Yes, you will usually wake up after anesthesia, because the anesthetist stops the drugs when the procedure is finished. With general anesthesia, you are unconscious during the operation, then you wake up in the recovery room or soon after, often within about five minutes after the drugs are stopped. You may feel sleepy, confused for a short time, or not remember the first few minutes. Some people also have a sore throat, nausea, chills, or a headache.

An anesthetist stays with you the whole time and watches your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs closely. Rarely, a person may become aware during a general anesthetic. This is called accidental awareness, and it is very rare.

If you are having sedation or regional anesthesia, you may wake up faster or stay awake during parts of the procedure, depending on the type used. Verify the exact plan with your surgical or anesthesia team in case they want something different for you.