Ever woken up the second before your alarm goes off in the morning, equally freaked out and chuffed that your body is a genius? Or miraculously awoken from your power nap on the tube home at your exact stop?
Unfortunately, if this sounds familiar you’re not superwoman. Experts say it’s all down to your internal body clock, which is based on routine. Since your commute in and out of work is at a similar time every day, your body learns to recognise the ‘stop and go’ between tube stops and knows when to wake you up. Dr Marc I Leavey, a primary-care specialist, explained that “Your body is able to learn a routine as long as it’s a routine”. That’s why when you set a (painful) alarm for 7.30 every morning, your body becomes primed to wake up then. Clever, huh? Don’t get cocky though. If you’ve been partying all night or there’s a change to your routine you are in danger of falling into deeper REM sleep and could well wake up on the other side of the tube line (guilty).
According to experts, another reason behind the tube-wake-up is that you can subconsciously hear the stop announcements while you are in the land of slumber, even if you are not aware of it. This is because your body becomes primed to certain hear certain stimuliif you are hearing them every day.
That being said, if you find yourself transforming into a modern-day Dormouse from Alice in Wonderland, don’t ignore what your body is screaming at you. We are a tired country - the majority of us only get six hours sleep a night instead of the recommended eight. If you are falling asleep anywhere and everywhere, this could be a sign of sleep deprivation. In which case, you need to catch some more zzz's! Sleep dep could be at the root of bad moods, trouble focussing and can also lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. If you want to test if you are sleep deprived, try the spoon test. Equally, if you can’t relate to this story because you struggle to drift off, yoga for insomnia is a good shout.
And if your body clock can’t be this on point, don’t despair – Google Now’s alarm featureautomatically works out when you need to get off public transport.
Happy snoozin’!
**Like this? You might also be interested in: **
Is My Insomnia Caused By Anxiety Or Is It The Other Way Around?
The Number Of Sleep Disorder Test Carried Out By The NHS Has Doubled In A Decade
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.