SELF
Why Your Alarm Clock Is Killing You, and How You Can Fix It
A wake-up call
Nailing that company interview after a prep session that make their interns look incompetent. Closing that business deal after hours of deliberation. Showing up for an online class after a night of Valorant with the boys.
The most grueling part of a routine is its insistence for you to wake up on time. And in these trying times, it’s not uncommon to succumb to the comfort of our beds. People with impeccable time management and flawless body clocks aside, waking up after a long night is often infuriating. But I’d rather wake up than not. You know what I mean.
What’s wrong with using alarm clocks?
Most humans don’t wake up at 5:55 AM to switch off a 6 AM alarm. Instead, they use a battalion of alarms on their phones that bore into thick skulls in intervals of a few minutes. A tactic that is going to cost you. Dearly.
While I am no authority on the subject, the folks at the National Institute of Industrial Health in Japan are. Based on their findings, alarms can mess you up real bad if you use them on a daily basis, something that most of us are guilty of. Despite the fact that alarm clocks are a widespread phenomenon, the jolt that wakes you up isn’t good for you. In fact, it increases your blood pressure and heart rate. Two things that can have a detrimental effect on your health in the long term. As the adrenaline kicks in, you start off the day stressed. And that’s without taking poor sleep into account.
This is something I have experienced as well. My heart used to beat like a maniac when I used to have a barrage of alarms ready to kick my day off. It steadily improved as I cut it down to two alarms with a soothing tune instead of one that assaulted my eardrums.
In the early hours of the day, the changes that occur in our bodies make them susceptible to loud noises and sudden alerts, a weakness clocks shouldn’t be taking advantage of. Since you lie relatively still at night, your blood thickens, so a surge in heart rate and blood pressure is far from good news. Waking up every day using a fight or flight response isn’t helping anyone have a productive day. Sometimes you wake as though you were drunk, a consequence of being disturbed during the deep sleep state. Waking up during this state has been shown to affect memory and cognitive abilities, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. This can prove a disaster for people who need to function at their very best right from the get-go, like doctors or firefighters. It’ll get you to your workplace on time, but at what cost?
And you have a solution?
Well, it’s not that simple. And keeping alarms is a habit that needs to be weeded out slowly, not all at once. Here are some things you can do to smoothen the transition to a clock-free life. It’s hard but it’s not impossible. I’m not one to talk. But these changes have provided me with a welcome respite from the clutches of droning alarm clocks.
- Try cutting down the number of alarms you use. Stick to two alarms: a warning and then an order. This cuts down on the jabs your body receives while encouraging discipline in your routine. It becomes the first thing you succeed in, instead of being the first thing that bugs you enough to get a move on. Changing the alarm tune from loud beeps of horror to gentle chimes or sounds inspired by nature can make the difference between waking up abruptly and getting up peacefully.
- Try waking up to natural light. Position your bed accordingly and keep your curtains open. I know, it isn’t easy. But if you want to live long, you have to tighten up some aspects of your life. If you wake up before light has a chance to show up, smart lighting systems these days let you set them to light up when you want them to. It’s a worthwhile investment.
- Speaking of tightening up your life, try sleeping and waking at the same time every day. This helps your body get accustomed to the new sleep schedule, making your body clock functional again. And yes, there will be exceptions. As a student myself, I know where you’re coming from. But all I’m saying is that some long nights can be avoided. And gaming isn’t any less cool if you do it when normal people are up and about.
- Try getting eight hours of sleep. Look, I get it. You want those grades. You want a job. You want to get more time for that hobby of yours. Or you just want to submit an assignment on time. Whatever it is, cutting down on sleep isn’t the solution. I’m not going to preach, but the new routine that I find myself in has made me feel better about myself. Regardless of whether it’s because of the pandemic that keeps most of us at homes or not, eight hours of sleep is a drug you need to consume to believe. An hour of meditation or exercise in the morning won’t hurt either.
- Get a fitness tracker. Most of them let you track your sleep in addition to steps walked and calories burned. They even give you handy charts on the quality of your sleep, if you’re into that stuff. Their alarms consist of gentle vibrations on your wrist. They pick the right time for this by monitoring your sleep, helping you get up when you are closest to waking. Anything that doesn’t bore into your eardrums is an improvement. But smartwatches and fitness trackers take things one step further. An investment that will pay off in the long run.
Getting up isn’t something that’s simple for everyone. Especially for those night owls who work better at night. But an effective schedule and the right changes in your alarm system can make a world of difference. Reduce heart risks and blood pressure surges that could mess with your health in the future. Wake up at ease to a better tomorrow.
Just don’t hit snooze.
