Every morning, millions of high school students are jolted awake to the harsh blare of an alarm clock only to hit snooze and drift back into restless sleep. But what if these alarms, designed to wake us up, are actually making us more exhausted and less productive?
Waking up to the blaring sound of an alarm clock is a universal experience that most of us accept as a necessary evil. However, it is possible that these jarring wake-up calls are actually doing more harm. Modern alarm systems, with their abrupt and aggressive tone— sounds like “barking dog,” “seaside,” or default alarm sounds on the iPhone, for example—force our bodies to wake at the worst possible moments, cutting off crucial sleep cycles and leaving us feeling groggy and disoriented. According to the Calm sleeping app, neuroscience research increasingly supports the idea that our bodies aren’t designed to wake up this way. When an alarm suddenly yanks us out of our blissful dreams, it disrupts our circadian rhythms that are run by the delicate internal clock that governs our sleep-wake cycle. This sudden interruption creates a stress response that floods our system with cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, which can leave us feeling anxious and fatigued before the day has even begun. Worse still, if the alarm jolts us awake during deep sleep, we miss out on essential restorative processes that keep our minds sharp and our bodies healthy.
For many students in high school, the struggle of waking up to an alarm is all too real, and of course, extremely stressful.
“I actually set alarms only to wake up to the last one,” Esther Pak (’26) said. “I feel like I’m going to be drafted into World War III. Saying that I’m stressed is an understatement.”
Pak’s experience highlights how alarm clocks don’t just wake us up but make us start our day with panic and anxiety. Noting these fatal flaws of alarm clocks, here are some other methods to wake up more relaxed and well-rested.
Rather than relying on harsh alarms, a more effective and peaceful approach to waking up involves working with the body’s natural rhythms. Sunrise alarm clocks, for example, mimic the gradual progression of dawn by increasing light intensity, triggering the body’s biological wake-up mechanisms and allowing cortisol levels to rise naturally. This gentle transition reduces sleepiness and enhances mental clarity. Incorporating mindful morning routines, such as meditation or gentle stretching, can also help signal the nervous system to awake gradually, creating a sense of calm alertness. Morning yoga not only activates muscles and improves circulation but also encourages a meditative state, promoting balance. Most importantly, cultivating a positive mindset in these early moments can set the psychological tone for the day, transforming the wake-up process from one of stress and urgency to one of deliberation and self-compassion. By embracing these natural methods, we can replace the disruptive jolt of traditional alarms with a more harmonious, refreshing start to the day.
Perhaps it’s time we reconsider our relationship with the way we wake up—after all, we all want the first moments of our day to be filled with peace rather than panic.
