Waking up

[Shins86]

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Anybody have trouble waking up in the mornings? What are some of the things you have done to help yourself get up? I am going to start clinicals for my tech training and we have to do call with our supervising tech and I am afraid I wont hear my pager. Anybody else have these problems?

 

[smq123]

Anybody have trouble waking up in the mornings? What are some of the things you have done to help yourself get up? I am going to start clinicals for my tech training and we have to do call with our supervising tech and I am afraid I wont hear my pager. Anybody else have these problems?

Yes.

Put your pager on vibrate, and clip it to the neckline of your scrubs. (I wish that pagers could vibrate AND ring, but I know that some models don't.)

Nothing like a hunk of plastic flopping around on your sternum to wake you up.

I'm confused by your question, though. Are you afraid that you'll oversleep each AM, or that you won't be awakened in the middle of a call night if an emergency rolls in?

 

[Mariah246]

Anybody have trouble waking up in the mornings? What are some of the things you have done to help yourself get up? I am going to start clinicals for my tech training and we have to do call with our supervising tech and I am afraid I wont hear my pager. Anybody else have these problems?

I do. I set 5 alarm clocks to wake me up. You can laugh now but it's saved my hide plenty of times. Including last week when I was nearly late showing up for Sunday call because of the time change. (4/5 alarm clocks failed to update. The one that did? My iPod Touch.)

Hearing the pager? I've only slept through a pager ring once but I tend to tell the resident I'm on call with that I'm a heavy sleeper. I let them know which call room I'm in and inform them that I'd be more than happy with a heavy pounding at the door in lieu of a page.

 

[Shins86]

Yes.

Put your pager on vibrate, and clip it to the neckline of your scrubs. (I wish that pagers could vibrate AND ring, but I know that some models don't.)

Nothing like a hunk of plastic flopping around on your sternum to wake you up.

I'm confused by your question, though. Are you afraid that you'll oversleep each AM, or that you won't be awakened in the middle of a call night if an emergency rolls in?

Well both actually, we have to be to work some days at 7am and my problem is I set about 3 alarms and that sometimes works, but I turn them off then go back to sleep.

Then we have 2 nights to be on call with our supervising tech so Im afraid I wont hear the pager ringing to wake me up as Im also a very heavy sleeper.

 

[Orthodoc40]

So, I don't know what to do about pagers but for at HOME, someone just suggested a "dawn simulator" where one of their lights is hooked up to the alarm and it slowly gets brighter & brighter... she has it right over her head so it's shining in her face!

My alarm is set super loud so it basically gives me a heart attack when it goes off. Plus it is across the room, so I have to get up to hit snooze.

 

[smq123]

Then we have 2 nights to be on call with our supervising tech so Im afraid I wont hear the pager ringing to wake me up as Im also a very heavy sleeper.

Try the pager on your neckline thing. It usually jolts me awake pretty well. If you don't have a pager, a cell phone will do the same thing (except a cell phone lets you set it to vibrate AND a loud ring tone).

You might surprise yourself - if you go to sleep with the expectation that you might be awoken in the middle of the night, you might not sleep as heavily.

 

[SoCuteMD]

You might surprise yourself - if you go to sleep with the expectation that you might be awoken in the middle of the night, you might not sleep as heavily.

I've found this to be very true, but I'm not a particularly heavy sleeper anyways. My pager wakes me from sleep in a panicked way that neither my cell phone nor my alarm clock ever will.

I used to put my alarm clock across the room when I had trouble getting up. I had to get up, walk, and hit the button - which required me to wake up a little bit. The end result, however, was that I just got better at ambulating and hitting the button when very very sleepy.

 

[smq123]

The end result, however, was that I just got better at ambulating and hitting the button when very very sleepy.

Yes, me too. 🙁

I also, apparently, got very good at putting on scrubs and walking through the hospital while still half-asleep.

