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After the dreaded alarm clock abruptly ended a person's sleep for decades (and even on days off for their kids' schedule), do retirees now awaken naturally from sleep? Waking up whenever one feels rested, as opposed to getting up just because the clock strikes a certain time.
Or, do retirees still set an alarm clock even though there may be no pressing reason to awaken precisely at an exact time?
Location: NYC based - Used to Live in Philly - Transplant from Miami
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I have not been retired since I am in my 20s. But I am pretty sure that it will depend on the individuality.
Personally, I will see myself still wake up at certain times. I am a man of routine. I cannot see myself live in a "que sera sera" type of lifestyle.
I am retired and still use an alarm clock, although I do not set it every day, depending on what is going on. The alarm clock is a valuable guarantee against over-sleeping in the following situations:
1. Dental or medical appointment in the morning. (Rare in my case, but they do occur).
2. Early morning gym class I want to attend. (Once or twice a week, maybe).
3. Volunteer activities which begin in the morning. (Once a week I need to be there by 9:00 a.m., two days a week somewhat later, so no alarm needed).
For several years old habits ruled and I never slept beyond 7:00 a.m. regardless of any alarm clock. Then I would occasionally sleep until 7:30 a.m., if not awakened by an alarm. Now, I have actually slept beyond 7:30 a few times, but it is very rare.
What does happen sometimes, I get up, have breakfast, then go back to sleep for a "nap". I admit that is shamefully self-indulgent, but it is a luxury allowed by being retired.
We got rid of both the watches and alarm clocks (and practically calendars) after retiring in 2008.
However, I've found that when I DO need to get-up early for something, I tend to wake-up several times in anticipation of 'having to wake-up early'. My wife uses the reminder on her Smartphone; -- I need all the beauty sleep I can get, so I think I'll also start doing that.
Now that I am retired, I never set the alarm clock unless there is a specific reason to get up early. And even then, it is because I want to get up early, and not because someone else says I have to.
One of the best things about being retired is the ability to sleep until my body wants me to wake up -- most days. Sometimes I have to schedule something in the morning so I set the alarm on my phone. But my body is not happy about waking up to an alarm, so fortunately those occasions are infrequent.
Evidently I need more than the usual 8 hours. If I get to sleep by 10, I usually wake up at about 7:30.
I needed to get up early a few months ago and set the alarm but it didn't go off. So I missed the dentist appointment. Hadn't used an alarm clock in so long I must have forgotten how they work. Oh yeah, you have to pull the button out.
We got rid of both the watches and alarm clocks (and practically calendars) after retiring in 2008.
However, I've found that when I DO need to get-up early for something, I tend to wake-up several times in anticipation of 'having to wake-up early'. My wife uses the reminder on her Smartphone; -- I need all the beauty sleep I can get, so I think I'll also start doing that.
You have correctly broadened the discussion, adding watches and calendars to alarm clocks as part of the "lifestyle in retirement" conversation. Even in retirement, I would be totally lost without my appointment calendar. Don't we all still do stuff such as occasional social appointments, dental appointments, tickets for live entertainment events (some of which I purchase a month or more ahead of time), and so forth? I hate to rely on my memory for stuff like that - even if my memory works most of the time, I would certainly screw up sooner or later without that calendar.
Perhaps you mean that keeping your appointments and activities on a smart phone or similar device allows you to ditch the old paper calendar. Now that I can understand, even though I personally still do it the old way. I'm saying that I need some form of written reminders and records.
I still consider my alarm clock (as previously posted), my watch, and my calendar to be absolute necessities in my life.
I wake up at 7am every morning. And always go to bed after 11pm. So about 7-8 hours sleep. And that seems enough for me.
Although I have an alarm clock, I never use the alarm part.
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Good point - calendars too are part of this!
