Wake up to this specific alarm clock sound, and you’ll never have to worry about grogginess!

Ever woke up feeling groggy, confused, and with no clue about what is happening around you because of that annoying alarm sound that you cannot help but snooze? Hilariously, it is not uncommon, as we have all been there. According to a recent Australian study, certain alarm sounds can help you wake up fresher than usual, less lethargic, and more alert. If you don’t want to wake up the way we just described ever again, then keep on reading!

The Study on Alarm Clock Sounds

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The research was conducted on 50 people aged between 18 to 60, who filled out a form to undergo the survey. All of them said that they used phones to wake up. It was concluded that those who woke up to melodious sounds felt better after getting up and found it easier to transition from sleep into awareness as compared to hearing beeping sounds first thing in the morning. The former reduced grogginess and made the participants more alert by increasing cognition and attention.

Later in the study, songs were used to see if it helps a person when it comes to sleep inertia or the transition from sleep to awake. The lead author of the study said that that they used songs you can hum or sing along to. A couple of songs, namely The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” and The Cure’s “Close to Me” were tried. However, the effectiveness of songs as alarm tones lies in the person’s own music preference.

So How Come Melody Helps?

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Melodies are more effective because the rising and falling of tones increase arousal in the body, which helps in alertness. They act as a warm-up that starts the waking process. It is much better than hearing beeping sounds that shock our brain into the present. These sudden sounds mislead and confuse our cognitive functions, thus causing grogginess.

Study authors believe that these findings could have significant implications for many professionals, like NASA astronauts or on-call doctors, who need to wake up and quickly be on their toes. Regardless of one’s job, though, daytime grogginess can still have adverse effects on work quality.

More On Sleep Inertia

Sleep inertia does not stay for that long, typically between half an hour to a couple more. However, it can affect performance and productivity. So knowing your preferred choice of melody will definitely give you a better head start to your morning. Other factors that can help are a quick shot of caffeine, exposure to morning light before waking up, and a strict routine.