Waking up on the wrong side of the bed may be more than just a figure of speech, with new research suggesting that how we feel first thing in the morning can encourage us to look more closely at our sleep, recovery and overall wellbeing.

According to research commissioned by Samsung to celebrate the launch of Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, one in four Brits wake up feeling grumpy, drained or easily irritated several times a week, rising to seven in 10 when looking specifically at Millennials and Gen Z.

Over a third (35%) of the nation regularly start the day feeling tired, low on energy or simply not quite themselves, with nearly two thirds (63%) admitting the way they feel when they wake up often affects the rest of their day.

Lack of motivation (49%), irritability (32%), feeling emotionally low (31%) and stressed (28%) are just some of the things Brits feel when they haven’t slept well.

While these feelings have often been dismissed as simply ‘waking up on the wrong side of the bed’, the findings suggest many consumers are becoming increasingly interested in understanding what may sit behind these changes in mood, energy and wellbeing.

In fact, 84% say they would like a deeper understanding of what their body is telling them when they wake up feeling different to usual.

The findings suggest people are thinking differently about their sleep and wellbeing, looking beyond hours slept to better understand how their bodies recover overnight. Rather than simply reacting to how they feel each morning, many want more personalised insights into their health over time.

That shift is fuelling interest in tools that make those signals easier to read. Samsung Health’s new Vitals feature, available on Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, tracks five overnight bio-signals like heart rate and skin temperature against a user’s usual patterns to detect changes in recovery and overall wellbeing, helping users better understand their overnight recovery and the signals their bodies may be giving them.

Reflecting this shift towards proactive health management, nearly two thirds (63%) say they pay closer attention to their health than they did five years ago, while 54% say they are more proactive about monitoring their wellbeing today than in the past.

As consumers increasingly look to understand what their bodies are telling them, personalised health insights are becoming an important part of helping people make informed decisions about their daily wellbeing.

Many are already turning to technology to support this approach to health. The study found as a nation, we’re already tracking at least one aspect of health or wellbeing, such as sleep (35%), weight/body composition (34%), activity levels (29%), nutrition (25%), heart health (21%) or stress (20%), while 66% believe technology can help them better understand the signals their bodies are giving them and support healthier everyday habits.

As awareness grows around the connection between sleep, recovery and overall wellbeing, the findings suggest that waking up on the wrong side of the bed may sometimes have less to do with mood and more to do with the signals our bodies are giving us about how well we have recovered overnight.

By analysing multiple signals together, rather than focusing on a single measurement, Samsung Health’s Vitals provides greater context around how the body is responding overnight and can help users better understand mornings when they wake up feeling unusually tired, low on energy or below their best.

Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 are available to purchase now, with prices starting from £349 and £649 respectively at Samsung.com/uk.

1. Not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. If you have health concerns, be sure to see a medical professional. Vitals is available on Android phones (Android 11 or above) and requires the Samsung Health app (v7.0 or above). Samsung account login required. ︎