How to Recognize and Manage Dysania

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on September 20, 2023
Written by Julie Marks
4 min read

Do you struggle when the alarm goes off every morning? If you have a really hard time, you could have something called dysania.

This means you simply can’t get out of bed for about 1 to 2 hours after you wake up.

Doctors don’t recognize it as a medical condition, as it is not an official diagnosis. But if you experience it, you know it can be a serious problem.

When you can’t get going in the morning every day, it can impact every aspect of your life. Your family, boss, co-workers, and friends might not understand why you can’t function.

If you have dysania, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy. You could have underlying issues that are to blame for your extreme fatigue.

Dysania can be a symptom of many medical conditions. Some common ones are:

Sometimes, the medicines used to treat these problems can cause the fatigue that leads to dysania. This includes antidepressants.

In one study, more than 90% of people with major depressive disorder were very tired. This was true even though more than 80% of them were already taking antidepressant meds.

Without proper treatment, your condition could get worse. If you have depression, this can be dangerous because an untreated mental health disorder could make you more likely to harm yourself.

Low activity and too much sleep can also be bad for your health. The recommended amount of sleep for most adults is 6 to 8 hours per night. A 2014 study showed that people who slept longer than 10 hours a day were more likely to have psychiatric illnesses and a higher body mass index (BMI).

In a 2018 paper published in the European Heart Journal, researchers found a link between sleeping more than the recommended amount and a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. Specifically, those who slept more than 10 hours a day had a 41% greater risk.

Dysania isn’t a disease. It’s a serious symptom of an underlying condition. To treat it, you need to find and address the root cause or causes.

If you have serious, long-term problems with getting out of bed, see your doctor.

Before your visit, it might help to make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, even if they seem unrelated to your sleep issues
  • Your family's medical history
  • The medicines and supplements you take
  • Questions you want to ask

Treating your underlying condition will go a long way toward helping you resolve your issues with waking up. Whatever the cause, it will help to practice good sleep habits:

  • Follow a schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to help control your body clock.
  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine: These can disrupt your sleep.
  • Limit naps: Long naps in the daytime may make it hard to fall asleep at night. If you do need a catnap, don’t rest for longer than 30 minutes, and don’t snooze late in the day.
  • Exercise: Daily physical activity can boost energy and might also help you sleep better. But don’t overdo it too close to bedtime.
  • Make your room sleep-friendly: Too much light or noise might make it hard to fall asleep. Use shades, earplugs, or a white noise machine to create a comfy place to sleep. Also, make sure your bedroom is cool. Between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal.
  • Stay away from screens: Using tablets, phones, TVs, laptops, and other gadgets before bed can throw off your body’s clock. This can make it harder to go to sleep. Try to ditch the devices at least 30 minutes before bed.

Certain medicines or other therapies can also help you get a better night’s rest.

It’s important to see your doctor if you think you have dysania, or any sleep problem, so you can get the help you need.