While it’s easy for many people to get out of bed early, others regularly sleep through alarms by hitting the snooze button. If you’re one of those people, this guide is for you.
Here we’ll discuss the common reasons why people sleep through alarms along with the most effective ways to solve this problem.
Why Do You Sleep Through Alarms?
Sleeping through alarms is a common problem that many people experience. The following is the list of common reasons why people sleep through alarms.
Medical Conditions
Your body needs more sleep when you’re suffering from a medical condition that makes you feel tired. These health problems include flu and the common cold. However, there are some chronic conditions that disrupt your sleep pattern and can cause oversleeping.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping problem. It makes you stop breathing for a short period of time by blocking your airways while sleeping.
Insomnia
Insomnia is one of the most critical sleep problems that make it difficult for a person to fall asleep. It can also cause oversleeping, which means it can make you sleep through alarms.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is the inability of a person to stay awake for a long period. It causes oversleeping, which means that a patient can end up sleeping through alarms.
Disturbed Sleep Cycle
Following an irregular sleep schedule can cause several health problems. It keeps the person from getting enough sleep and makes them go into a deeper sleep when they need to wake up. It’s important to note that there are some sleep disorders that can prevent you from developing a sleep schedule.
You can also suffer from a disturbed sleep cycle because of depression. According to a National Library of Medicine study, sleep and depression have a bidirectional relationship. It means that depression can cause sleep-related issues and poor sleep habits can lead to depression.
Heavy Sleeper
Heavy sleepers often find it difficult to wake up early and they can have a habit of sleeping through alarms. According to the National Library of Medicine study, heavy sleepers produce more sleep spindles in the brain while sleeping.
It allows them to easily tolerate the deafening noises of alarms and keep sleeping. However, it’s still unknown what increases the frequency of this brain activity during sleep.
You may also like to read our guide on how to wake up a heavy sleeper.
How To Stop Sleeping Through Alarms?
If you’re a heavy sleeper or suffering from any of the problems discussed above and have a habit of sleeping through alarms, use the following tips to solve this problem.
Follow a Healthy Daily Routine
Poor sleep quality is probably the most common reason for sleeping through your alarm. Following a healthy daily routine, which includes daily workout sessions, eating a healthy diet, and staying hydrated, will help you with this problem.
An NCBI study shows that performing exercise daily can improve your sleep quality. It can also provide your body with the energy to stay active and productive throughout the day.
Another benefit of better sleep quality is that it helps your body to increase the production of endorphins, also called feel-good hormones. These hormones can help you with waking up early and easily.
You should also reduce your caffeine intake and avoid consuming any food item that contains this substance as the evening approaches. Instead, read our guide to the best teas to drink before bed.
Another great way to avoid oversleeping through alarms is to have the motivation to wake up early. You can plan to go to a breakfast spot with your partner or set up a morning tea or coffee with one of your friends.
Sleep Early to Get Enough Sleep
Sleep debt is created when you don’t get enough sleep and it makes you sleep through alarms. You should figure out how much sleep you need depending on your age. Most adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep in 24 hours.
One of the best ways to make sure that you sleep for seven to nine hours a day is to go to bed early. In addition, it’s important not to use a smartphone while you’re lying in your bed. Even reading a kindle before bed can have an effect on your sleep.
That’s because the blue light that your smartphone’s screen emits can reduce melatonin production. This hormone helps you to fall asleep and its reduced levels can make you sleep deprived.
Following these tips will make sure that you sleep early and get enough sleep. It’ll help you wake up early and prevent sleeping through alarms.
Get Rid of Depression
Depression and stress can cause sleep deprivation and it can also affect your motivation to get out of bed early. Not only does it affect your sleep cycle but it can also lead to several health problems such as diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, and obesity.
According to the National Library of Medicine, stress can increase the production of cortisol, which is your natural alarm system. It causes alertness in humans and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. As a result, your sleep debt increases which can keep you sleeping through alarms.
Stress can also be a reason why you wake up at 3am and then end up being tired in the morning.
In addition, cortisol can also decrease the energy levels of your body and you feel tired throughout the day. Therefore, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options, if you’re suffering from depression.
Avoid Hitting the Snooze Button
One of the most common traits of people who sleep through alarms is that they hit snooze just to get fine minutes of more sleep. If you follow the same practice, you should avoid doing it immediately because it affects your wake-up routine negatively.
According to the National Library of Medicine study, hitting the snooze button and sleeping again can lead to sleep disturbance. Another study shows that your brain starts the sleep cycle again as you go back to sleep after snoozing the alarm. And it makes you feel more tired and groggy than the time you press snooze.
It sends your thoughts into yet another drowsy loop that will take some time to break. The sleep cycle may not be over when you pull yourself out of bed. This can put you in a bad and sleepy mood for the rest of the day. Therefore, you should avoid hitting the snooze button and the constantly ringing alarm will also help you wake up.
Use a Special Alarm Clock
There are different types of alarm clocks available in the market that can help you wake up.
Rather than wearing your watch to bed to use the built in alarm, or using the alarm on your phone, you can use an alarm that comes with wake-up lights. These lights have multiple brightness levels and they imitate the natural sunlight.
They get brighter over the course of several minutes which helps you wake up on time. According to studies, light can decrease the production of melatonin in your body and it helps you feel less sleepy. In addition, it also increases the production of serotonin which makes you feel more alert.
You can also read our guide to which LED light color is best for sleep.
Other than wake-up light alarms you can also use the ones that come with powerful vibrating motors. These alarms start shaking the bed and can help you come out of deep sleep. You can also use alarms that keep making a loud noise until you solve a mathematical puzzle.
If you don’t have any of these alarms and don’t want to spend money on them either, consider relocating your normal alarm. Place it on a spot that’s not within your arm’s reach. This way, you’ll need to get up from your bed, which will help you overcome sleep inertia.
Set Up Your Favorite Song as an Alarm
Modern research shows that music can actually reduce your sleepiness. The research also explains that sleep inertia is further reduced if you listen to songs that you like.
So, consider setting up your favorite song as an alarm using your smartphones. This method will suit you better if you don’t like the idea of bed shaking or wake-up light alarms.
Visit a Health Professional
If any of the methods discussed in this guide fail to help you to stop sleeping through alarms, consider visiting a professional sleep specialist. It’s especially true if sleeping through alarms has started affecting your overall health.
When you’re engrossed in a habit, it’s difficult to notice the minor details that may be impeding your sleep cycle. A professional can assist you with tracking your daily routine in a more effective manner.
Additionally, a sleep specialist will also examine your body to find out if there is another underlying reason that’s making you sleep through alarms.
Final Words
There are several reasons that can make you sleep through alarms in the morning. Not getting enough sleep, suffering from poor sleep quality due to some medical condition, or experiencing more sleep spindles while sleeping, are the most common reasons behind this problem.
Regardless of the reason, you can use the methods discussed in this guide. They’ll help you wake up refreshed by skipping the snooze button. But if none of these methods work, consider visiting a professional sleep specialist to treat the problem medically.