Everyone has their own unique sleep personality. Some people are heavy sleepers. Others are light sleepers. Some prefer to sleep in the fetal position, while others tend to sleep on their sides, backs, or stomachs.
If you find yourself waking up a lot at night because there was a noise or movement that was sensed, then you can blame your brain. Some people have brains that are better at blocking out the environmental stimuli that occurs around them at night.
This sensitivity presents a challenge. Because ambient sound is one of the leading causes of sleep interruption, you can sleep better by finding a way to block it. If you block out all ambient noise, then you might also unintentionally block out the sound of your alarm clock ringing out in the morning.
What is the solution? It could be a wake-up light or a sunrise alarm.
Why Is a Sunrise Alarm Perfect for a Heavy Sleeper?
If you have an active brain that seems to never shut off, it can be difficult to get to sleep sometimes. That’s the bad news.
Here’s the good news: it means that you are likely a deep, heavy sleeper.
For those who feel refreshed in the morning, but are light sleepers, virtually any alarm is going to wake them up. Their sleep personality allows them to fall asleep quickly, enjoy moments of micro-sleep during the day, and wake up consistently using small periods of sleep instead of needing several consecutive hours of sleep.
Heavy sleepers need more stimuli to wake up because their brains are filtering out the noises and movements that occur in the environment around them. If you’re the type of person who could probably sleep through a tornado, then a sunrise alarm is a better option than a standard blaring alarm.
It’s perfect for the heavy sleeper because the goal is to provide balance. You can use nature sounds or your favorite FM radio station in conjunction with a light that slowly illuminates brighter over the course of 30-40 minutes. It uses the body’s own circadian rhythms to initiate waking up, allowing for a natural process instead of getting jolted awake.
Do You Wake Up Before Your Alarm Clock Goes Off?
Many people find that they tend to wake up between 5-15 minutes before their alarm is scheduled to go off. Why does this happen?
It comes back to the circadian rhythm. You’re waking up because your body is used to the timing of your routines. It’s a good sign. This is where a sunrise alarm can also help.
Those routines can change as the seasons change. It can be more difficult to wake up at a consistent time in the winter months because of the extended darkness of the season. You might also find yourself waking up too early during the summer months because of the extra sunlight.
When you have a darkened room, you can simulate the correct timing of a sunrise with a wake-up light. This allows you to get the right amount of sleep every night, no matter what your sleep personality might be.
You might be a heavy sleeper. You might be a light sleeper. You could even sleep with half of your body out of bed. When you match up your sleep personality to the right alarm clock, you’ll be able to get the sleep you need every night.