That used to scare the crap out of me on surgery. I'd suddenly *really* wake up, and suddenly realize that I was in the middle of writing down labs. I'd look down, and realize that I didn't have any clear memories of getting dressed that AM. And that I didn't remember getting to the hospital that morning. Not a good feeling.

 

[lilnoelle]

I have trouble getting up in the morning. I'm gonna have to set multiple alarms next year. For some reason I have no problem at all getting up in the middle of the night when my kids cry out. Half of the time I'm in their room before they are even really awake. I can just pat them on the back and shush them a bit and they're asleep again. I'll do that almost every night and I'm wide awake in seconds, not groggy at all. Yet I can't get up in the morning to my alarm clock. Hopefully the automatic alertness I have with my kids will transfer to my dealings with the hospital.

I suppose I could always have an alarm go off in my kids room if I don't get up and turn it off in time. I bet that would get me up and out of bet predictably. Thats actually a pretty good idea. I might use that - set my alarm to go off 10 minutes before the alarm goes off in my daughters room. I have to get up or else she'll be woken up.

 

[C equals]

My alarm is set super loud so it basically gives me a heart attack when it goes off. Plus it is across the room, so I have to get up to hit snooze.

I know someone who use to put an alarm clock on top of a bookcase so she would have to get out of bed, climb up and turn it off...and she still would go back to bed and oversleep. Good thing she wasn't in med school...she wouldn't have lasted long.

 

[Orthodoc40]

I have trouble getting up in the morning. I'm gonna have to set multiple alarms next year. For some reason I have no problem at all getting up in the middle of the night when my kids cry out. Half of the time I'm in their room before they are even really awake. I can just pat them on the back and shush them a bit and they're asleep again. I'll do that almost every night and I'm wide awake in seconds, not groggy at all. Yet I can't get up in the morning to my alarm clock. Hopefully the automatic alertness I have with my kids will transfer to my dealings with the hospital.

I suppose I could always have an alarm go off in my kids room if I don't get up and turn it off in time. I bet that would get me up and out of bet predictably. Thats actually a pretty good idea. I might use that - set my alarm to go off 10 minutes before the alarm goes off in my daughters room. I have to get up or else she'll be woken up.

Maybe you should just get a CD of crying babies, possibly even record your own! Play that in your alarm clock nice & loud!

 

[TMP-SMX]

I use clocky among 3-4 other alarms/phone but it defeats the purpose if I turn it off rather than snoozing. If I snooze it it will roll around but if I turn it off it doesn't.

 

[Blade28]

My pager wakes me from sleep in a panicked way that neither my cell phone nor my alarm clock ever will.

👍 👍

 

[PepperMD]

I use clocky among 3-4 other alarms/phone but it defeats the purpose if I turn it off rather than snoozing. If I snooze it it will roll around but if I turn it off it doesn't.

I saw something similar to this in one of those SkyMall catalogs. It had a little plastic helicopter remote that launches across your room when the alarm goes off and won't turn off until you find it.

 

[SoCuteMD]

I saw something similar to this in one of those SkyMall catalogs. It had a little plastic helicopter remote that launches across your room when the alarm goes off and won't turn off until you find it.

I can only imagine how black and blue I would be!!!

smq - the sleep-walking thing never happened, probably because I was living with a roommate, I showered EVERY SINGLE MORNING (I can't start my day without my shower) and because it was FREEZING out - so the cold air outside woke me up. I can imagine that would be startling (and a little funny in retrospect).

 

[smq123]

I can only imagine how black and blue I would be!!!

Me too.

"Where is (thump) that stupid (thwack) buzzing sound (ow!) coming from...stupid alarm...."

smq - the sleep-walking thing never happened, probably because I was living with a roommate, I showered EVERY SINGLE MORNING (I can't start my day without my shower) and because it was FREEZING out - so the cold air outside woke me up. I can imagine that would be startling (and a little funny in retrospect).

