The Tyranny of the Alarm Clock
No Bedtimes, No Masters? Almost.
Alarm clocks, especially vintage ones with bells and hands, look downright cute.
They are the stuff that old-time movies and TV shows are made of, an exterior shot that provides the beginning of a plot point to set the scene. One might imagine Rod Serling coming from out behind the curtain and pronouncing:
“Take the case of Mr. John Adwatter, an unassuming businessman in a quiet Midwestern town. His domestic tranquility is about to be interrupted by the loud banging of clocks and the demands of the industrial world. This, he is prepared for by longstanding routine. What he is not prepared for, and what may shake his foundations to the core, is a visit from The Twilight Zone.”
Hiding behind the well-designed exterior of alarm clocks, whether they are analog or existing on an app in your phone, is a demand on your life that you have wholly accepted to your ultimate detriment: someone else creates the schedule for 1/3 of your life.
Time Exists, Whether You Believe in It or Not
Perhaps there will be some who read this that will use the often-quoted notion that “time” is a human construct in itself, no matter how physics or science would pretend to define it, and that any discussion of time is moot.
While I agree with this in theory, I also would like to remind you of a quote that will help in recognizing that time (or space) will pass you by whether you obey its authority or not:
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”
— Phillip K. Dick
The reality is, if you sit outside for long enough and simply observe things, it will eventually become night. Seasons will change, people will get older. Time may not “exist” in an objective sense that everyone can agree on the measurement of, but it certainly exists in a subjective human sense. To completely ignore it is to sign a warrant on many forms of social, financial, and physical peril.
Yet this does not mean you have to conform to it.
Waking Up “On Time” is Not a Virtue
There is no “correct” time to wake up. Let that sink in for a minute.
Despite what you may have been told at your job, by your parents, or in the educational system, life does not start at a particular time. Whether you enjoy sleeping in until 3 PM or are a consistent early riser, you are no better or worse as a person. Sleep patterns vary wildly across the world, depending on culture and context of the importance of sleep.
Because modern society dictates that most business is conducted between 8 AM and 5 PM (usually regardless of location) you may have to pursue different opportunities economically and socially, but you are not less of a person. If you were, then this would mean that the millions of people who go to work after 7 PM would be second-class citizens and have different rights than the rest of us (they don’t).
While working during the night has often been linked to a wide variety of health disorders, much of this also has to do with people skipping sleep, abusing stimulants, and keeping general poor health with diet and exercise. No matter what time you exist during the day, you must take good care of yourself to remain in your prime and live your optimal life.
Get Better at Self Regulation Instead
The reason why most people don’t critique or criticize their sleep schedule is because they feel trapped within economic circumstances that dictate a lot of their daytime schedule as well. Unfortunately, you will always be unhappy if you are trading your time for money and giving control of that time to someone else.
Yet whether you are a low-skilled worker or high-skilled professional, there is always some way to trade your time for money that gives you full control of your time back. Whether this means that you work on a project basis or by performance metrics, it is worth examining how you can regain control of your time and escape the tyranny of an alarm clock, whenever it may go off. You will be much better at regulating your needs, wants, and desires in contrast to time than any employer ever will be.
If you are not on the sleep schedule that you desire, don’t worry about it. Despite what health food stores and supplement companies might say, you only need anywhere from 0.5 to 3mg of melatonin to reset your circadian rhythm. This is not only affordable, but a non-addictive and safe method to reset your sleep cycle toward your desired outcomes.
Instead of being forced to be on someone else’s schedule and participate in an early morning or late night maniacal menagerie, work on self regulation and setting your optimal schedule instead. It’s both easier and harder than you think, but is worth all the overpriced pumpkin spice lattes in the world.
