Why do I feel better when I wake myself up instead of using an alarm? We have all been there: you’re dreaming a beautiful fantasy. Perhaps you’re flying. You meet an eagle as you fly through the sky. You see the eagle looking at you. It opens its beak and then – BEEP. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! It’s time to wake up.
Both kids and adults notice they are more alert when they awaken naturally. Why?
As a neurosurgeon, I study the brain and specifically what occurs in the brain while you sleep. Also, I help children and adults sleep better. In my research, I work with parents in order to teach them good sleeping habits for their children. You need to understand sleep cycles to learn how to improve your sleep and to feel more alert when you wake up from sleep.
Four stages make up the sleep cycle
Rapid eye movement (REM) is one of the stages. Three of these are called non-REM. You first enter a drowsy state called Stage 1 of non-REM when you are falling asleep. Then, the deeper sleep stages called non-REM Stages 2 and 3 follow. The non-REM stages are deeper each time. After about 90 minutes, the fourth phase, REM, begins. It is the stage where dreams are most common. You return to non-REM after a few moments.
The four phases of sleep. (Credit The Conversation, CC BY). The cycles are repeated throughout the night. Most people have four to six cycles each of non-REM and REM sleep. The cycles become more REM-focused as the night progresses. It is important that you get enough sleep to ensure your body gets enough REM and non-REM.
Non-REM Sleep vs. Re-REM
What is the difference between REM and non-REM sleep for researchers? We can determine the type of sleep a person is in by looking at their eye movements and brain waves. The electrodes are placed on the head, the eye area, and the chin to measure these. The electrodes measure brain activity. This can range from low amplitude waves (the wave height) that move relatively quickly to high amplitude waves (a larger wave that moves relatively slowly). The waves are low in height and move fast when we’re awake. During sleep, however, waves become higher and move slower. The Non-REM Stage 3 sleep stage has the highest and the slowest wave heights of any other sleep stage. In REM, the brainwaves are relatively low-amplitude, but fast. The eye movements also are very rapid. Both non-REM sleep and REM are necessary for a healthy mind, which allows people to learn and retain information.
Wake Up Naturally
If you awaken in the morning by yourself, you are usually nearing the end of your sleep cycle. Imagine getting off the bus when the stop is reached. When you are woken up by an alarm clock or another person, the experience can be similar to jumping from a train in between stations. It’s best to get up as naturally as possible.
You can train your brain to awaken at the same time every day. The brain has an internal clock which determines the time you feel tired and wake up. Our circadian rhythms are related to this.
Adjust your circadian rhythm to wake up naturally every morning.
Train the brain to wake up at a Consistent Hour
It’s crucial to sleep at an appropriate time. You may not get enough sleep if you spend too much time on your phone or doing your homework. This can make you rely on your alarm clock or parents to wake up. Avoiding caffeine-containing drinks and foods, such as coffee or soda, can also help you sleep at the right time. Exercise increases the brain chemicals which help you fall asleep. Caffeine does just the opposite, keeping you awake. You should also be conscious of the light around you. The light from your screens and other sources of late-night illumination can affect the production by your brain of melatonin, a sleep-promoting chemical. When you first wake up in the morning you must be exposed to sunlight.
Morning sunlight helps to align or synchronize your circadian clock with the world outside and can make it easier for you to sleep at night. To do this, open your curtains or shades in your bedroom. Some people simulate daylight in the winter using light boxes. This helps to align rhythms.
The Benefits of Good Sleep
A regular sleep schedule includes a set bedtime, a wake-up time that is consistent and getting sufficient sleep. This is usually 9-11 hours of sleep for kids in school age who have not reached adolescence and 8-10 for teenagers. It will improve your ability to concentrate at school, increase your energy levels, maintain a healthy body weight and many other health aspects. Beth Ann Malow, Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at Vanderbilt University (19659021), is an expert in both fields. The Conversation has republished this article under Creative Commons.
