Understanding Dysania: Here Is Why We Struggle To Get Out of Bed in the Morning

(Photo : Unsplash/ Kinga Howard)

For most people, getting up in the morning seems to be the hardest part of the day. There are also those who really struggle and cannot get out of bed even if they are not too tired from the night before, as they experience a condition called dysania.

What Is Dysania?

Dysania refers to a person's inability to get out of bed one to two hours after they wake up. It is not recognized by health experts as a medical condition, so it is not considered an official diagnosis. But for those people who experience dysania, it can actually be a serious problem.

This condition is not the same as mere sleepiness, and it is not easily resolved by a good night's sleep. As a matter of fact, even if a person manages to wake up and get going, all they want is to go back to sleep.

The amount of time a person needs to spend in bed depends on their age and health. According to sleep experts, the bed should only be used for sleeping and sex, and not other activities, in order to have a good sleep at night.

An average adult is recommended to have seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Staying in bed for 20-30 minutes beyond the time that a person wakes up is reasonable. However, finding oneself staying in bed much longer than that might be a sign of dysania.

Dysania is considered a type of sleep inertia, a more chronic and extreme version of sleep issue that stems from anxiety. Also known as "sleep drunkness", sleep inertia is the term used for the groggy, transitional phase between sleep and wakefulness which most people experience first thing in the morning. It is part of the natural waking process, which is more likely to occur if a person is woken during deep sleep when they are furthest from consciousness.

The symptoms of dysania can manifest in different ways. These include a sense of anxiety at the thought of leaving the bed and feelings of stress and restlessness upon waking. Some people may also avoid social obligations due to a desire to stay in bed. In extreme cases, an individual may stay in bed for most of the stay, which can severely disrupt daily routines and duties.

What Causes Dysania?

Having dysania does not mean that a person is lazy. They may have underlying issues which are to blame for their extreme fatigue.

A person who experiences dysania may actually be struggling with depression, a mood disorder that can cause loss of energy, sadness, and fatigue. There are also those with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who feel extreme episodes of tiredness that can last for a long time and do not get better with rest.

Medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, anemia, restless leg syndrome, and thyroid disorders could make a person feel more exhausted. Meanwhile, they may also find it hard to wake up in the morning due to certain sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, or narcolepsy.