The Alarm Clock Is Ringing: It Is Time To Get More Sleep!
A 2017 survey found that staying in bed is much more common than we think. Nearly 70% of young people aged 20 to 29 are unable to get up immediately after the alarm clock goes off. A recent study published in the Journal of Sleep Research One article also reported that 69% of respondents would use the “sleep for a while” function or set multiple alarms.
Getting Up As Soon As The Alarm Clock Goes Off Is Really Anti-human
The researchers interviewed the participants and found that the most common reasons were being unable to wake up or being too tired. After all, going to work every day is exhausting, and you may have to work overtime or stay up late at night. Our bodies and brains are already overloaded, and just a few hours of sleep is simply not enough.
Others include “worry about not waking up”, “needing longer sleep time”, “lack of motivation to get up”, “lack of sleep”, etc., which are also common reasons why people want to stay in bed.
Therefore, it’s not your fault that you can’t get up. Staying in bed in the morning is perfectly natural.
Sleep For A While After The Alarm Goes Off To Feel Better
Not only that, the latest scientific research has even found that staying in bed for a while and taking a nap after the alarm goes off may be better for our bodies!
A research team from Stockholm University in Sweden recruited a group of participants and divided them into two groups. One group was the “nap group”. They needed to set the first alarm 30 minutes before getting up, and then set the alarm every 9 to 10 minutes. The other group is the “wake up immediately group”, in which participants get up immediately after the alarm clock rings.
Researchers unexpectedly found that taking a 30-minute nap after an alarm clock went off significantly improved cognitive abilities, including arithmetic speed, contextual memory, and cognitive control abilities.
Think about it, after all, I spend most of my energy getting up every day. Where can I have the energy to care about memory and self-control? It would be nice to be able to catch up and clock in on time!
Additionally, taking a short nap can increase cortisol levels in the morning, making you more alert and in a better mood when you wake up. A positive mood, optimistic attitude, sharp cognitive thinking, and abundant energy are essential elements that can significantly improve work efficiency.
Researchers explain that this is due to the fact that there is a transitional period between sleep and wakefulness, known as sleep inertia. During this period, people may experience temporary confusion, delayed reactions, lack of focus, and decreased memory, which gradually dissipates with increased wakefulness.
Studies from neuroscience also reveal that there are considerable neural activity differences between sleep and wakefulness, which can cause delays when transitioning between states.
From an evolutionary perspective, a certain amount of sleep inertia can help us fall back asleep quickly if we wake up by chance, helping us conserve energy. However, a 30-minute snooze might assist in alleviating sleep inertia and improving cognitive function after waking up.
In other words, our bodies also need a little buffering time. Taking a nap after the alarm goes off will not only improve cognitive function and regulate cortisol levels, but also keep you in a better state and mood.
How Can I Get Out Of Bed Without Experiencing Pain?
- According to experiments, we can set 3 to 4 alarm clocks and wake ourselves up gently.
- The first alarm should be as gentle as possible. You can use the sleep alarm on your iPhone, with the volume gradually increasing and a refreshing and cheerful melody. Alternatively, you can use a smartwatch that wakes you up with a vibration on your wrist. You could also consider automatic curtains opening or a natural wake-up light that simulates sunlight.
- Never use the iPhone ringtone radar. The sharp tones can scare people awake, but they also suspect that they will be frightened into falling asleep for a long time.
- Then, set a gentle alarm every 9 to 10 minutes and let yourself take three more light naps before finally waking up. This will reduce the discomfort caused by being woken up and make it easier for you to wake up.
- Of course, you always have to get up from this bed, so you can’t take a nap indefinitely. Remember to change the ddl to an equally gentle ringtone when you wake up to tell yourself that you really have to get up.
- If you are worried that the last alarm clock will not wake you up, you can give yourself some strength at the end. For example, use an alarm clock carpet weighing more than 15 kilograms. Stand for 10 seconds before the alarm clock stops.
- In short, taking a nap after the alarm goes off is actually a wise choice! Stop feeling like you’re wrong, we’re here to start the day better.