True. In retrospect, I probably should have showered in the mornings. But I'm so used to taking showers at night (after I get home from the hospital - to wash away the MRSA) that I couldn't make myself adjust. Oh well.

And I'm also someone who once fell asleep WHILE TAKING a shower, so maybe it wouldn't have been so useful for me anyhow...

 

[TRKATK]

ipod set to 5 alarms with speaker

leave the curtains open so the sun shines in your face

😴

 

[smq123]

ipod set to 5 alarms with speaker

leave the curtains open so the sun shines in your face

😴

Except that, on many rotations, you will have to be finished pre-rounding on your patients LONG before the sunrise....

On OB/gyn (L&D), I was usually up at 4 AM, and in the hospital, pre-rounding on postpartum patients at 5 AM. The sun was just starting to rise when I finished at 6 AM.

 

[TRKATK]

Except that, on many rotations, you will have to be finished pre-rounding on your patients LONG before the sunrise....

On OB/gyn (L&D), I was usually up at 4 AM, and in the hospital, pre-rounding on postpartum patients at 5 AM. The sun was just starting to rise when I finished at 6 AM.

ouch. I also heard smelling some type of flower helps too 😕

🙂

 

[novastorm]

Put your cell phone/pager under your pillow Vibrate + Beep/ring. Its like a slap in the face to me..it resonates in my pillow and usually scares me a little.

 

[lilnoelle]

I HATE being scared awake.

 

[akpete]

I'm a very deep sleeper. I set 5 alarms that go off sequentially for about 2 hours before I'd actually like to be up. I also sleep with a light on in hopes that I won't sleep as deeply. And if I'm really paranoid about something in the morning, I'll sleep on the couch so I won't be as comfortable.

I bought the alarm with puzzle pieces that are supposed to fly out and you have to put them together to turn off the alarm. Well, I bought the discount version, and it didn't function properly. Don't have the $70 or whatever they're charging now for the real thing.

 

[sendwich]

I'm a very deep sleeper. I set 5 alarms that go off sequentially for about 2 hours before I'd actually like to be up. I also sleep with a light on in hopes that I won't sleep as deeply. And if I'm really paranoid about something in the morning, I'll sleep on the couch so I won't be as comfortable.

I bought the alarm with puzzle pieces that are supposed to fly out and you have to put them together to turn off the alarm. Well, I bought the discount version, and it didn't function properly. Don't have the $70 or whatever they're charging now for the real thing.

 

[da8s0859q]

Was wondering if I'm the only one that found that fantastically funny.

As for me, obviously not an MS-X yet, but I pretty much resort to just a good ol' alarm clock with a cell phone alarm backup on particularly late-to-bed nights / early mornings / exams / etc.

 

[Auron]

just use this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTxdKi77G20

put it away from your bed and chase it when it goes off in the morning. Problem solved 😀

 

[Doctor J]

just use this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTxdKi77G20

put it away from your bed and chase it when it goes off in the morning. Problem solved 😀

Man, those Japanese really, really love their robots. I wonder how much that doodad runs for.

As for my wakeup routine, yes, it's really really hard to get out of bed when I've gotten less than 6 or 7 hours, but if I went to bed at an appropriate time, it's not at all hard to get up with the first alarm that I set. I'm not in my clinical years yet so I can't say for sure that I'll always get enough sleep, but hey, it's a priority for me. If I'm sleep deprived everything is harder.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Cool - I've never heard of these different kinds of alarm clocks but I may look into it (although I don't get what that Sony Rolly thing's FUNCTION is...?!)

I always have 2 alarms (1 is battery operated in case the power fails) and aside from setting them really loud so they surprise me, I set them about 3-5 minutes apart. I can never really fall back into a deep sleep because one goes off, I hit 'snooze' and as I'm dozing off, the 2nd alarm goes off.... Even if I shut that off, the 1st alarm goes off again, and I feel like, "All right, all right! I'm UP already!!!!"

 

[SoCuteMD]

Me too.

