Why does waking up earlier make you feel tired even if you have had the same amount of sleep you’d usually get?

Question

If I know I have to be up earlier than usual I will always go to bed earlier so I still get my 8 hours. No matter what I always struggle waking up even if it’s only half an hour earlier. Why?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Our brains naturally want to stick to a set pattern, called a Circadian Rhythm. Changing that rhythm messes with out brain, which tells us “You should still be asleep right now” if you get up earlier than usual. Going to bed earlier is harder to because your brain wants you to be Awake then. You need to slowly change your sleep schedule consistently to change your brain chemistry, otherwise you’ll keep feeling crappy when you wake up