Posted on 12/24/2023 8:34:50 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Your morning alarm clock might not just be annoying. It could be raising your blood pressure, putting you at greater risk for adverse cardiovascular events, such as stroke and heart attack, according to research.
Yeonsu Kim studied how being forced awake contributes to morning blood pressure surge, an increase in blood pressure that happens when people move quickly from being asleep to awake.
Kim studied 32 participants over two days. The first night, they were told to awaken naturally, without an alarm. The second night, they were instructed to set an alarm to awaken them after only five hours of sleep.
Kim compared morning blood pressure surge measures between the natural and forced awakening scenarios. Her research showed that those who were forced awake had a morning blood pressure surge that was 74% greater than those who awoke naturally—evidence of a link between short sleep duration, forced awakening and morning blood pressure surge.
When morning blood pressure surge is excessive, it can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which pumps harder and stronger. That can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, neck stiffness, and, when acute, nosebleeds and headaches.
Evidence has also shown that people who sleep fewer than seven hours a night (as one in three Americans do) are more likely to experience greater morning blood pressure surge.
Kim's study builds on existing research about the best way to wake up. A 2020 study found that waking up to melodic sounds (like a song you can hum along to) helps people avoid sleep inertia, a kind of persistent grogginess that can last up to two hours. In another study in 2021, researchers learned that exposure to light in the morning tells your body to slow its melatonin production, helping people wake up and stay awake.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
These changes could stop the excess blood pressure surge of up to 74% people can experience from not naturally waking up.
Simple solution, retire then everyday is Saturday.
I tell everyone that the best part of being retired is not hearing that alarm going off and realizing I HAVE to get up and go to work.
I still wake up about the same time, but it’s more gradual and I lie there as long as I feel like it until I’m ready to get up. (Except when I feel that urge to head to the loo.)
I essentially always awaken naturally, and early in the AM (<6AM). And whenever I awaken, once I realize I won’t be going back to sleep, I get up instead of toss and turn. Even at 3 or 4 AM. Works for me. Apparently that’s healthy too.
Mrs. Tick sets an alarm — and when it sounds she usually shuts it off or hits “snooze” several times. Wonder what the effects of that behavior are.
Well. I have carried a pager for about 45 years now, and when that thing goes off at 3:00 AM, even still, I levitate about a foot off the mattress, spinning in mid-air, and my heart hammers like a drum.
An alarm clock with any kind of alarm does the same thing. I used to have a “Baby Ben” wind-up alarm clock, and that was just awful. All of that was like having a bucket of ice water thrown on me while someone clangs together ash can lids like cymbals. Just the worst way to wake up.
For many years now, I wake to classical music. But if the pager goes off...well, that is Katy Bar The Door.
Kim studied 32 participants over two days.
** If continuing to use a clock, set it for a relaxing melody.**
I like alarms that start barely audible, then gradually get louder. As a kid on the farm, I awoke to my dad yelling up the stairs, “Get up, we got work to do!!”
There are many us who have for years left the house before the Sun rose and got home after dark.
I have long been warning the Hubs that I may kill him when his alarm goes off. Drives me nuts!
Then it's a good thing I wake up to an old-fashioned plug-in alarm clock/radio.
-PJ
I’ve been retired for 10 years and still set my alarm for 5:30 AM because my Army time 50 years ago conditioned me to it; I’m definitely a morning person.
“Simple solution, retire”
That solution has worked wonders for me! I had such worries and anxiety when working and I physically suffered. That is almost all gone after six years of retirement.
Sounds like a real comprehensive "study".
Work is stressful.
My clock alarm works like that, gradually getting louder. But the best kind of alarm is one that PURRS. It doesn't stop. It doesn't give up until nutrients for it are distributed.
There are light alarms that slowly increase the light intensity mimicking the rising sun.
I haven’t used an alarm clock in 30 years cause I have dogs that insist on peeing 30 minutes after sunrise or when the neighbor starts his diesel whichever comes first.
There are light alarms that slowly increase the light intensity mimicking the rising sun.
I haven’t used an alarm clock in 30 years cause I have dogs that insist on peeing 30 minutes after sunrise or when the neighbor starts his diesel whichever comes first.
Yeah, but then there's morning sex, and up goes the blood pressure.
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