Sleep drunkeness

What it means

Sleep drunkenness refers to the prolonged and pronounced difficulty with awakening from nocturnal sleep and daytime naps. This symptom should be distinguished from the milder and physiologic state of sleep inertia seen even in healthy controls.

Episodes of sleep drunkenness may be characterized by disorientation, grogginess, and, at times, significant agitation upon awakening or following forced awakenings.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Confusional arousal · Excessive sleep inertia · Slow speech or confused thinking upon waking