General anesthesia, used for major operations, causes loss of consciousness or puts you to sleep and makes you unable to move. Sedation, often used for minimally invasive surgery, blocks pain and causes sleepiness, but doesn't put you to sleep.

Does anesthesia make you sleepy after?

Some people feel sleepy but otherwise fine as the anesthesia wears off; others have side effects such as nausea or chills, and sometimes vomiting. Your throat may be sore from a tube that helped you breathe during surgery.

How long do you sleep after anesthesia?

After Surgery

If you had general anesthesia or were sedated, don't expect to be fully awake right away — it may take a while and you may doze off for a bit. It usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour to recover completely from general anesthesia.