Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2022 April 19

= April 19 =

Triple insomnia
Apologies if this isn't an appropriate forum. Just shut me down.

I've never had any trouble going to sleep (just ask any of the hundreds of people I've slept with). But for the last 20 years or so, I have the issue of often waking up way too early - anywhere from 1 am to 5 am. Sometimes I go back to sleep, but mostly not. So I tend to get up after 15 minutes, and go and do something useful like editing Wikipedia.

I have a bedside clock, which is why I know the exact time I wake up. For the past 5 years or so, I've noticed the time is often 1:11, 2:22, 3:33 or 4:44. These instances probably account for at least half the times I wake up early.

I doubt there's any reference about this phenomenon, and it doesn't bother me, but I am increasingly curious about it. Does anyone have any insight about it? -- Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  22:12, 19 April 2022 (UTC)
 * My guess would be confirmation bias or frequency illusion, or some similar cognitive bias. Basically you don't remember the times it isn't one of those times.  But it's just a guess. --Trovatore (talk) 22:26, 19 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Also salience bias. --Trovatore (talk) 23:18, 19 April 2022 (UTC)
 * What would happen if you covered up the clock, or turned it round? I'm suggesting that maybe you read and process the time even while asleep. Here's a random paper on pubmed, Standing sentinel during human sleep: Continued evaluation of environmental stimuli in the absence of consciousness, which I quickly searched for to back up this outrageous supposition. Doesn't really explain why you'd wake up when all three digits are the same, but maybe it disturbs you because it's been on your mind. There's also Biphasic_and_polyphasic_sleep to suggest that waking up for a while in the night is a natural thing to do. Card Zero  (talk) 23:08, 19 April 2022 (UTC)


 * Coincidentally I read in a recent issue of Fortean Times of someone else who regularly woke up at 1:11, 2:22, 3:33 or 4:44, so you are not alone (unless that was you). Unfortunately I don't keep back copies so I can't provide a reference. Shantavira|feed me 08:23, 20 April 2022 (UTC),
 * Another sufferer here in Yoga Digest - apparently it means that "you are in alignment and the universe is letting you know that". Alansplodge (talk) 17:35, 20 April 2022 (UTC)
 * No, it was not I, Shantavira. --  Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  21:02, 20 April 2022 (UTC)


 * If you've slept with that many people, you probably need to sort your chakras out, mate. Or better still get a 24-hour bedside clock. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:11, 20 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Good point - if Jack could get a clock that displays in hexadecimal, he would presumably wake up at 1:17 (0x 1:11), 2:34 (0x 2:22) and 3:51 (0x 3:33). Card Zero  (talk) 20:35, 20 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Of just take a lie in. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:24, 20 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Get a dial clock with actual hands, and see if you start waking at five to one, ten to two, quarter to three, (symmetry) or perhaps ten to four, five to five, and six o'clock (hands lined up). Get in touch with a sleep laboratory, and you could have a long career as a sleep guinea pig ahead of you (if you can persuade your many partners to join you) . -- Verbarson talkedits 09:03, 21 April 2022 (UTC)


 * Thanks for your ideas, folks. --  Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  21:51, 24 April 2022 (UTC)