How to wake someone up?

If you have deep sleepers in your home who don't respond to their alarm clock or a gentle nudge in the morning, you may be wondering what are the best and safest ways to wake them up .

While one method may not work for everyone, there are effective strategies that will work for most heavy sleepers . This article will guide you through different techniques to gently wake them up in the morning.

How to wake someone up

While it may be tempting to throw a little cold water on a person who is sleeping soundly , it's safe to say that most people would appreciate being woken up in a more gentle manner.

Here are eight options that can help wake a sleeper safely.

The music

A 2020 study that compared the tone of a standard alarm clock to musical sounds found that people preferred to be woken up by music.
Researchers found that music helped reduce the feeling of sleep inertia . This is a state of low mood, low energy and poor thinking ability right after waking up.

Finding the right song or style of music can be especially helpful in waking up someone who often wakes up feeling groggy or annoyed by the sound of their alarm clock.

Wake-up lights

Just like you can set an alarm clock to go off at a certain time, you can purchase night light alarm clocks that will gradually get brighter depending on the time you set.
By gradually illuminating a bedroom , the lights can slowly wake a person from sleep. It's much less jarring than suddenly flicking the switch and filling the room with bright light.

Natural light

If you don't want to resort to high-tech, you can always rely on natural light to get you going in the morning. Using translucent curtains or opening the blinds a little will let in the first rays of sunlight .

Research shows that morning light helps suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep. Natural light also increases your serotonin levels, which helps you feel alert and awake. You can check out our dawn simulator alarm clocks .

Phone

Many people keep their phone next to their bed when they sleep. Using it as an alarm is a good idea for several reasons :

• You can program countless sounds and songs to wake you up to, so when you find something that works, you can stick to it.

• You're used to answering your phone when it rings or you get a notification, so when it tells you to wake up, you're more likely to pay attention to it.

• It can be easily manipulated to allow you to snooze for a few extra minutes, although the general rule is to avoid hitting the "snooze" button in the morning.

If you suffer from insomnia, you may want to put away your phone and other technology devices at night.

If you're trying to wake someone up, you can send them a text message. People who are able to respond to a text message even when they're asleep may appreciate a "good morning" from a loved one.

Mental stimulation

For people who like to be mentally stimulated, even early in the morning, you might consider setting their alarm to NPR or another news channel. This can help grab their attention and jolt them out of their drowsy state.
Some alarm apps require you to solve a puzzle or math problem before you can turn off the alarm .
There's even an app called Alarmy that lets you create wake-up challenges to prove you're getting out of bed. The alarm won't go off until you complete the challenge.

The good perfume

The smell of coffee, bacon, or another tempting product coming from the kitchen can be enough to lure a deep sleeper out of bed. Open their bedroom door and let the tantalizing smell of breakfast do the work .

Distant alarm

It's an old trick, but it still works. By placing an alarm (whether it's a clock or a phone) across the room, you force someone to get up to turn off the alarm .
For this strategy to work, there are two essential factors to consider. First, the alarm must be close and loud enough to be heard. Second, it is important that the person you are trying to wake up does not return to bed after getting up.

Respect a schedule

One of the best ways to consistently wake up on time is to establish a consistent sleep schedule every day of the week.
A 2015 study found that too much variability in the time you go to bed and the time you wake up can lead to sleep deprivation and other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.
By following a regular sleep and wake schedule, your body's internal clock can develop a new routine. Over time, this routine can make it easier to fall asleep and wake up at a consistent time each day.

How to safely wake a sleepwalker

It is more difficult to wake a healthy sleeper than to approach a sleepwalking person.
Known clinically as sleepwalking , sleepwalking is a state in which a person can sit up in bed, walk, eat, or even get into a car and drive. Sleepwalkers can even talk, even if what they say makes no sense. Sleepwalking occurs during the deep, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage of sleep.

You may have heard that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker , but this is not true. Because a sleepwalker can hurt themselves or others, it is important to wake them up or at least get them back to bed. However, this must be done gently and safely , so as not to scare the sleepwalker and cause a tantrum.

So what is the best approach? First try to gently coax the sleepwalker back into bed. Don't touch him too much, as this could trigger an angry reaction . If the sleepwalker wakes up on the way to bed, gently reassure him that everything is okay and that it is time to go to bed.

If you can't get the person to go back to bed, try waking them up by making a loud noise from a safe distance. You could bang a pot lid or clap your hands. It's okay to tell them they were sleepwalking, as they may be disoriented if they wake up somewhere other than their bed.

In summary

Finding the most effective way to wake someone up may take some trial and error, but there are some surefire ways to wake a sleeping person.

Calming approaches such as music, gradually brightening lights, natural light, and appealing aromas may help some people emerge from their drowsy state. For others, mental stimulation or being forced out of bed to turn off an alarm may be a more effective approach.

Everyone reacts differently, so be willing to experiment on yourself and on healthy sleepers to find the best strategy.