"Where is (thump) that stupid (thwack) buzzing sound (ow!) coming from...stupid alarm...."



True. In retrospect, I probably should have showered in the mornings. But I'm so used to taking showers at night (after I get home from the hospital - to wash away the MRSA) that I couldn't make myself adjust. Oh well.

And I'm also someone who once fell asleep WHILE TAKING a shower, so maybe it wouldn't have been so useful for me anyhow...

Mmmm...MRSA. I just changed into a clean pair of scrubs as soon as I got home...but I know what you mean.

ouch. I also heard smelling some type of flower helps too 😕

🙂

Trust me, there is just nothing that helps at 4 AM.

 

[TRKATK]

Man, those Japanese really, really love their robots. I wonder how much that doodad runs for.

$400-500 depending on accessories you buy

SoCuteMD-I can;t even imagine. I think I'll start being grateful for 8am class and waking up at 7:50 😀

 

[shreypete]

I have a very hard time getting up in the morning too. Although I'm still a medical student (and seminars are mandatory for attendance purposes), so I don't think it's that serious (as it is for a resident). I really try putting 2-3 alarms (at the other end of the room) but in the morning, I go all the way to the other end, snooze the alarms and then come back and sleep...this is my biggest weakness....if i was probably more conscious of what i'm doing, I guess it would make my life a lot better...

 

[mdgator]

I have two alarms. The first goes off across the room, the second one goes off in the shower.

 

[deleted77919]

I like this alarm clock

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/...esents-mild-challenge-wakes-you-up-157999.php

But admittedly haven't tried it personally.

 

[ZagDoc]

I had the typical Code 5 Nuclear Alert alarm for a while. Then I got too conditioned on how to turn it off, and wouldn't slip fully into consciousness after turning it off, even when it was far enough away on my nightstand I had to partly get out of bed to reach it. Missed a couple lectures and damn near missed a test before I decided enough was enough.

I got the latest iHome right now, which has a cool little feature where it fades in the music up to a set level. I set it on radio and wake up gently as it fades up to a certain level, then I leave it on as I get ready. I'm enough of a light sleeper that I can't fall back asleep as long as music is on in the room.

 

[Dimness]

Go to Lowe's or Wal-Mart and pick up a timer. The brand I have is called Intermatic. Think about what time you want to get up, and set the thing about thirty minutes before. Plug in a lamp and what not. Then your lamp should turn on at the designated time. Works like a charm.

 

[kdburton]

Anybody have trouble waking up in the mornings? What are some of the things you have done to help yourself get up? I am going to start clinicals for my tech training and we have to do call with our supervising tech and I am afraid I wont hear my pager. Anybody else have these problems?

As far as the waking up in the morning part... I set my normal alarm and then the one on my cell phone. Usually I set the cell phone one for a couple minutes before to "prime" myself haha, and then my normal alarm is on the other side of the room so I have to physically get out of bed and shut it off. Also just go to bed earlier if you have to (I realize this can be hard to do in med school, but sometimes you just have to make sacrifices elsewhere)

 

[189362]

my alarms go off across the room so I have to get up and turn bot off (cell phone and alarm clock.)

Also I think once you get into the routine of waking at 545 every morning you get used to it. Even on saturdays and Sundays I find it very difficult to sleep past 9.

 

[def jeff]

Wow, I have a legit problem with waking up in the morning! I know exactly where you are coming from. The most important thing to do is to get enough sleep, as boring as that sounds. But sometimes the best advice is also the most boring advice...

So anyone care to give advice about how to fall asleep earlier? 😛

 

[deleted77919]

So anyone care to give advice about how to fall asleep earlier? 😛

Just take the professonal's cocktail of zolpidem to get to sleep and then modafinil to wake up. Repeat daily.

(Note: This is not a serious suggestion)

 

[SnowTown]

pager --> computer mic --> computer --> speakers (turned all the way up)

i think that'll wake you up