Why do we wake up before hearing the alarm?

Many factors go into getting a good night's sleep, and sleep problems affect many. individuals for different reasons: work stress, relationship problems, poor sleep hygiene, etc. Due to the importance that sleeping correctly has for our lives, it is not surprising that much research has been directed at this address.

An example of this is a study that was interested in understanding why do we open our eyes in the morning before the alarm goes off. In this article we echo their conclusions.

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Why do we wake up before the alarm goes off?

Just a few days ago something happened to me that made me reflect. I got to bed very sleepy since the day had been very exhausting. The next day I had a meeting in the morning and I had to wake up early to keep the appointment. I thought I had set the alarm on my phone like I do every night before going to bed, but the dream He played a trick on me: he had set the time but had not given him the option to connect the alarm. Luckily, what actually could have been a problem wasn't because

I woke up at the same time as always without the need for the alarm to do its job.

Why did this happen to me? Well, the answer lies with the scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the United States, who have discovered a component that controls the biological clock and the sleep cycle in mice, and presumably humans.

In the molecular mechanism that controls our sleep-wake state is present an enzyme called JARID1a. This particle is known in the field of biology for its role in modifying histones, proteins that wrap DNA in a protective complex called chromatin. What was not known, and what we now know thanks to this team of researchers, is that it also initiates the daily process of awakening.

The researchers also found that the deficiencies in this protein disrupt and cause irregular periods of sleep. The study was published last week in the journal Science.

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How does this mechanism work?

Salk Institute researchers discovered that a protein called PERIOD (PER) is critically important in the molecular mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness. The cells in our bodies use PER to perceive the time of day., and tell us when and how to wake up.

At night, PER levels drop., which causes our blood pressure, heart rate, and mental activity to drop. But as we approach awakening and consequently wakefulness, the enzyme called JARID1a works like an alarm that tells our body to start working for the new day that he's waiting for us.

Another similar study

A similar study, conducted by the University of Lübeck in Germany, explored the effects of this enzyme. To do this, they had a group of subjects who had to wake up at 6 am and 9 am. The researchers lied to the participants, since those who thought they should wake up at 9 in the morning, did so at 6 the same as the other group.

The scientists found that in those who had been correctly informed, stress hormones spiked around 4:30 in the morning. However, the 9 am group's hormone levels did not rise, and they woke up when the researchers forced them to.

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The importance of good sleep hygiene

According to Luciano DiTacchio, a Salk Institute researcher who led the study with Satchidananda Panda, "these conclusions may be determinative for possible future treatments regarding sleep problems.”

However, these results may not only be useful for those people who have sleep problems and do not get a good night's sleep, but are important to prevent sleep difficulties and to improve its quality. These results tell us that if we have a good sleep hygiene, and we follow a frequent schedule to sleep, we have a greater chance that our body will activate itself even before the alarm goes off ring.

Therefore, if you are one of those people who goes to bed at a different time every day and you realize that you are in class in the morning but as if you were not there because your concentration does not manifest, it is likely that you have woken up before your body has adapted to the situation.

Tips to improve sleep hygiene

Experts say that to sleep well it is necessary to follow these principles that are essential for good sleep hygiene:

• Take care of the environment so as not to interrupt the quality of sleep.
• Follow a sleeping ritual, and go to bed normally at the same time.
• Take care of the diet
• Avoid stimulants after mid-afternoon.
• Practice physical exercise, but not after 6:00 p.m.
• Do not abuse the nap.
• Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages before going to bed.
• Do not stare at screens for a long time before going to sleep.

You can delve into these recommendations in this article: “10 basic principles for good sleep hygiene”.