It takes the average human seven minutes to go to sleep, but according to Hand's Human Physiology, it takes the same average human fifteen to twenty minutes to wake up. It is as if sleep is a pool from which emerging is more difficult than entering. When the sleeper wakes, he or she comes up by degrees, from deep sleep to light sleep to what is sometimes called 'waking sleep,' a state in which the sleeper can hear sounds and will even respond to questions without being aware of it later...except perhaps as fragments of dreams.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Sleep is easy to enter but hard to exit, often leaving people in a groggy state where they react without full awareness.
- In plain terms
- Falling asleep happens quickly, but waking up takes longer and feels gradual.
- What can you take from it?
- Allow extra time to fully wake up before starting important tasks.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How long does it take you to feel fully awake?
- Have you ever responded to something while still half-asleep?
Another view
The specific times cited vary by individual and are not universal laws.
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