Ask LH: How Can I Wake Myself Up Without Disturbing My Girlfriend?

Dear Lifehacker, I’m trying to get into a routine of waking up early for a run or a swim, but the problem is my alarm clock wakes up my girlfriend, and she can’t get back to sleep again. Do you have a recommendation for a way to wake me up before her without waking her up too? Thanks, Sleep Or Split

Grumpy girlfriend picture from Shutterstock

Dear SOS,

It sounds like you need to get yourself a fitness wristband. Most of these come with an inbuilt vibrating alarm that wakes the wearer up soundlessly. Provided your wrist isn’t underneath your girlfriend at the time, the vibrations shouldn’t disturb her sleep.

In addition to waking you up quietly, fitness wristbands are tailor-made to keep tabs on all facets of fitness and exercise, which would appear to suit your lifestyle perfectly. They monitor everything from how much deep/SWS sleep you get to the number of steps you take each day. The Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit even comes with an inbuilt heart-rate monitor although the device only works with a Galaxy smartphone.

My personal recommendation would be the Jawbone UP24. It’s comfortable, stylish and boasts a user-friendly app that’s compatible with most Android and iOS devices. You can read more about the device here.

If you’re a heavy sleeper, a pair of Bluetooth headphones might be a better option. Simply schedule a connection to your phone’s music playlist and you’ll get that blast of morning sound you need without waking your partner. In terms of specific brands, SleepPhones might be worth checking out — as its name implies, these are designed to be worn comfortably in bed.

If any readers have silent wake-up routines of their own, let SOS know in the comments section below.

Cheers
Lifehacker

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