Waking up from sleep

[jacob]

Why are some people slow to wake up and others fast? What determines this?

The difference is perhaps best exemplified in the snooze button on the alarm clock. It's very existence implies that some are slow or even very slow.

[ertyu]

For me, whether I am employed or not. When employed, my wake-up time is externally determined and i tend to accumulate sleep debt. I also drink more coffee. When not employed, I start to naturally wake up with the sun and fall asleep around 10 pm. No alarm is one of my most favorite things about not working.

[chenda]

Night owls vs day owls. Some of us are built for the night, others the day. Probably so the tribe always had people awake at any one time. If they were all asleep they would be vulnerable to predators.

[rube]

Age also influence our sleep pattern.

Somebody from work recommended this book once to me. I haven't read it yet. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unl ... arketplace
Maybe somebody here has and can tell if it is interesting?

[Bonde]

Ideally you want to wake up at the end of a sleep cycle: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/a ... eep-basics
I have heard about apps that measure your sleep during the night and wake you up at the end of a sleep cycle. Never tried it myself.

I don't know any studies about being af morning person but there could be a genetic difference. Mental and physical hard work could be a factor e.g. burnout.
Clinically it is important to rule out any sleep disorders. I have had patients who's lives totally changed after being treated for sleep apnea.
Sleep quality is also important. My sleep quality is really bad after only 2-3 beers. Most soft drinks includes lots of caffeine which I don't think everybody is aware of. I think one can of pepsi max equals about one cup of coffee.

[Lemur]

Maybe Matthew Walker has something on this:
https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unl ... 1501144316

My anecdotal experience is that when my circadian rhythm is right (as in I am in a good habit of waking up and going to bed at the same time each night), then I can get up much easier. And this is someone who is a snooze button type of person.

Without alarm clock...life is much easier though. @ertyu
It is in my top 5 reasons of why I want to retire early.

[Ego]

I think of it as a perishable skill, similar to the ability to sleep soundly in any circumstances. If I have nothing to do in the morning, such as the rare rainy day that disrupts my plans, then I am groggy for an hour or two. Usually I set out the gear the night before for the next morning's activity (cycling gear, clothing, whatever) and try to get moving right away. The more I do it, the time to transition from groggy to awake gradually shortens. If we are in unusual circumstances where I am unable to get going right away for several days in a row, it takes me some time to get back to normal. The key, I believe, is to move and get the blood flowing.

[WFJ]

I'm a late riser but quick to get going. If I woke at 8 am, might not be productive until 10, so just sleep until 10 and get going at 10:05. Diet, exercise, seasons, genetics all impact this tendency and different for all humans.

[Western Red Cedar]

I heard a short clip with Andrew Huberman where he described getting natural light shortly after waking up as one of the most important parts of his daily routine. A few minutes is good, 20-30 minutes is better. Light exposure late in the evening or at night can disrupt our sleep patterns. Light exposure in the morning can jump start our circadian clocks. He has a full episode exploring the topic of sleep and waking up which I haven't listened to in its entirety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm1TxQj9IsQ

Michael Pollan's research on caffeine cycles and caffeine withdrawals is also relevant for those drinking caffeinated beverages.

[AnalyticalEngine]

Anecdotally, when I first gave up caffeine, I was agonizingly groggy in the morning for about two months afterward, even after the other withdrawal symptoms had passed. Now that I've been off it for ~8 months, I don't experience much grogginess in the morning. The caveat to this is if I sleep poorly then get woken up by my alarm clock, I feel awful for about an hour.

I also notice that without caffeine, I feel weird in a non-groggy way for about two hours every morning. It's sort of a mix of brain fog and inattention. I can't really focus on intellectual tasks until ~9am.