As we mentioned last week, vibrating alarms can be a godsend if your partner wakes up at a different time than you. While it makes a lot of sense, it's not a setting that works with the deep sleeper. Here's how to train yourself to wake up with a vibrate setting...
First of all, vibrating watches are cool, but unnecessary. They are quite convenient, and kind of aweseom, but you can get the same result by using your cell phone. We don't wear watches to bed, so having a vibrating one strapped to our wrist while we sleep isn't that comfortable.
1. Set-up: Almost all phones allow you to choose what kind of alarm noise or music you use for the alarm settings. You can choose vibration settings as well. There are usually a few different ones to choose from.
2. Placement: The logical place for your cell phone is a side table right next your bed, preferably on your side of the bed. The phone should be completely charged up and out of its case so that when it vibrates it creates a bit of extra noise.
3. Backup: When you begin using vibrating alarms, you'll most likely ignore them, especially if you are a heavy sleeper. It's best to program another alarm, one that relies on sound just to ensure that you don't sleep through your alarm. Setting it for 2 minutes after the first alarm is usually a good idea.
4. Rest: We've found that if we don't sleep enough, vibrating alarms don't get us up, but if we sleep between 6 and 10 hours, we have no problems being awoken by vibrating alarms. Humans follow a circadian rhythm, so we tend to awake in the mornings. However, if you get only a few hours of sleep a night, vibrating alarms won't get you up.
5. Testing: If you follow a normal routine and wake up every morning, you'll probably end up awakening a few minutes before your alarm sounds, whether it vibrates or if it emits sounds. Whatever the case, this might allow you to train mental alarms and not need alarm clocks to wake up at all.
MORE ALARMS
Vibrating Alarms to Let Your Partner Sleep In
Why Cell Phones Are Better Alarm Clocks
(Images: Flickr member Michael Gilliam licensed for use under Creative Commons, Flickr member Kevin Schneider licensed for use under Creative Commons and Flickr member Patricil Complex licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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I leave just enough time on my vibrating alarm that I can hit snooze once, and then a loud sound alarm will go off. Knowing I have to get up or the other alarm will wake up my husband is usually all the motivation I need to get up.
If I'm dead tired and worried I won't wake up to the sound of the vibration, I just stick the phone in my PJ's pocket. Only drawback to this is that I can't charge it.
Put it under your pillow. I'm a deep sleeper, but I can't sleep through that.
Hilarious! I've been using vibrating alarms for most of my life. They came out of the deaf community. I've stuck my heavy one under my mattress, but found they wake me up too suddenly. I use my sunrise clock as my primary clock, with the vibrating one as the backup. We also disconnected the large alarm clock and I only use my travel alarm clock (in my own pillow) now because the full vibrating alarm clock was just way too much for us. I guess we are light sleepers!