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Why do I wake up before my alarm -sort of?

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NatalRatal
NatalRatal

Hi, I literally just made this account after many days of frustrated Google searches. You guys probably get this question all the time but I don't think that's quite what I'm on about. This is gonna be a long one. (sorry!)

First off this isn't exactly about why I wake up before my alarm, what I DON'T mean is about my internal body clock or my subconscious or sleep routine (I have none -please don't hound me lol). When I Google my 'symptoms' all I get are 'best 10 ways to improve sleep routines' or newspaper articles on 'why you wake up before your alarm and what it means about your sleep'. I've heard of some alarm clocks making a very quiet mechanical noise or something before they go off and I know this is not that. These articles aren't really anything close to what I'm trying to find out. Or at least I think.

What happens is 75% of the time when I wake up - usually by an alarm, somebody knocking at my bedroom door, my phone ringing or (living on a main road) roadworks - I will wake up somewhere between 30 second to a few minutes before hand. Yes, that sort of sounds like the generic 'why do I wake up before my alarm', but I have no control over when my phone rings or people knocking at my door.

When I'm awake beforehand it's sort of a half and half state, like when you wake up to roll over to fall back asleep. Sometimes it's that I'm asleep still and I'm aware that I'm dreaming/thinking, though I don't believe I have any control over this like lucid dreaming (I think that's what it's called). Or I'm just thinking but not moving, maybe like sleep paralysis -god I hope not.

This morning, for example, I had no alarms set, had no routine planned or even any plans for the day -today was gonna be a lazy day. I fell asleep around 4am (yeah sorry), I woke up and was all snuggly and sleepy in bed for about a minute and was contemplating rolling over and flipping my pillow (this time I was wake and not 'dreaming'). Then all of a sudden my phone rings, this isn't a routine call in the morning, just a completely random call. Mornings like this happen all the time -yes planned alarms included, but how can it happen with random things like phone calls or somebody knocking at my door or dropping something, making a noise in the hall?

I don't mind doing this thing, whatever it is, it's not hurting me in any way it's just freaking me out. How am I 'waking up' before I'm about to be woken up by something that isn't even planned, expected or controlled by me? Is this just a body clock thing? Does this happen to everybody and I'm making a deal out of nothing? Am I a psychic or just a psycho?

Like I said, I have little to no sleep/bedtime routine and my bed is not the most comfy. I'm 24 F and have Coealiacs disease (I can't eat gluten) and anxiety; I take Propranolol to help with this, my life is stressful at the moment - if this information helps. I'm not necessarily looking for a diagnosis, I know to go to a doctor or specialist for that. I'm just really curious about what on earth this is or what causes this and if I'm some kind of minority.

Thank you for at least reading this far, sorry for the long message. Go grab a cuppa - you deserve it! This is really hard to describe let alone Google in five words or less without getting all the sleep well blogs.

Natalie

1 like, 1 reply

1 Reply

  • Bikhu
    Bikhu NatalRatal

    Posted

    Hello Natalie

    I have a lot of experience with sleep and my advice maybe can help you.

    I understand what you mean, that you want to sleep a little bit longer, but something happens, as your phone rings or so and you wake up very frustrated.

    The answer to your question is: You wake up before your alarm clock because there are several disturbance taking you out from your sleep, nothing more than that.

    My advice would be for you to eliminate your disturbances:

    1. Most smartphones has an option known as: "Do not disturb", you can google how to set it up for your phone number
    2. Then, talk with your family or housemates and tell them that your sleep is very important and you wouldnt like to get disturb
    3. Buy some earplugs and an eyemask, so light and noises from the main street doesn't dirturb you. Earplugs can be sort of uncomfortable, try with 2 or 3 models to see wich one fits best, and start using them troughout the day so you can get use to them.

    Finally I would suggest profoundly to develop an sleep routine, with this you will sleep more deeply, enjoy more your sleep, become more alert and avoid developing chronic degenerative disease as Alzheimer or Diabetes. I could tell you how to make the routine, but it is easier if you google it and find an accountability partner.

    Pd; it is not necesarilly bad to wake up before your alarm, lately I do not use an alarm clock, and I wake up naturraly with no disturbances when my body does it natturally, so, if you eliminate your disturbances, and develop a good sleep hygiene, you would wake up feeling refreshed and without alarm clock (because if you have not good sleeping habits, you will still feel weary, if you sleep 30 minutes more per night).

    Also, I would appreciate if you comment the post I'm about to make in this forum

    Hopefully this will help

    Be Happy

    Carlos

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