How to Wake People Up From Sleeping
Waking up can be a difficult experience for many people, particularly when they are very tired or on those dreaded Monday mornings. With the right approach, however, you can wake someone up, be certain they will stay up and make the whole experience relatively painless. Although studies on the subject have been limited, research at the U.S. National Institutes of Health finds clear relationships between what happens to our brains during sleep and during waking hours, a good reason to avoid unpleasant and shocking experiences during those precious last minutes of sleep.
Instructions
-
-
1
Enter the room quietly. Do not step loudly or attempt to wake the person with your movements.
-
2
Stand over the sleeping person. Do not get too close to avoid being hurt by any sudden movements when the person wakes up. Do not place yourself in her line of sight, as seeing you as soon as she wakes up can be a shocking experience, especially if you do not know her well.
-
-
3
Begin speaking to the person and asking her to wake up. Increase the volume of your voice until the person is awake and acknowledges that she has to wake up.
-
4
Place your hand on the person's shoulder and gently move her body. The movement will serve to more completely wake the person. If you do not feel comfortable touching the person, move the mattress or blankets lightly in order to move her body.
-
5
Ask the person to sit up and breathe deeply. During sleep, human breathing becomes more shallow and the connection between nervous impulses and muscle movement decreases to keep the body from moving excessively during the night or while dreaming. Moving the body and reactivating waking breathing patterns serves to fully wake the person and transition from sleeping to waking states.
-
6
Leave the room, but return in five minutes to make sure the person is awake. According to NIH research, the same mechanism by which people often forget their dreams after waking up lead several patients to forget the first few minutes of being awake. A person may not even remember being awakened if they fell back asleep. Repeat the process if the person is not awake.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you have to wake a person on a regular basis, establish a routine. The person may prefer to wake up in a particular way or to a particular sound, such as a special knock on the door. Over time, the person will automatically associate the sound with waking up and the process will become much easier.
Avoid physically shocking activities like spraying water or throwing objects to wake a person.
People who have an unusual amount of trouble waking up or falling asleep may be suffering from a serious sleep condition. Consult a a sleep specialist if you think this might be the case.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
