I've considered myself an "anxious sleeper" for many years now - can struggle to get to sleep, often wake up about 5am & struggle to get back to sleep, can wake up soaked in sweat, have bitten my tongue in my sleep on numerous occasions.

None of these things have happened since lockdown. That includes both during working from home & when on furlough. When working from home, I've trusted that I'll wake up naturally before 9am (which I have) & haven't set an alarm. While on furlough Ive had no need to set an alarm.

However, I had to be somewhere this morning at 9am so set an alarm for 8 & thought no more about it. Woke up at 5am, struggled to get back to sleep & started my day on the edge. I wasn't thinking about or worrying about the alarm, but clearly subconsciously it makes me anxious.

Conclusion: alarms are evil & are bad for both mental & physical health; if we're serious about using this to improve working conditions, home-working, potential 4 day weeks etc, we should also be looking to ways in which employees are able to wake up when their body decides.