Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
As I was walking into the Pepperdine Payson Library a few weeks ago, I heard the default Apple alarm tone, Radar, suddenly, loudly, go off.
My body froze. I stopped in my tracks.
Stress came over me. The feeling that I was late clouded my mind.
My uncontrollable response to the alarm made me realize the effect its sound has on me.
I am a servant to my alarm clock. When it calls, I answer.
I am not saying that setting a schedule is a bad thing. Alarms are important to people hoping to maintain an efficient and balanced life.
However, quickness to respond to alarms suggests most modern Americans have excessively strict schedules.
Fast responses to alarms contributes to the overall fast pace of life in the modern age, especially for college students. Students have little margin in our lives to dilly-dally; instead, we stick to our schedules, according to the American Institute of Stress.
“People don’t have quiet time in between the things they are doing,” first-year Alejandro Roca said. “The need to constantly be busy is taking over quiet time and slow-paced living.”
The sounds of alarms evoke a fight or flight response, which increases anxiety. This is especially true when alarms wake us up, according to Sleepstation, a sleep improvement company.
Sleep inertia, a transitional state between sleeping and waking, increases when waking from loud noises, according to Sleepstation. Increased sleep inertia is responsible for symptoms such as indecisiveness, grumpiness, confusion and muscle weakness.
Altering the sounds of alarms can reduce the effects of sleep inertia. Other sound choices include white noise, melodic music or upbeat music.
Alternative non-audible alarms such as light-based or vibrating alarms are other viable options. However, the best solution is waking up naturally.
Unfortunately, this is an unreasonable expectation for most people, but certain techniques such as setting a bedtime routine and going to sleep at the same time every night makes it easier to wake up without an alarm.
That being said, why is waking up naturally such an unreasonable idea? Have the demands of modern living robbed us of one of the most basic human functions?
For the majority of human history, before the Industrial Revolution, humans practiced biphasic sleep, sleeping in two distinct periods in one day. For example, the ancient Egyptians would sleep for four to six hours and then wake up for a period of rest or leisure before returning to sleep for another four to six hours, according to Dawn Health.
The gap between sleeping is beneficial because it increases productivity and restfulness.
A biphasic sleep schedule also increases exposure to natural light because the first phase of sleep generally begins shortly after dusk, according to Dawn Health. Natural light regulates the body’s internal clock, allowing people to naturally wake up.
However, the increase in factories and the need for a consistent workforce during the Industrial Revolution led to the adoption of a monophasic sleep schedule, according to Dawn Health.
The monophasic sleep schedule, which involves sleeping in one, consistent chunk, is the same schedule that we follow today, according to the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Corporate America follows a workday schedule that promotes this habit.
Standardized work days and technology that allows us to work outside of natural daylight have decreased the quality of our sleep. At the same time, set work schedules have increased dependency on the alarm clock, according to the National Library of Medicine.
I am not suggesting reverting to a biphasic sleep schedule or ditching work to sleep in. However, getting eight or more hours of sleep, sleeping when it’s dark outside and trying alternative alarm clock sounds may limit the panic we feel each morning.
Mindfulness over our sleeping patterns and responses to audible stimuli are important keys in achieving work-life balance, according to Sleepstation.
Alarm clocks are useful tools that fill a need in today’s fast-paced life. Nevertheless, people must limit the stress alarms bring to their lives.
___________________
Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Email Caitlin Murray: caitlin.murray@pepperdine.edu
