Like most people, you’re probably one of those who needs an alarm to wake up in the morning or after a nap. This routine is great when you have a fixed routine, need to wake at a specific time and have a bunch of stuff to complete. In the long run, you have probably become accustomed to it too.
But is there no other way to wake up without having to depend on external factors? Let’s figure out whether there is anything wrong with morning alarms, or whether they’re merely a harmless and convenient aid.
What’s The Problem With Wake-Up Alarms?
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, you need a certain quantity and quality of sleep to keep you physically and emotionally healthy.
Sleep science experts have observed that waking to an alarm may create physical and emotional stress, make you feel irritable, groggy, or sleep-deprived.
For some people the sudden, jarring cacophony of their alarms is a shock as it jerks them out of deep sleep. This triggers the Fight or Flight reaction in the body, pumps hormones such as cortisol or adrenaline into the bloodstream, speeds up your heart-rate and suddenly boosts your blood pressure.
Another issue with wake up alarms is that in the long term they have a negative impact on the body’s natural circadian rhythm. This innate quality is present in living beings to respond to light and darkness. Constant use of an alarm makes your brain and body unable to react to the natural progression of daylight and night time.
In terms of mental and emotional impact, wake up alarms could lead to accumulated sleep deprivation if you continuously wake up without having your full quota of sleep. The different stages of sleep may be interrupted with harmful results if you wake up before you’ve had a proper sleep.
Keeping these aspects in mind, it’s wise to explore the best ways to wake up naturally and incorporate these habits into your daily life.
Waking Up Naturally : Useful Tips
Analyze your own routine and check whether you’re more active in the mornings or later in the evening. This can help you to create a more personalized sleep schedule.
The basic principle that lies at the heart of the process of waking up naturally is to be mindful of the earth’s naturally occurring process of day and night. Human beings are hard-wired to respond to this and allowing yourself to get exposed to a natural sunrise, early dawn light and morning sounds of nature helps the body to slip into the rhythm.
Your goal should be to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. If you have a hectic daytime schedule, make a personal pre-bedtime schedule that includes laying out your clothes, keeping your car keys and wallet in a designated place, and doing some prep work for the next day’s breakfast. This is also the time to relax and bond with your kids or seniors in the home for a while.
You will need to set your morning alarm in the first few days of this exercise. Ensure that it is a pleasant sound. Open the curtains and windows, step outside if possible and breathe deeply. Experience the gradual brightening of light for at least 30 minutes.
Use a simple alarm clock rather than a digital one while you create your natural wake up routine. Find a great range of alarm clocks that are analog here. After a few days, your body clock gets re-set by itself so that you can eliminate the need for an alarm.
If you live where winter nights are long and sunlight is meager, you can use a sun-lamp to simulate the dawning of daylight. On rainy or dark mornings, turn on the lights in your room and resist the urge to snuggle back under the blankets.
Get started on a consistent bedtime routine. This means avoid screen time for at least an hour before you get into bed. The blue light emitted from TV and computer screens has a highly stimulating effect on the brain, and this delays your sleep. Keep the temperature in the room at a comfortable level, and make sure you don’t eat or drink anything spicy, heavy, sugary or alcoholic at night.
Make a few lifestyle changes to help your body to become more sensitized to the circadian cycle. You will need to exercise sensibly, and ensure that your exercise schedule is during the day or early evening. Nutritious food and a balanced diet help to avoid digestive problems that could interfere with your sleep.
Obviously you love your weekends and holidays, but don’t disrupt your routine too much by sleeping in late. This will undo all the hard work you’ve put in so far to wake up naturally.
