Struggling To Get Out Of Bed In The Morning Is A Medical Condition

and could be a sign of something serious

• Dysania is a disorder defined by having trouble getting up in the morning
• Sufferers can spend days in bed and get anxiety at the thought of waking up
• The condition can be a sign of depression, chronic fatigue or a pain disorder

As the mornings get darker, motivating yourself to leave the comfort of your bed gets increasingly difficult.

But rather than just being laziness, struggling to get out of bed is a medical condition.

Known as dysania, the disorder is defined by having trouble getting up in the morning.

Although many have a strong urge to go back to sleep after waking, dysania sufferers could stay in bed for days on end and develop anxiety at the thought to getting up.

Suspected sufferers should see their GP as soon as possible due to dysania often being a sign of an underlying condition such as depression, chronic fatigue syndrome or the pain disorder fibromyalgia.



The disorder dysania is defined by having trouble getting up in the morning

Although dysania, also known as clinomania, is not medically recognised, self-proclaimed sufferers insist the disorder is very real.

While many groan when the alarm goes off, dysania patients experience genuine panic at the thought of getting out of bed.

They also need far more than the recommended seven-to-eight hours of shut eye a night and cannot get up even if they have commitments in the outside world.

Suspected sufferers are advised to think of the words that sum up how they feel about waking.

If 'overwhelming' or 'debilitating' come to mind, they should see their GP, Rise and Shine report.

There is no known cure, however, sufferers may get relief from simply going bed an hour or two earlier.

The NHS recommends the following for a good night's sleep:

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day
• Make the bedroom peaceful by controlling its temperature, light and noise, and not sleeping with pets
• Have a comfortable mattress
• Exercise regularly to relieve tension that builds up over the day. Avoid rigorous activity in the evenings as this can keep you awake
• Cut down on caffeine and opt for milky or herbal teas
• Do not overindulge in alcohol or food too close to bedtime
• Do not smoke - nicotine is a stimulant
• Relax before bed with a warm bath, calm music or gentle yoga
• Write down any worries or to-do lists for the next day
• Get up if you cannot sleep and do something until you feel tired again

Due to dysania not being medically recognised, its prevalence is unclear.

However, being so fatigued you could stay in bed for days is considered very rare.

This comes after research released earlier this month suggested teenagers who regularly get less than six hours sleep a night are twice as likely to smoke, drink or take drugs.

Researchers, at Brigham and Women's Hospital, also found youngsters who often stay up later and wake up earlier face treble the risk of suicide.

HOW TO COPE WITH SLEEP PROBLEMS

Poor sleep can lead to worrying and worrying can lead to poor sleep, according to the mental-health charity Mind.

A lack of shut eye is considered a problem when it impacts on a person's daily life.

As a result, they may feel anxious if they believe lack of sleep prevents them from rationalising their thoughts.

Insomnia is also associated with depression, psychosis and PTSD.

Establishing a sleep routine where you go to bed and get up at the same time every day can help a person spend less time in bed and more time asleep.

Calming music, breathing exercises, visualising pleasant memories and meditation also encourage shut eye.

Having tech-free time an hour or so before bed can also prepare you for sleep.

If you still struggle to nod off, keeping a sleep diary where you record the hours you spend asleep and the quality of your shut eye on a scale of one to five can be a good thing to show your doctor.

Also note how many times you wake in the night, if you need to nap, if you have nightmares, your diet and your general mood.

Sleep problems can be a sign of an underlying physical condition, like pain.

Talking therapies can help your recongise unhelpful thought patterns that might affect sleep.

While medication, such as sleeping pills, can help break short periods of insomnia and help you return to better a sleeping pattern.

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