticipation of knowing another alarm is coming can make it more difficult to wake up, Harris explains, bad news for those of us in the habit of hitting the snooze button over and over again. 

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“High stress levels, which raise cortisol (a stress hormone), can disrupt your sleep and make it harder to stay asleep deeply. This often throws off your body’s natural sleep schedule, leading to problems falling asleep at night and struggling to wake up in the morning. So, stress affects both the quality of your sleep and the timing of when you wake up.” 

Multiple alarms can also desensitize us to their repetitive sounds, causing us to sleep through them, adds psychiatrist Ralph Waldo, MD. Especially if you have the alarms within reach, a connection between the sound of the alarms and sleeping despite them may be established, interuptting your sleep quality and amount of sleep.  

Alternatives to multiple alarms 

To circumvent the habit of sleeping through alarms, Dr. Waldo suggests using one alarm and placing it across the room so you must move your body and rise from your bed to turn it off.  

Light therapy is another option, he adds. This involves exposure to bright light that mimics natural sunlight, typically using a light box, to regulate your circadian rhythm by signaling to your brain that it’s time to wake up. Using light therapy in the morning can improve alertness and make it easier to wake up consistently, especially good for those who have a work schedule that demands waking at the same time every day. Gradually exposing yourself to light with a dawn simulator alarm clock or similar method may be a helpful way to help your body’s internal clock know it’s time to wake up, offers Harris.  

You can also go to your balcony or near the window and look outside for a few minutes to expose yourself to natural light and set your circadian rhythm, adds Ashley Murry, LCSW, Chief Clinical Officer at Sana Lake Recovery Centers. She also suggests setting the alarm in the Crescendo mode, so the music and vibration increase gradually instead of giving you a sudden shock as you’re waking up. 

Additionally, you may try the ‘count to three’ method for waking up in the morning, where you get yourself into the routine of getting out of bed on the count of three after waking up. This can help simplify that subconscious mind for waking up or staying in bed, Murry explains.  

Other reasons waking up in the morning may be challenging 

There are other factors in addition to consecutive alarms that may contribute to a struggle to wake up at an ideal time. The most obvious reason for not being able to wake up is that you didn’t get enough solid sleep throughout the night, as lack of sleep often leads to fatigue and additional sleep problems. Disruption in your circadian rhythm and overall sleep cycle (being awake at a time when the brain and body are programmed to sleep) has a similar effect.  

Underlying medical conditions  may also be involved. Sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia or narcolepsy can disrupt your rest and natural body clock, making you feel overly tired during the day, Harris says. Additionally, depression and anxiety can make you feel less energized. These are conditions you should discuss with a medical professional for a diagnosis and detailed treatment plan.  

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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.