Overview

• Researchers recorded over 1,000 awakenings in 20 volunteers using 256-channel EEG to map second-by-second brain activity.
• Analysis showed that awakening unfolds as a consistent wave of activation moving from frontal executive regions to posterior visual areas.
• Initiation patterns vary by sleep stage: REM awakenings propagate front-to-back, while non-REM awakenings first emerge at a central hotspot before following the same trajectory.
• Certain slow waves present just before awakening correlate with reduced sleep inertia, whereas persistent slow waves may drive morning grogginess.
• The researchers are exploring how these precise awakening signatures can inform interventions to combat sleep inertia and diagnose or treat insomnia.