People disturbed after realising what yellow stuff in your eyes when you wake up actually is
After a long day at work, there is no greater satisfaction than getting into bed, putting your head down on the pillow, and drifting off to the land of nod.
There’s truly nothing else like it. But then comes the morning after—less magical, more miserable. Dragging yourself out of bed, you shuffle to the mirror… only to be greeted by a generous serving of revolting yellow gunk clinging to the corners of your eyes. Not exactly the fairy-tale ending you hoped for.
We’ve all done it—wiped it away without a second thought, pretending our bodies aren’t sometimes downright disgusting. But let’s be honest: how many of us actually know what that mysterious “yellow sleep” in the corners of our eyes really is?
It’s a nearly universal experience, and yet, most people never stop to question it.
That is, until a TikTok revelation left viewers genuinely stunned.
“If you’ve ever woken up in the morning and found some crust in your eyes,” neuroscientist Andrew Huberman began, “you know what I mean—that yellowish gunk. Yeah, I know, it sounds a little gross, but bear with me…”
As Andrew Huberman went on to explain, “That gunk is actually dead bacteria—tiny invaders your eyes fought off while you slept. So when you wipe it away in the morning, you’re literally clearing away the fallen enemies from a battle your body won overnight.”
Pretty wild, right?
The truth is, your eyes produce small amounts of mucus and oils to keep themselves moist and healthy. But since you don’t blink while you’re sleeping, all that discharge can build up and collect in the corners of your eyes.
Depending on the person—and the night—it can be crusty, sticky, thick, thin, white, clear, or tinged slightly yellow. But most often, it’s the classic combo of crusty and yellow that greets you at sunrise.
When TikTok viewers learned the true story behind their eye crust, their minds were blown. The comments section quickly lit up with reactions ranging from shocked disbelief to fascinated curiosity.
One user summed it up perfectly: “I refuse to lose—even when I’m sleeping.” Another chimed in with the ultimate morning motivation: “Starting the day with a victory.”
And then came the curveball: “When I was in kindergarten, I put them in my tea,” followed by a skull emoji. Honestly, we’re still recovering from that one.
While this eye discharge is totally normal—just your body doing its job—there are times when it could signal something more serious. If you notice thick, sticky yellow pus that clings to your lashes and doesn’t clear up, it could be a sign of conjunctivitis, a.k.a. pink eye. In that case, it’s time to swap the jokes for a quick trip to the doctor.
Conjunctivitis, often caused by an infection or allergies, can be uncomfortable—even if it typically clears up on its own within a couple of weeks. While it’s not usually serious, it is seriously annoying.
The condition can leave your eyes red, burning, itchy, and gritty, with pus that clings stubbornly to your lashes. Not exactly a fun time.
To help ease the symptoms, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends a simple at-home remedy:
Use clean water to gently wash your eyelids. First, boil the water and let it cool down. Then, using a clean cotton wool pad, gently wipe away any crusts or discharge—making sure to use a separate pad for each eye to avoid spreading the infection.
