Wake Up Refreshed: Setting Alarms After Rem Sleep

If you're waking up feeling groggy, it could be because you're in the middle of a REM cycle when your alarm goes off. REM sleep stimulates the parts of the brain needed for learning new things and affects how we learn certain mental skills. Waking up during this stage can cause sleep drunkenness, with symptoms including disorientation and drowsiness lasting up to 15 minutes. It can also lead to mood swings and depression. To avoid this, you could try an app like Sleep Cycle, which wakes you up during a light sleep phase, or adjust your alarm by 10-15 minutes to see if you wake up naturally after your last REM cycle.

Use a sleep-tracking app to monitor sleep cycles and wake up during light sleep

Sleep-tracking apps can help you understand your sleep patterns and make adjustments to improve your sleep quality. These apps can monitor your sleep cycles and wake you up during a light sleep phase, helping you feel more rested when you wake up. Here are some tips on how to use a sleep-tracking app effectively:

• Choose a Reliable App: Opt for a well-reviewed sleep-tracking app that suits your needs. Look for features such as sleep cycle tracking, smart alarms, sleep analysis, and recommendations for improving sleep. Some popular options include Sleep Cycle, SleepScore, Pillow, and Sleep as Android.
• Understand Your Sleep Cycles: Familiarize yourself with the different sleep stages, such as REM sleep, light sleep, and deep sleep. Knowing these stages will help you interpret your sleep data and make adjustments to your sleep habits.
• Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This will help the app accurately track your sleep patterns and make it easier to wake up during light sleep.
• Utilize Smart Alarm Features: Take advantage of the smart alarm feature offered by many sleep-tracking apps. This feature allows you to set a wake-up window, and the app will gently wake you up during a light sleep phase within that time frame.
• Analyze Your Sleep Data: Regularly review your sleep data to identify patterns and trends. Look for correlations between your sleep quality and factors such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits. This information can guide you in making positive changes to improve your sleep.
• Experiment with Different Settings: Sleep-tracking apps often provide customizable settings, such as alarm sounds, snooze options, and sleep tracking methods (e.g., sound detection, movement tracking). Experiment with these settings to find the combination that works best for you.
• Consider Additional Features: Some sleep-tracking apps offer extra features like sleep sounds, bedtime reminders, and heart rate tracking. Explore these features to enhance your sleep experience and gain more insights into your sleep quality.

Remember, while sleep-tracking apps can be useful, they should not replace the advice of a medical professional. If you have concerns about your sleep or persistent sleep problems, consult a healthcare provider for personalized guidance and recommendations.

Opt for a gentler, soothing alarm sound that gradually increases in volume

Opting for a gentler, soothing alarm sound that gradually increases in volume is a great way to ensure you wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Here are some tips to help you set an alarm that will ease you out of sleep gently:

• Choose Soothing Sounds: Instead of a loud and jarring alarm, opt for calming and gentle sounds like birds chirping, bells chiming, or your favourite song. These sounds will help you wake up gradually and peacefully.
• Gradual Volume Increase: Set your alarm to start at a low volume and gradually increase in intensity. This will allow you to become more conscious and thoughtful about your actions before you need to get up.
• Customisable Options: Some alarm clocks and apps offer customisable alarm settings. You can choose the type of sound, adjust the volume, and even set a specific time frame for your alarm to go off, ensuring a pleasant wake-up experience.
• Sunrise Simulation: Consider using a sunrise alarm clock or app that gradually brightens the room before your alarm time. This can help take the edge off waking up, simulating a natural sunrise and making it easier to get out of bed.
• Soothing Alarm Clocks: There are alarm clocks designed specifically for a gentle wake-up experience. These often include features like gentle wake-up lights, soothing sounds, and volume control.
• Music Library: If you have an iPhone, you can set songs from your music library as alarm sounds. Carefully select songs that start calm and gradually increase in intensity, creating your own personalised soothing alarm.

Use light cues to wake up, such as leaving shades raised or using a sunrise alarm clock

Light plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles. Our internal clock, which runs in 24-hour cycles, is influenced by light cues that help us stay in sync with the outside world. This is especially important in regions that experience less sunlight during certain seasons, such as the Pacific Northwest during winter.

To set an alarm for after REM sleep, one strategy is to use light cues to wake up. This can be achieved by leaving your shades raised at night if the actual sunrise corresponds to your desired wake-up time. However, ensure that light sources outside your home, such as street lights, are not visible as they can interfere with falling asleep. Alternatively, you can invest in smart shades that can be programmed to rise at a specific time.

