For numerous individuals, especially those who are night owls or parents lacking sufficient sleep, utilizing multiple alarms can serve as an effective method to ensure they rise in the morning.
While this approach may appear to be the most straightforward method for ensuring timely rising, it has been found to be counterproductive.
Nurse Jordan Bruss has gained significant attention online after advising her TikTok followers to refrain from setting multiple alarms.
The video shared by the nurse has raised concerns among viewers, with one individual commenting, “If I had the option to wake up with a single alarm, do you believe I would set multiple alarms?”
Another adds: “I can’t just ‘get up.’”
“Okay, well it’s either that or I don’t go to work,” moans a third.
In the widely circulated video, Nurse Bruss elucidates the reasons why this prevalent practice may be causing more harm than benefit.
The nurse indicates that having several alarms set in the morning may interfere with your rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle.
As reported by Medical News Today, REM sleep is characterized by various physiological changes in the brain and body, including rapid eye movement, elevated heart rate, and increased blood pressure.
This can result in various adverse consequences, such as sleep inertia (the disoriented sensation experienced upon waking), heightened drowsiness during the day, ongoing fatigue, fluctuations in mood, and increased cortisol levels, which is recognized as ‘the primary stress hormone in the body,’ according to WebMD.
Each time an alarm goes off, it triggers a ‘fight or flight’ response in our bodies.
The abrupt increase in adrenaline levels can be quite stressful, and when experienced repeatedly each morning, it may lead to long-term effects.
Bruss indicates that prolonged exposure to stress can lead to various health issues, including long-term stress, depression, cardiovascular complications, and potentially weight gain; indeed, chronic stress triggered by alarms may also influence our body weight.
But the nurse isn’t the only expert issuing a warning.
Sleep coach Beatrix Schmidt has stated that during her battle with chronic insomnia, she would often set two to three alarms.
She’s observed various iterations of this behavior in clients, with one extreme case involving the person setting ‘over 20 alarms, each five minutes apart.’
The primary issue with multiple alarms is sleep fragmentation during the final hours of rest.
Sleep fragmentation refers to frequent, brief interruptions during sleep, resulting in significant fatigue during the day, according to Eight Sleep.
Schmidt states that experiencing this fragmentation at the end can significantly influence your level of energy in the morning.
The sleeping coach illustrates a common situation: you may awaken to the initial alarm, press the snooze button, and subsequently fall back asleep.
The second alarm may encourage you to activate the lights prior to falling asleep once more.
Finally, the third or last alarm gets you out of bed.
So, what’s the solution?
Bruss’ advice is simple but may be challenging for many: “When that alarm goes off in the morning, get up!”
The expert suggests two effective strategies for those who tend to oversleep.
She recommends placing your alarm clock at a distance from your bed, which necessitates that you rise to deactivate it.
Schmidt advocates for the establishment of a significant and rewarding morning routine that you can anticipate, which may include activities such as reading or listening to music; however, it is advised not to engage in these activities while in bed.
“Why don’t you intentionally do something that actually brings some joy into your morning routine?” the sleep coach says.
Both specialists emphasize that one should not anticipate being completely awake right after rising, with Schmidt underscoring the point: “Keep in mind that waking up is a transition, not an instantaneous change!”
As Bruss puts it: “Don’t keep traumatizing yourself!”
Sources: igvofficial; wdyst
