Ally Hirschlag Improves Sleep in 7-Day Alarm-Free Experiment, Waking Naturally Around 8am
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Aug 22
Ally Hirschlag Improves Sleep in 7-Day Alarm-Free Experiment, Waking Naturally Around 8am
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 22
Summary
A 7-day no-alarm test left Ally Hirschlag waking naturally near 8am with less morning grogginess by day four, and the easier wakeups continued into the following week.
An 11:30pm-to-8am schedule emerged as her natural rhythm, and sleep experts said keeping that timing consistent matters as much as total sleep for resetting the body clock.
Morning light, a predictable two-hour wind-down, cooler bedroom temperatures and sharply reduced phone use formed the core of the routine; Hirschlag said limiting screens and sticking to bedtime helped most.
The week still included disruptions — a doorbell, cats, alcohol and a backup 8:20am alarm — underscoring experts' point that sleep is gradual rather than an on-off switch.
Adults generally need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, the report said, while excessive smartphone use has been linked to poorer sleep, including in a 2025 survey analysis of 45,000 Norwegian students.