Want to Wake Up Happier? Try This.

Want to Wake Up Happier? Try This.

I think it’s safe to say we all dread the sound of our alarm clock in the morning. BEEP BEEP BEEP - instantaneously you are jolted out of bed and left scrambling around a dark room, still half asleep. What if I told you waking up didn’t need to be this stressful process? Imagine waking up at peace - a gradual rise with the sun, without actually having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Simulated sunrise alarm clocks were designed for this exact purpose - but do they really work?

Here are some of the benefits we’ve found: 

Gradually Increase Morning Cortisol

Light naturally signals your body it is time to wake up. Exposing yourself to light in the morning results in a gradual increase in morning cortisol levels. Although cortisol is usually seen in a negative light, this is actually a good thing. Our bodies naturally produce more cortisol in the morning, known as the awakening cortisol response. This process helps prepare our mind and body to tackle the stresses of the day.

Generic alarm clocks stress your body in a much more intense way. The sudden waking stimulates unhealthy responses such as a dramatic cortisol spike and a rush of adrenaline, which increase heart rate and breathing.

Increase Mental Clarity in the Morning

You know that feeling when you first wake up and you desperately need a coffee before you can get your thoughts together - that’s sleep inertia. You are initially in this state after you wake up, as your mind and body try catch up after being forced awake.

The amount of time this unpleasant state lasts varies depending on the sleep cycle you were when you were woken up. If you were in a deep sleep and are suddenly woken, sleep inertia tends to last longer. A simulated sunrise helps you to gradually exit from a deep sleep before fully waking, which helps to lessen the negative effects and length of time of sleep inertia.

Gradually Decrease Melatonin 

Melatonin is usually thought of when trying to fall asleep, but it also plays an important role in waking up. As the hormone cortisol is highest in the morning, melatonin should be lowest at this time. Melatonin is naturally sensitive to light, therefore the sunrise alarm clock allows the body to steadily decrease levels of melatonin, as cortisol is increased.