Photo Credit: vaXzine on Flickr.com
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, time has become our most precious commodity. Time is especially limited on hectic weekday mornings, and the alarm clock has become the tool of choice for managing our tight morning schedules. The alarm clock might be a staple in every bedroom, but there’s another way to rouse yourself from bed every morning which doesn’t involve the snooze button.
Your body conveniently has its own clock. This biological clock regulates everything from your sleep and wake cycles to the strength of your muscles over the course of a day. During sleep, we go through numerous cycles of light and deep (REM) sleep. Each of these cycles takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. Our internal clock regulates this rhythm and will usually wake us up naturally after a period of light sleep. When we use an alarm clock, we bypass this mechanism. This means we can be woken up in the middle of a cycle, leaving us feeling groggy and disoriented for hours.
Here’s how to set your internal clock and wake without an alarm!
1. Determine what time you need to get up the next day and select an appropriate time to go to sleep, ideally a certain number of 90 minute increments.
2. As you lay in bed, visualize the current time and the time you need to wake. Focus intently on what time you need wake. Repeat it in your head over and over. It might seem ridiculous, but your body really can keep track of time.
3. Set your alarm clock as an emergency backup, 15 – 30 minutes after you plan on waking. This will give you a window to wake up naturally without causing you to miss your carpool if something goes wrong.
These techniques have worked for many, and with moderate effort … you too can have the same results.
