Explore the surprising role alarms play beyond waking us up. Learn how different sounds can impact our stress levels and heart rate. Discover the science behind choosing the right alarm, from jolting tones to soothing melodies. Find out if hitting the snooze button truly benefits your sleep. Gain practical tips for enhancing your morning routine and avoiding sleep inertia for a more refreshing start to your day!
04:44
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Stressful Awakenings
Abrupt awakenings trigger adrenaline, causing stress and increased heart rate.
Neuroscientist Sydney Aten highlighted this jarring effect for the body.
insights INSIGHT
Impact of Alarm Sounds
Neutral alarm sounds like Apple's Radar or Samsung's Morning Flower can induce sleep inertia.
Melodious sounds like birdsong may offer gentler waking but can become irritating with repetition.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Snoozing's Negative Impact
Avoid hitting snooze as it worsens grogginess and disrupts sleep cycles.
It exacerbates sleep inertia by plunging you back into fragmented sleep.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Did you know that the alarm clock actually serves a greater purpose than simply rousing us from sleep? Whether it's the buzz of your smartphone, a breaking news update, or a soothing classical tune, your alarm sets the tone for the day ahead. And it can be quite the dilemma choosing between a jolting alarm which is guaranteed you wake you up or nature sounds that might end up lulling you back to sleep—or worse, not wake you up at all.
Sydney Aten is an American neuroscientist who specialises in circadian rhythms and sleep. Talking to HuffPost.com for an article on alarm sounds which was published in 2023, she pointed out that waking up abruptly can be quite jarring for the body. It triggers a real surge of adrenaline, a hormone which is typically released in response to intense emotions or sensations. Basically, waking up to a loud or piercing sound can spike our heart rate and induce stress.
What about using more neutral sounds then? What about hitting the snooze button - is that a good way to snag a few extra minutes of sleep? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!
To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:
Do you really know?