…….and Daylight Savings

I’m so happy we’ve shifted to the beginning of the warmer seasons!  Brighter and warmer days have a positive impact on me, not to mention all the activities which open up, with better weather and longer days. That said, as I’m sat here writing, it looks pretty grey and wet outside today – but Summer will be here before we know it. I love all the seasons and all the events each of them bring, but I’m definitely ready for some warmth now!

We’re much more likely to be active, perhaps taking an extra walk or a cycle in the evening, getting stuck into the gardening again or maybe exercising or socialising more. All amazing for our mental health and positive outlook. 

Daylight Savings were introduced for various reasons and remain controversial, however a couple of benefits of the time changes are believed to be the reduction in energy usage (with it being brighter for longer) and a reduction in crime (with criminals finding it harder to go unnoticed).

However, with a time change can come adaptations needed for deaf people.

I cannot hear morning alarms. I have a fine balance to the way I wake up. For me it’s a mixture between natural light or lack of, coming into the bedroom and the ability to wake up using a vibration device. Neither of these work reliably enough on their own for me. I’m a very heavy sleeper. So like everyone, my circadian rhythm has to adjust with the seasons, and then I have to learn to ignore the early morning light, when actually at different times of the year, this is an extremely helpful trigger to wake up! Perhaps for some lighter sleepers either vibration or a light is enough. More often than not, I need both. And that’s even when I have such a powerful device that the whole bed / first floor shakes (a bed shaker!). After all these years, my body can ignore this when I’m in deep sleep. We all have to find what works for us. So when needed, I also substitute natural light with a bedside lamp on a timer. Who else gets frustrated at waking up at dawn in the summer despite not having had enough sleep? Or panics at the thought of having to wake up at an unusual time for a meeting or a flight. “Will my method(s) be fail-safe?” 

There are various ways of waking up in the morning listed below. I wish I could wake naturally by going to sleep at a specific time and that was reliable enough. However being deaf, my levels of mental tiredness can vary hugely and even if I’m physically well rested, without a trigger, I can always sleep for more hours than I do. Methods of waking up vary with all of us and they can be one or several different ways from the list below.

How do Deaf People Wake Up?

– Natural circadian rhythm – your body wakes when it is rested enough

– Natural light – sunrise

– Artificial light – an overhead light or a lamp

– Wake-up light – a lamp which comes on and gets brighter gradually, to simulate sunrise

– Sounding alarm clock – set to a specific audible frequency

– Vibrating Alarm Clock – the whole device can be placed under your pillow or on your bed

– Bed Shaker Alarm – this is a more powerful and has a pad for under the pillow or the mattress to create a more intense alarm.

– Flashing Alarm Clock – placed somewhere in your eyeline such as your bedside table

– Vibrating Wrist Watch – either purpose made or a smartwatch

– Family / Partner physically waking you

– Personal assistants, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, set to trigger the above devices

– Hearing Pet / Hearing Dog – trained to wake you at the sound of an alarm

Deaf people can get mentally tired easier than most people. So don’t be too hard on yourself. I know that not getting up on time in the morning can feel like failing as an adult sometimes, but it’s not unusual for us deafies. We have to concentrate and focus all day to understand the world around us, and then we don’t have the benefit of sound / sleep interruption in the mornings either. Our deaf club is online and our deaf community is diverse. We all have different ways of doing things and it’s a great place to share! Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, I hope you find your new season rhythm soon and hopefully the list above has been helpful if you decide to try something different or extra.

Join us and let’s Spring forwards together!