As you well know by now, sleeping on a high-quality, supportive mattress is the best way to get a great night of sleep. This means not only falling asleep quickly, but also sleeping deeply, and staying asleep all night long. What happens if you are sleeping so well you actually have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? For some sleepers who create the perfect slumber oasis in their bedroom, the worst part of their day is leaving the bed they love so much!
This can be especially frustrating if you’re the person trying to wake the peaceful sleeper up! Whether you’re telling your child “It’s time for school!” your spouse “It’s time to leave for the airport!” or your teen “You’re sleeping the whole day away!” you need the same thing: learning how to wake someone up. You don’t want to do this in a way that startles and upsets them, of course. No one wants to begin the day grumpy. Instead, we’ll show you how to wake someone up nicely. It’s easier than you may imagine!
#1 - Let the sunshine in
Your body knows to associate light with daytime, and daytime with being awake. Even cultures who have very little else in common sleep during the night and are active during the day. It’s what comes naturally to everyone. Research has shown this to be true. Morning light helps suppress melatonin, the sleep-facilitating hormone. This same natural light also increases your serotonin levels, which help you feel alert and awake. Slowly opening the curtains or cracking the blinds a little will help let in the first rays of morning sunshine. The sun is telling your deep sleeper “Good morning! It’s time to rise and shine!”
#2 - Play music
Music wakes up our brain in a way that no other sounds or alarms do. A 2020 study that compared a standard alarm clock tone to musical sounds found that people preferred to be roused from their sleep by music. They also discovered that music helped reduce the sensation of “sleep inertia.” Sleep Inertia is a state of low mood, low energy, and poor thinking skills right after awakening. In layman's terms, we call this “feeling groggy.” Listening to the right music first thing in the morning can do wonders for your energy levels. It increases dopamine levels, which is one of the “happy” hormones directly connected to pleasure.
#3 - Aromatherapy
Some smells are known to have an invigorating effect. Experts recommend rosemary, grapefruit, and pine needle oils for early morning. What’s more, your sense of smell is strongly tied to your memory. If you diffuse the same scent day after day, your deep sleeper will eventually learn to associate that particular aroma with waking up. It’ll naturally become easier and easier to arouse them from their slumber once the daily scent is wafting through the air.
#4 - The smell of breakfast
Nothing wakes up a deep sleeper like the smell of breakfast! The smell of coffee, bacon, cinnamon rolls, or their other favorite morning treat coming from the kitchen is often enough to get a person out of bed. Remember, even if a person is asleep, their brain is still hard at work. They will smell their breakfast cooking and wake up, eager to know what smells so good. Open their bedroom door and let an enticing breakfast scent do the hard work for you!
#5 - Use a gentle nudge
Just about any parent of a teenager knows that they often sleep later than you ever thought possible. You may even feel like your teenager’s personal wake-up call service. It isn’t impossible to learn how to wake someone up nicely who simply won’t get up on time. When all else fails, gently nudge them awake. While you do so, whisper in a soothing tone and let them know it’s time to get up for the day. Don’t leave and let them fall back asleep; ensure they’re fully awake before you leave the room!
If you have sleepers in your home who don’t respond to their alarm clocks, you may be wondering about the best and safest ways to ensure they wake up on time. While one method of knowing how to wake someone up nicely may not be ideal for everyone, there are plenty of effective strategies that’ll work for most deep sleepers. Give these a try! And see our recent guide on how to wake yourself up in the morning for more great tips.