Real talk, it took me at least 20 tries, at least twice a year for like 10 years. After 10 years of searching for the right strategies, I FOUND THEM.
Context I sleep SO SOUNDLY, in that I am capable of sleeping through fire alarms, which sincerely concerns my boyfriend at times. That means, a simple alarm clock ain’t gonna wake this gal up.
Solution MULTISENSORY WAKE UP EXPERIENCE
1. The Sound I no longer have an “alarm” that rings, because those usually shut off after a while, which defeats the purpose. Now, I wake up to the gentle increasing volume of a podcast, which continues to play indefinitely until I wake up. While I don’t wake up for short duration alarms that are… alarming, I actually wake up if someone is talking. It literally just irritates me awake because it’s continued noise. Protip, pick a podcast with a host that has lots of great energy and excitement in their voice. For me, I listen to Jenna Kutcher’s The Goal Digger Podcast or Amy Landino’s Details Podcast.
2. The Light Real talk, sunrise lamps were TOO expensive for me (they’re like $50-100? In my mind they should be like, $20). I’m on a student budget here, y’all. That’s why I ended up making my OWN sunrise lamp. I thrifted a lamp from Value Village for $5, and I got a set of these bluetooth plugs: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=bluetooth+plug&re... I set it to turn on about 4-5 minutes before my wake up alarm, so that my body gets used to the lamp turning on. It’s one of those old school lightbulbs that take a while to turn on fully, so it works exactly like the sunrise lamp. ADDED BONUS, I can turn on said lamp during the day using my phone, so y’all, I’m living in 3019, but on a budget.
3. PHYSICAL K this was kind of something I just tacked on because I already own a fitbit, but I set that alarm too, so that it buzzes on my arm. Just like the morning podcast alarm, it irritates me awake by being continuously … moving/changing.
What do y’all think? Am I being extra? Would you try this yourself? What would you want me to add?