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Christmas is over. Gone are the giddy days of waking up at 10am and starting the morning with a handful of Celebrations and, if you’re brave, a little Baileys. It’s time to start acting like a responsible adult again, and that means waking up on time and getting on with things. While it’s difficult to neutralize the basic pain of waking up when your body doesn’t feel it’s appropriate, there are a few things that can help. We’ve put together this list of hacks for waking up when it’s still dark, but you can also focus on your alarm tone.
A report (opens in new tab) of Startle’s music and behavioral scientists has delved into the best and worst iPhone alarms to wake up to. The ranking is based on the findings of a Research (opens in new tab) in how melody and rhythm can counteract the effects of sleep inertia (the tired, dizzy, confused feeling you can have when you first wake up).
According to that study, the perfect alarm is one that:
- Has an easy melody that you can sing along or hum
- Has a dominant frequency around 500 Hz or in the key of C5
- Is not too fast or too slow (ideally 100-120bpm)
These features help gently but effectively awaken your body and mind, rather than jolting you awake. According to Luke Cousins, regional chief of physiology at Nuffield Health (opens in new tab), it all has to do with your reticular activation system (RAS). This limits the way your body reacts to external stimuli when you sleep, and determines how you transition to being awake.
“An alarm clock is designed to stimulate the RAS and tell your body to wake up,” he explains. “The shock of an alarm clock can be especially strong if you’re in the deep sleep phase of sleep, causing an increased heart rate and drowsiness in the morning that can last for several hours.”
The 5 best iPhone alarms to wake up to
- Sencha (opens in new tab)
- At the coast (opens in new tab)
- Elevate (opens in new tab)
- Zodiac sign (opens in new tab)
- Rise slowly (opens in new tab)
All these tones have an easy melody, are played in the key of C and a low frequency (400 or 500 Hz). These properties help gently awaken the body and mind, leaving you feeling more alert and ready for the day.
The worst iPhone alarms to wake up to:
- chimes (opens in new tab)
- beacon (opens in new tab)
- Radar (opens in new tab)
- Signal (opens in new tab)
- Forward (opens in new tab)
Instead of a consistent melody, these iPhone alarm sounds contain short and sharp bursts of hiss. They also have much higher frequencies than recommended based on the study’s findings, meaning they’re more likely to wake you up and leave you struggling with sleep inertia.
Why is it harder to wake up in winter?
The relative lack of hours of sunlight in winter means our bodies produce more melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy. “Letting the light slowly filter into your room is a great way to let your body know it’s time to wake up,” says Luke. “In the fall and winter, consider using a sunrise clock that can gently wake you with light that mimics the rising sun.” (Here’s our guide to the best wake-up lights for more info plus our recommendations).
There are also other factors that come into play, such as your genes. “Understanding your genetic chronotype can help you figure out the best time to wake up,” Luke explains. “If you’re a night owl by nature, it might be easier for you to wake up a bit later, and if you’re an early riser, go to bed at a sensible time.”