How to Get Up When You Want with Only a Few Hours of Sleep

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References Approved

Your body and mind need sleep each night to function properly; however, everyone occasionally misses a full night of sleep. If you're going to be running on little sleep, there are steps you can take to keep yourself awake during the morning hours.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Waking Up

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Do not press the snooze button. Wake up as soon as your alarm goes off. Reaching for the snooze button might seem like a great way to get an extra few minutes of sleep; however, hitting snooze actually results in your feeling more exhausted upon waking.
- If you're waking up to an alarm clock, you'll often end up jerked awake in the middle of REM sleep. This is the deepest stage of your sleep cycle. It can be jarring to be woken suddenly from REM sleep.^{[1]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Alex Dimitriu, MD
  Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
  Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.} If you press the snooze button, your body begins a new sleep cycle, only to be once again suddenly roused from deep sleep. The cycle of falling asleep and waking up leaves you more exhausted when you finally get out of bed.
- While it might be tempting to hit snooze for those few extra minutes, try to force yourself to get up as soon as your alarm goes off. To motivate yourself to forgo the snooze button, try reminding yourself that this will be better for you long term.
- If you have trouble resisting the temptation to hit the snooze button, consider placing the alarm across the room. That way, you'll have to get up to turn it off. This can help wake you up.
2
Seek light immediately. Human brains are wired to respond to light as a cue to awaken from sleep. As soon as you wake up, try to expose yourself to bright lights and sunlight. This will send a signal to your mind and body that it's time to be awake.^{[2]
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- Natural sunlight is best. Try opening your blinds as soon as you get up or stepping out on the porch for a few minutes in the morning.
- If you wake up before the sun rises, turn on all the lights when you wake up. Artificial light can provide a decent substitute for sunlight. There are alarm clocks that provide an artificial sunrise by way of alarm to help coax you out of bed in the morning.
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3
Have a moderate amount of coffee. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant. When used in moderation (200 – 400 mg of caffeine, or about one 8-oz cup of coffee), having a caffeinated beverage in the morning can help you feel refreshed throughout the day.^{[3]
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- Studies show overall cognitive function on low sleep improves with use of caffeine. Have a cup of coffee within your first hour of waking up. This will help you feel energized throughout the day.^{[4]
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- Don't overdo it. Many people feel drinking loads of coffee, or an energy drink packed with sugar and high levels of caffeine will help them wake up. But too much caffeine can cause dehydration which results in fatigue. You could also experience other physical symptoms, such as anxiety and difficulty concentrating.^{[5]
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- Avoid caffeine at least six hours before going to bed, as it has been shown interfere with sleep.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Continuing the Morning

1
Stay hydrated. Hydration can help prevent fatigue, especially when you're running on little sleep. Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the morning to help yourself wake up.^{[6]
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- Start off the day with one to two 8-oz glasses of water. Keep up with your water intake throughout the day. Sip on water throughout the day for a total of nine to 13 8-oz. glasses (2.2 to 3 liters), which is the generally recommended amount. Remember, everyone is different, so you may require a bit more or less.Bring a water bottle to work or school and periodically take sips.^{[7]
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- Eat foods that have a high water content as well, such as iceberg lettuce, cucumber, green peppers, watermelon, and baby carrots.^{[8]
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2
Get some exercise. Stay moving throughout the morning. Exercise promotes blood circulation, which helps you feel energetic throughout the day.
- If you have time to get in a morning workout, do so. Just doing some light aerobics at home, something like jumping jacks, for 20 to 30 minutes can help you wake up.^{[9]
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- However, if you don't have time for a vigorous work out just light walking can help. Consider walking to work or school instead of driving, if possible. Take a quick 15-minute walk around the block before hopping in the shower. This has the added benefit of exposing you to natural sunlight, which can be stimulating.^{[10]
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3
Eat breakfast. If you're trying to wake up on little sleep, breakfast is vital. Your body needs all the fuel it can get to run smoothly despite lacking rest.
- Try to eat breakfast within one hour of waking up. Research suggests this will boost your overall alertness later in the day.^{[11]
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- When sleepy, you tend to crave simple sugar and carbs; however, exercise willpower. Go for a healthy breakfast like oatmeal, yogurt and fruit, or hard boiled eggs. Processed foods and junk foods will make you crash later on, leaving you more tired.^{[12]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Precautions Later in the Day

1
Lie low as much as possible. Later in the day, try to lie low and not engage in activities that require a lot of mental processing. If you have work or school, this may be difficult. Try to reschedule meetings or phone calls at work if possible. Limit interaction with others as people running on low sleep tend to not pick up on non-verbal social cues. Go easy on yourself for the day. Keep in mind everyone has off days. If you're not functioning your best for one class period or one work day, you can always do better tomorrow.^{[13]
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- The calmer you can make your mind during the day, the faster you’ll fall asleep at night.^{[14]
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  Alex Dimitriu, MD
  Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
  Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}
2
Avoid multitasking. Your memory is impaired if you're running on little sleep. Multitasking at work and school is a bad idea. Try to stick to one task at a time if you're running on little sleep.^{[15]
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3
Take steps to improve your sleep hygiene. If you periodically have mornings when you're running on low sleep, look for long-term solutions. Try to improve your sleep hygiene so you'll fall asleep easier and have a high-quality rest each night.
- Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day. Your body functions on a natural circadian rhythm. If you go to sleep at 11 PM and wake up at 8 AM each night, your body will naturally adjust. You'll feel tired before bedtime and energetic in the morning.^{[16]
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  Alex Dimitriu, MD
  Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
  Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}
- Keep your sleeping and waking life separate. Do not keep electronics in your bedroom and do not engage in activities other than sleeping (or sex) in your bed. You want your body to associate your bedroom with sleep time so your mind will be geared for rest when you get in bed.^{[17]
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- Have a relaxing bedtime ritual. Before bed, engage in a calming activity like meditation, reading, or taking a warm bath. Having nightly rituals you engage in before bed helps signal your body that it's time for sleep.^{[18]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

What happens when you only get a few hours of sleep?

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.

Alex Dimitriu, MD

Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Waking up in a state of deep sleep is suboptimal. If you wake up after only a few hours, you may enter a state known as sleep inertia. It may feel like you can't shake yourself awake and you may have a headache, feel sensitive to light, or get easily confused. Your body is primed to continue sleeping and that can make you feel tired even after you do get a cup of coffee or shake yourself awake.

Warnings

Avoid driving if you're running on little sleep. Sleep deprivation behind the wheel can lead to accidents.^{[19]
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While you can never actually “catch up” on sleep, if you are deprived of sleep, a power nap can actually be more beneficial than caffeine to increase your alertness. A 15-20 minute nap during the day resets your system and has been shown to increase energy and alertness and improve motor performance. You should avoid napping for longer than 20 minutes as that can put you into REM stage of sleep leading to sleep inertia when you awaken.^{[20]
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