Written By: Karin Voelker, Psy.D.

As a teenager, I came across an idea that seemed almost too good to be true: you could train your mind to wake up at a specific time without an alarm clock. I decided to test it. I told myself to wake up at 6:00am, repeated that message several times in my head, went to bed, and the next morning my eyes opened at 5:59am, half an hour before I typically had to get up for school. Convinced that it was luck or coincidence, I tested it again- and again. Each time it worked almost without fail, as long as I repeated that wake time message to myself before falling asleep. It was an early lesson on how powerful psychological conditioning can be.

In my work with patients, I often see a related mechanism play out, though in a much less helpful way. Much like the ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’ tactic from police interrogations, where one officer comforts while the other pressures, the clock can play a dual role- sometimes neutral or even positive, and sometimes a trigger for stress. Many people who struggle with insomnia find themselves waking up consistently at a certain time in the middle of the night. At some point, that time became associated with a heightened emotion, such as frustration, disappointment, or worry. It is usually not a positive emotion, and the brain learns to associate that time with something that we need to watch out for. In reality, there is nothing harmful about time itself, but once the association is made, the mind treats the clock as if it were a threat. What should be neutral information on the clock becomes a psychological trigger, like a time stamp, and the body learns to wake up, as if being alert could prevent something bad from happening. From an evolutionary perspective, of course, this is exactly what we are wired to do.

Knowing the time in the middle of the night rarely provides comfort. Instead, it invites mental math (“If I fall back asleep right now, I get 3 more hours. No wait, it’s 2 hours”), worry about the next day (“I’ll never function at work tomorrow”), or self-criticism (“Why can’t I sleep like a normal person?”). Checking the clock at bedtime is also unhelpful, since it can increase anxiety and therefore make it harder to fall asleep.

For this reason, I encourage patients to remove, turn around, or cover clocks that are visible at night. Many put tape, index cards, or sticky notes over glowing microwave or stove displays that they cannot avoid glancing at on the way to the bathroom. Recently, one patient had the simple but ingenious idea to place a refrigerator magnet over their digital clock. It worked beautifully and required no purchase or effort. For many, setting an alarm provides reassurance that they don’t oversleep, which makes it easier to let go of checking the time at night.

While timekeeping has its place, for those struggling with insomnia, looking at watches or clocks at night does more harm than good. Covering clocks or turning them away from view is not just a quirky trick, but part of a meaningful behavioral change. Although the effect is not immediate, once time is no longer paired with negative emotions or impending doom, patients typically report returning to sleep more easily, without the anxiety the clock once provoked.

This strategy is just one example of the practical techniques used in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I is a natural approach that does not require devices or medications. During a CBT-I assessment, we take a comprehensive look at sleep habits, daily routines, thought patterns, and environmental factors that affect sleep. From there, an individualized treatment plan is created, incorporating evidence-based techniques designed to help our patients achieve better sleep. If you are struggling with insomnia or want to learn more, please reach out to a psychologist who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine.

The information featured on this site is general in nature. The site provides health information designed to complement your personal health management. It does not provide medical advice or health services and is not meant to replace professional advice or imply coverage of specific clinical services or products. The inclusion of links to other websites does not imply any endorsement of the material on such websites. The inclusion of links to other websites does not imply any endorsement of the material on such websites. The information provided in this blog post reflects the personal views of the author. The blog post contains general health information and is not a substitute for your doctor’s care. Please discuss with your doctor how the information provided is right for you.