Waking up Exhausted? This One Mistake Could Be Why, Sleep Experts Warn

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Waking up Exhausted? This One Mistake Could Be Why, Sleep Experts Warn originally appeared on Parade.
Feeling sluggish or tired shortly after waking up is certainly discouraging. After all, you still have the rest of the day to get through. Feeling tired in the morning is often a sign that you didn't sleep well the night before. There are a lot of different culprits for this: drinking caffeine too late in the day, alcohol consumption, feeling stressed or experiencing chronic pain can all contribute to a poor night's sleep.Insomnia is no fun, but it's also common: According to Cleveland Clinic, around one in three adults worldwide have insomnia symptoms (like difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early).While the reasons we listed above are common causes of sleeplessness, there's one other major cause for poor sleep that we're not talking about it enough—and it can lead to feelings of exhaustion in the morning. It's also likely part of your bedtime routine. Here, sleep doctors reveal what it is and share what to do instead.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊
The Nighttime Habit That's Unknowingly Ruining Your Sleep
If you tend to wake up exhausted, you might want to consider your evening screentime consumption. According to sleep doctors, using phones, tablets or computers at night can get in the way of good sleep.According to Dr. Nancy Abbey Collop, MD,the director of the Emory Sleep Center in Atlanta, Georgia, one major reason screentime disrupts sleep is the screen's blue light. 'There are cells in the back of our eyeballs that send signals to our brain about the light and dark cycle, impacting our circadian rhythm. In the light spectrum, blue light is the most impactful on those sensors and actually suppresses the release of melatonin in the brain, which normally starts to be released with sundown. Melatonin assists with sleep onset and maintenance, so delaying its release results in delayed sleep onset,' Dr. Collop explains.Related:
Dr. Scott Schecter, MD, a sleep doctor with University of Virginia Health, says this too. He explains that when melatonin is suppressed, it can increase alertness and diminish one's sense of fatigue. This makes it harder to sleep.But it's not just the blue light that messes with sleep and can lead to waking up exhausted; both sleep doctors say that the content of what people tend to look at on their screens contributes to this too. Dr. Schecter points out that social media apps all use an algorithm designed to keep users on the app, which can lead to spending more time on them than you may have planned or wanted to.Related:
Simply put, social media apps are addictive. '[Social media] companies have learned to feed us material that keeps us engaged and can feed into pathways associated with addiction. This can increase cortisol levels and sympathetic nervous system activity that promote arousal,' Dr. Schecter explains.Dr. Collop says that especially if what's on one's phone, tablet or computer is disturbing or energizing, it can disrupt sleep. For example, if you have a habit of using your phone to check the news or your work emails before you hit the lights, you may lie in bed awake, worrying about what you read or thinking about everything you have to do the next day.
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What To Do Instead
Okay, so screens before bed is a no-go. What should you do instead? Both sleep doctors recommend reading, not on your tablet, but an actual, physical book. 'There is scientific evidence that shows reading with indirect light [such as an overhead light or sidetable lamp] is better than reading with the screen directly in front of your eyeball,' Dr. Collop says, adding that this is likely because it cuts down on blue light exposure.
To avoid the temptation of using your phone before bed, Dr. Collop recommends placing it outside of arm's reach. She also recommends not watching TV too close to bedtime because the content may be energizing or disturbing, getting in the way of good sleep.
Besides reading a physical book, some other activities you can work into your bedtime routine that support sleep instead of disrupting it include moving through some gentle stretches, meditating, writing out three things you are grateful for or taking a warm shower or bath.
Once you eliminate screens from your evening routine, you'll likely fall asleep faster and sleep soundly, which will lead to waking up refreshed instead of exhausted. If you are still experiencing morning fatigue, that's a sign to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician to talk about it. There could be an underlying sleep condition—like sleep apnea—that is preventing you from getting the rest you need.
Screens have certainly become ingrained into our daily routines, but there's no need for us to use them 24/7. If your screentime is getting in the way of you getting good sleep, it's time to cut back on your use, especially in the evening. Your health depends on it!
Up Next:Sources:
Dr. Nancy Abbey Collop, MD, Director of the Emory Sleep Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Scott Schecter, MD, sleep doctor with University of Virginia Health
Waking up Exhausted? This One Mistake Could Be Why, Sleep Experts Warn first appeared on Parade on Jul 19, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.