Waking up can be a complicated time for many people. Whether you get up early to go to work or take the kids to school, it’s rarely fun. Still, it’s a pivotal moment, as it sets the tone for the whole day to follow. The HuffPost took an interest the best alarm sound to wake you up.
Most of us now use the alarm app of cell phones. The options offered for the ringtone are numerous, perhaps even too many. Between loud sounds, soft music or our favorite songs, which is the best choice? A study published in 2020 by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology suggests that ‘neutral’ (non-melodious) sounds can leave you feeling stoned for longer than you expect.
As for the famous “alarm”, which wakes you up with a start as if your building were on fire, it is certainly effective but causes a shot of adrenaline a bit too violent to start the day. “These very loud alarm sounds can create stress throughout the body», says Sydney Aten, a neuroscientist specializing in circadian rhythms and sleep. “Getting up from a lying position is stressful enough, but waking up to too loud a sound increases your heart rate and adds even more stress to your day.» So, even with a good night’s sleep, waking up too suddenly can ruin the day’s progress.
You can also choose more neutral sounds – like the famous “Radar”, offered by default on Apple – even if you are a heavy sleeper. Aten confirms that it is not necessary to use violent sounds to be sure to wake up. “Most people wake up to fairly neutral sound. If this is not your case, it is better to lean on your sleep, and perhaps sleep a little more», insists the specialist.
Choose a gentle awakening
Aten also brings up the concept of sleep inertia, which can be very useful when it comes to choosing a good ringtone. This concept concerns the sensation of fog that one feels when waking up, which can last a few seconds or even several hours depending on the individual. The study by the Royal Institute of Technology in Melbourne reveals that certain alarm sounds play a role in sleep inertia, making it last longer or shorter. “Our data showed that melodious alarms were conducive to a good awakening,” reveals Stuart McFarlane, lead author of the study.
Thus, the more melodious and gentle alarms give you a peaceful, stress-free wake-up call. This is the case, for example, of “birdsong” offered by Apple. Beware, however, of the risk of associating each little chirping with your awakening, and of ending up not supporting them any longer! Same thing with your favorite song: hearing it every morning, don’t you risk hating it?
Although there are not really miracle solutions, because each of us is different and we do not have the same lifestyle or sleep, there are some tips to optimize the awakening. For specialists, the best solution is probably to take into account your sleep inertia time. If yours lasts between five and ten minutes, put a first alarm clock that seems to suit you, then another, five minutes later, to finalize your awakening period, gently.