Let's get this out of the way — no one really likes the sound of their alarm in the morning. There is, however, a spectrum when it comes to how we each deal with our daily wake-up call. According to Shape, the way we wake up can imply much more about our quality of sleep (and health in general) than we expect.
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Above all else, banish your snooze button, urges Daniel A. Barone, MD, at the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "It takes about an hour to wake up slowly, in terms of your brain's neurotransmitters," Dr. Barone says. "If you interrupt that process, the neurotransmitters reset." If your alarm goes off at 7 a.m., but you hit the snooze button half a dozen times, "[you'll] feel very groggy and out of it" by the time you actually get up. If you really need that extra 10 (or 20, or 30) minutes, just set your alarm for that time.
Above all else, banish your snooze button, urges Daniel A. Barone, MD, at the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "It takes about an hour to wake up slowly, in terms of your brain's neurotransmitters," Dr. Barone says. "If you interrupt that process, the neurotransmitters reset." If your alarm goes off at 7 a.m., but you hit the snooze button half a dozen times, "[you'll] feel very groggy and out of it" by the time you actually get up. If you really need that extra 10 (or 20, or 30) minutes, just set your alarm for that time.
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The consistency of your wake up time has a major impact on how you feel upon rising, too. If you have different times set for various days of the week, you're probably keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule, which can contribute to your midday slump. And if it becomes a habit, this can even lead to increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The best defense is to anticipate your earlier days and get to bed ahead of schedule the night before. Also, try to stick to the same wake up time, even on days when you don't have morning obligations. Click through to Shape for more tips on getting your best night's sleep. (Shape) Related: Asking For A Friend: Why Do I Get Night Sweats?
The consistency of your wake up time has a major impact on how you feel upon rising, too. If you have different times set for various days of the week, you're probably keeping an inconsistent sleep schedule, which can contribute to your midday slump. And if it becomes a habit, this can even lead to increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The best defense is to anticipate your earlier days and get to bed ahead of schedule the night before. Also, try to stick to the same wake up time, even on days when you don't have morning obligations. Click through to Shape for more tips on getting your best night's sleep. (Shape) Related: Asking For A Friend: Why Do I Get Night Sweats?