Start button has to be pushed three times

I have an iPhone XS. For at least the last 4 times I've restarted my iPhone, I had discovered I have to push and hold down the start button THREE TIMES and on the third try I see the Apple logo and the phone starts.

For a while I thought it was just the fact that I have the phone in a case and when I push the start button I am actually pushing on a button that is part of the case which then pushes down inside on the actual start button. For a while I thought it was just me not holding down the start button through this cover either hard enough or long enough.

But NO. I've done it enough times now and I always hold the start button down HARD and for quite a long time. I am now pretty sure this phone just doesn't respond on a valid first or second long, hard press... But it does start on the 3rd. Does that make any sense???

I am considering taking the phone out of the case (not easy to do) and trying the button without the cover...

But I really don't think the cover has anything to do with it because when I do a shutdown where I have to hold down TWO buttons, including the START button, it always works (offers to shutdown) on the 1st try...

What is wrong??? Is there any valid reason for it only starting on the 3rd long (15 seconds at least) and HARD press of the START Button???

thanks