Sunday Thoughts (up before the alarm)

I’m a creature of habit. 

It’s comforting in a way. 

The best I can, I try to stick to a schedule. I’m up around the same time each day. I try to get exercise in 6 days a week.

And although I’m a bit of a night owl, I try my best to get to bed at a decent hour. 

I dutifully set an alarm clock every day. Though most days I don’t need it. 

Because my dog Ellie knows the drill. 

And I usually can hear her rustling just minutes before the alarm is “supposed” to be waking me up. 

Never fails. The sooner I’m up, the sooner we’re walking and the sooner she’s getting some food. 

She’s not exactly patient, and has no time for “snooze” buttons. 

Truth be told though, I tend to wake up before the alarm goes off, even if Ellie is asleep on the job. 

And if you’re the same, it’s not something to be mad about. It’s actually good news.

Instead of cursing your body for depriving you of those last precious few minutes of sleep, instead take note: things are working like they should. 

The internal process in your body that governs your sleep/wake cycle is called your circadian rhythm. 

And it has a pretty good understanding of your schedule. It will start waking you gradually, adjusting your body temperature and more (like your blood pressure) to slowly wake you when it’s time. 

Your body prefers a gradual wake up, not a jarring alarm sound. (You probably prefer this too, if you’re being honest.)

So in a sense, your body is doing you a favor. If you wake up at your normal time on the weekend when you could sleep in, consider getting up and using that time for good. 

Or you may get your rhythms… well, out of rhythm. 

And if you simply have to have an alarm to get up, it probably means you’re not getting enough rest to begin with. 

Who knows? Maybe after a while you can manage to get up without an alarm at all.

Especially if you have a dog (or cat)!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and stay safe.