Before Alarm Clocks: 6 Ingenious Ways People Woke Up on Time

Before Alarm Clocks: How Did People Wake Up on Time? Before the invention of alarm clocks, people relied on various ingenious methods to wake up on time. This practice was deeply intertwined with the rhythms of nature and societal structures. The video "Before alarm clocks, how did people wake up on time?" explores six key methods. Natural light played a crucial role. Homes were often designed to maximize morning light exposure, acting as a natural alarm. As one commenter noted, "When you have a routine it becomes natural." Roosters, with their dawn chorus, served as a natural wake-up call in agricultural societies. Religion also influenced wake-up times. Church bells, introduced by Pope Sabinian in 604 AD, signaled prayer times, helping communities regulate their daily activities. Town criers, central figures in medieval Europe, announced important news each morning, creating a communal sense of daily rhythm. Wealthier households employed servants to wake family members at designated times. A more ingenious method involved inserting nails into candles at specific heights. As the candle burned down, the nail would fall, creating a loud clatter that served as an alarm. Finally, the video highlights the practice of segmented sleep, where individuals slept for a few hours after sunset, woke for a period, and then returned to bed for a second sleep. This pattern, well-documented in medieval texts, persisted into the 17th century. A 1990s study by psychiatrist Thomas Wehr found that when people experience prolonged darkness, they naturally revert to this two-part sleep rhythm. The shift away from these methods came with the rise of factory schedules, artificial lighting, and eventually, alarm clocks. Our sleep habits have changed significantly.