February 22, 2008
Ask Chicagoist: Help Me Wake Up!
Ask Chicagoist,
So you mentioned that everything's about winter right now -- well I agree. I can't wake up. Nothing seems to be able to convince me to get out of bed, and it's really getting to be a problem. What can I do to convince myself to crawl out of bed in the cold winter months?
Rip Van Winkle
Good morning, Rip.
We suppose going to bed earlier has already occurred to you? If not, give that a try. Granted, if you're like us and your middle name is "insomnia," that won't really help out too much. But we'll assume you understand that the human body actually needs sleep (or so we're told), and aren't just trying to exist on a complete lack of sleep. Not too confusing as to why you're not waking up in that case.
But more likely, we understand, is that it's cold, it's dark, it's February, and it's not spring yet. And those facts are annoying and make staying in bed way more appealing than waking up, working out, standing at the bus stop, and going to work -- in the cold. Well. Do it anyway? Once you're up and moving, and have consumed a pot or two of coffee and are going on about your day, the wonderful cocoon of warmth that is your bed will be but a distant memory.
Our favorite tricks? Get a coffee pot with a timer and have it start brewing ten minutes before your alarm. The delicious aroma (get some good, local Metropolis or Intelligentsia coffee to brew in it) will help penetrate your sleep and wake you. Also make sure you have to actually get out of bed to turn your alarm off, avoiding the incessant snoozing trap, which is bound to just annoy the piss out of significant others, roommates, pets, and people in neighboring apartments.
We think waking up is all about tricking your cold brain into warming up and starting. If you're able, exercise immediately upon waking. Depending on your degree of "morning cloud" this might not really be feasible -- we would probably injure ourselves if we tried to work out in the morning, as we can barely form words and make it to the coffee pot, nevermind holding a conversation or actually running without falling down. Shower right away, or let your brain zone out a little bit longer by watching your favorite morning news program or getting a head start on your daily internet time wasters. It's all about willpower, we assume, and the battle between sweet comfort and doing what you have to do.
Actually, if you like gadgets, we love this little gizmo called the Sleeptracker. It's a watch you wear at night that tracks your sleep patterns. You input what time you want to be up by, and a window of time that you'll permit the watch to wake you in (so 30 minutes before the alarm time, for example), and the watch will wake you anytime in that window that you enter into the lightest phase of your sleep cycle. That ensures the smoothest wake up possible, because you're practically awake anyway. If you don't enter one of those light phases before your alarm time, it'll just go off as jolting and annoying right on time. We were surprised too, but it really does work -- with the caveat that it's best used when you can ensure a full night's sleep, don't have anyone waking up before you, and don't have pets.
What tricks do you use to get going in the morning?
Image via laffy4k
Can't stay awake? Need some advice? Email ask(at)chicagoist(dot)com.
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Well a loud alarm clock and memories of the umemployment office on Addision and Western and then reading about the record mortage defaul crisis every day are enough to prevent me from over sleeping.
But on weekends when I don't want to nap away vaulable drinking time, I invite my 130 pound mastiff into bed. She snores louder than Oprah! Seriously every body that has ever heard my pup snoring can vouch that she sounds like a big fat aunt or uncle snoring away! When she gets going I wake up. It never fails
Recommending excessive consumption of caffeine in an article about sleep habits? Interesting.
Break the caffeine habit! You can still have it, but get used to starting your day without it. Soon, you'll find you don't need it after all.
I've always wanted a sleeptracker, but then I thought about how much they cost and the thought alone made me lose sleep. But I guess if they really work then it's worth it.
I've always wanted a sleeptracker, but then I thought about how much they cost and the thought alone made me lose sleep. But I guess if they really work then it's worth it.
My best advice (and I was having serious sleep problems) is to cut down computer and television usage. Like a lot. Especially if you're on the net before you go to bed. Getting online or watching TV when you can't sleep will just keep you up later. I fall asleep at 10 PM Monday thru Thursday and I'm up at 6 AM every day. I never thought I'd be a morning person, but I seriously think it's because I don't get online before bed anymore.
Good luck!
I read myself to sleep. I plowed through half of Mark Kurlansky's "Big Oyster" this week and felt drowsy after about a chapter or so.
I realize this isn't a glowing recommendation for the book, but between this and waiting for the train, I get a lot of reading done.
And the book is good. It combines history and food. Two of my favoritist things ever.
My teenage son used to sleep through his alarm. So, for Christmas, much to his chagrin, one of the presents I got for him was
this amazing thing called The Sonic Alarm Clock.
That thing sounds like a fricking ambulance going through his
bedroom in the morning.
But it wakes him up.
Of course, it does nothing to make him WANT to get out of bed, however, which I guess was the point of the story...you can't fault the kid there, I mean...who WANTS to get out of bed in Chicago. In February?
But for any of you who have a hard time actually WAKING up, I highly recommend the sonic alarm clock. :)
As silly as this sounds, I never thought to put the alarm out of arm's reach of my bed.
I'm going to try this out tomorrow, good tip Chicagoist!
Excellent recommendation Thales, Sleeptracker works wonderfully.