If you need to wake up before sunrise or in a dark room, you can use a sunrise alarm clock, which gradually increases the brightness in your room over 15 to 30 minutes before your set wake-up time. These alarms mimic the sun and usually start with a soft yellow, orange, or red hue, gradually transitioning into a bright white light. Some models also offer additional features like nature sounds, such as birds chirping or water rushing, and a sunset feature to help you fall asleep.

Sunrise alarm clocks are a good option if you have blackout curtains, live in a place with limited sunlight, or if your internal clock responds well to light stimuli. They provide a gentler and more gradual wake-up experience, reducing sleep inertia—the groggy and disoriented feeling that comes with abrupt awakenings.

When choosing a sunrise alarm clock, consider factors such as setup and ease of use, size, light and sound options, multiple alarms, battery backup, smart features, and durability. Some popular options include the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light, the Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock, the Hatch Restore 2, and the Casper Glow Light. These devices offer various features, including customizable light and sound options, compact designs, and intuitive controls.

Set a smart shade to open at a certain time to let in natural light

Smart shades are a great way to let natural light into your home at a certain time to help you wake up. They can be set to a schedule or controlled via an app on your phone, and some can even be voice-controlled through smart home systems such as Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit.

When choosing smart shades, it's important to consider the following:

• Compatibility: Ensure that the shades are compatible with your current smart home system, or choose a system you'd like to have in place and select shades that work with it.
• Window size: Smart shades are typically custom-made to fit your window, so measure your windows carefully before ordering. Some brands offer standard sizes, but the selection may be limited.
• Power source: Smart shades can be battery-operated, hardwired, or solar-powered. Consider the advertised battery life and whether the batteries are rechargeable or need to be replaced.
• Ease of use: Decide how you want your smart shades to work for you. Do you want to set them to a schedule, or would you prefer to control them with a remote?
• Style: Choose the type of shades you want, the level of light filtering, and the colour that best fits your home decor.
• Lutron Serena Smart Roller Shades: These shades are compatible with major voice assistants and have a robust, easy-to-use app. They offer various light-filtering levels and colour options, and you can customise the power source. However, pricing information is only available after customisation, and the products tend to be on the pricier side.
• SmarterHome MySmartRollerShades: These shades are solar-powered, so you don't have to worry about replacing batteries or hardwiring them. They can be programmed to open at sunrise and close at sunset, or you can set a custom schedule. They offer a variety of colours and three light-filtering options, but they do not support Google Assistant and require a separate bridge for smart home integration.
• Leviosa Shades Smart Shades: These shades offer excellent smart home integration, with compatibility with nine different systems, including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. They are highly customisable in terms of colour, pattern, light-filtering, and power options. However, pricing information is only available after customisation.
• Graywind Motorized Solar Shades: These affordable shades offer custom sizing and a wide range of colours and light-filtering levels. They are compatible with several voice assistants, but some reviewers had trouble setting up the Alexa integration.

Use scents as incentives to get out of bed, such as brewing coffee

The smell of freshly brewed coffee is a powerful motivator to get out of bed in the morning. The scent of coffee can be a positive reinforcer, encouraging you to get out of bed and start your day on a positive note. It can be a pleasant stimulus that makes you feel rewarded and encourages you to repeat the behaviour of getting up.

There are several ways to fill your home with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Brewing a pot of coffee is the most obvious and satisfying way to fill your home with the scent of coffee. You can also try roasting green coffee beans in your oven, which will not only make your home smell amazing but also give you delicious-tasting coffee.

If you're looking for a quick fix, coffee-scented candles are a popular choice and for good reason—they work! You can make your own by filling a cup or jar with coffee beans and placing a tealight on top. The heat from the candle will warm the beans, releasing their subtle aroma. Alternatively, you can make your own coffee-scented candle by melting wax and layering it with coffee grounds in a jar.

For a more subtle scent, try filling a small container or teacup with coffee beans and placing it in your bedroom or closet. You can also make a simple coffee air freshener by filling an old pair of stockings with whole coffee beans and hanging them up.

If you're a coffee addict who can't get enough of the smell, try stocking up on coffee-scented soaps or fragrance oils for your aromatherapy diffuser. You can even find coffee-scented drawer sachets and incense sticks to add little bursts of coffee fragrance throughout your home.

So, if you're looking for an incentive to get out of bed in the morning, the scent of freshly brewed coffee is a great option. Whether you brew a fresh pot, roast your own beans, or opt for coffee-scented candles or air fresheners, the enticing aroma of coffee is sure to get you moving in the morning.

Frequently asked questions