Does Anyone Have What They Consider an "Internal Chronometer"?

[DonDavis]

I think mine started while in boot camp. I really disliked the "wake-ups" we were given. Often, it was some trash cans being tossed about coupled with "WAKE UP LADIES!!" I became a light sleeper and started waking right when the door opened. Later, I would wake just prior to reveille. After boot, I had alarm clocks and used them but got burned a few times by the power going off in the middle of the night. I slowly began to wake myself just before the alarm would go off. I tested myself many times and found I could just decide on a time and would wake with +/- 5 minutes.

Nowadays, I don't have an alarm clock in my bedroom. I usually have to be up at the same time on a daily basis and I sure the habit factors into it a bit but even when I have to be up at earlier or later times, I can wake the same way. When I go on vacation or business travel to different time zones I can still do this. Sometimes, I'll set my cell phone as a back up for really important occasions like track days, but for the most part, I rely on my own Internal Chronometer.

Plus, I do have mild bouts of insomnia from time to time but that's just a by-product of my psychosis.

Another thing, I rarely get surprised by what time it is. If I'm working and involved in some calibrations or very technical situations I may lose track but I pretty much know the time within 10-15 minutes.

Is this strange? Should I go find a circus and join up or am I among friends?

[frogger]

Circus.

[on2wheels52]

My internal clock isn't quite as sophistocated as yours but I have experienced the same inernal alarm feature, often looking at the arrm clock within a minute or two of its going off. I only set it on days my wife has to work (she has to be up at 6:00) but I'm normally awake at 5:30 or so. I think it has more to do with being a 'morning' person than anything else in my case.
Jim

[dewolf]

that internal clock thing sucks big time. I can't turn my ba$tard of a thing off

[equality72521]

My internal clock constantly needs winding.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by equality72521

My internal clock constantly needs winding.

Winding? Mine's pump action.

Ian

[oldE]

Don,

Your 'internal clock' sounds just like mine. Seldom do I get surprised by an alarm clock and when I am working outside I can usually say to myself, "Must be almost 2:30" or whatever and am usually within a minute or two on either side. When I delivered my first SuperHost training session, my Supervisor's comments at the end started with my sense of time management. Breaks were when they were supposed to be, etc.

It has taken me a long time to realize that most people are ambivalent about time. If you say, "Meet me around 6:15." you will be lucky if they show up before 6:45. My daughter, if she does nothing else on this earth, will have taught me that my appreciation for time is not important to her or many others.

Les

[djmcmath]

My 4 year old nephew has an internal chronometer, but the doctor says it won't hurt his digestive tract, and once the battery dies, it should stop going off in the middle of the night.

My mom's internal clock is like yours -- no alarm necessary, same time every morning. She never wakes up at different times, or goes to bed at a different time, so I wonder if that's mostly just habit? Over the years, I've developed a similar skill, with some flexibility: it's hard to do the no-alarm routine when you're doing rotating shift work. I also have a pretty good sense of short periods of time: I know from lots of time in the darkroom what 1 minute feels like, and can call 30 seconds (when making espresso) close enough to get good espresso without using a stopwatch anymore.

I'd say it's a little unusual, but certainly not unheard of. Sorry, I think your career as a circus freak is probably a no-starter.

[Oh Haha]

A guy who works for me never sets his alarm. "I just ask God to wake me up at whatever time I need to be up and he does."

Strange for me to understand but this fellow is NEVER late to work and he starts at 4:30am.


Hmmmm.

[CJFusco]

I regularly wake up 2-5 minutes before the alarm goes off.

[9dreizig]

Depends on how important it is,, If I have an appt or need to catch a plane, I always wake up a minute or two before the alarm.. If I don't have anything going on, the alarm wakes me up and I usually hit the snooze button.

[Dantilla]

I don't set an alarm. While not quite as refined as yours, my internal clock always wakes me up when I need, even when it's earlier than usual. And usually I'm wide awake, and ready to get out of bed as soon as I wake.

[911Rob]

amongst friends here!

[RANDY P]

I do, but I need to have some reasonable sleep (6 hrs) or it gets snoozed..

Worked yesterday, today I missed it. went to bed too late.

[Joeaksa]

I sleep like a log but usually wake up around 05:30 every morning.

If there is something important and an early wake up, I set a couple of alarms. If the alarm is set for 04:30 or so, I usually wake up at 04:20, 5-10 minutes before the alarms. Happens every time, cannot explain it but has happened for years.

Either someone upstairs is watching out for me or I have the same internal clock that you do!

[cool_chick]

I don't remember the last time I set my alarm, with the exception of: setting it if I have to wake up extra early (e.g., to go to the airport or something) and it gives me peace of mind (I'll have difficulty getting to sleep because I'm so worried I'm not going to wake up, so setting the alarm eases that "worry"). Though, most often, I"m still awake before that alarm.

It's Sunday, and my internal chronometer still wakes me up, just like every other weekend. It doesn't know it's the weekend, apparently.

[BeerBurner]

I, too, have an internal alarm clock that always seems to wake me about five minutes before the alarm. It doesn't really matter what time the alarm is set at, I'm almost always up.

And it's a good thing because when I wake up on my own I'm usually good to go. If the alarm wakes me, I'm going to drag alllllll daaaaayyyyy loooooonnnnng.

BB.

[mattdavis11]

I only set an alarm if I get hammered at the hunting camp the night before a hunt. It's just a back up. Other than that, never had a need for one.

[charleskieffner]

wow don, g/friend and i were just talking about this. i get up every morning 4-4:30am.....................NO MATTER WHAT!

my dad(army sarge) ran the house kinda like bootcamp and being corp mgr. for garrett corp he always had to set the example. be it home or work.

if i beat the hell outta the drums/slam beers/mojitos on a fri/sat night, sleeping in is 7am.

i guess i have fallen into the same example as my dad. have always gotten up early rain or shine. when we go hunting(classic early bird gets the deer/elk) i am up even earlier. no alarm clock ever.

they say einstein got by on 5 hours sleep a night. i kinda think i fell into this groove also because of the summer heat here and it just carries thru the rest of the year.

but the best part...........heading out the door at 530-600am with p-car. no one on the road and the cops are changing shifts!!!!! vvvvvvrrrroooooooom!

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by frogger

Circus.

Seems like Frogger is in the minority on this thread. heh heh.

Good stuff everyone. Glad to hear I have , *sniff*, some brethren.

I have a small cold so yesterday/last night I stayed in and watched movies. Went to bed around midnight but had a couple small naps during the day.
So, as I was settling in bed, this thread came to mind and all the talk of alarms. I decided I would sleep till my body had enough. Woke up at 8:30 and actually felt better. We'll see how the day goes. There's an AX today and I may run the car over and spectate.