A communication apparatus comprising: a communication device comprising • a controller; • a receiver coupled to the controller; • an alert device that is coupled to the controller, wherein the alert device is adapted to alert a user that the receiver has received a communication, and the alert device has a plurality of operating modes; and a biometric monitoring device, which is coupled to the controller, the biometric monitoring device comprising a sensor (280, 395) that is adapted to sense an electrical resistance of the user at intervals and transmit the resistance signals to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to • read and store the resistance signals for a predetermined period of time during which trends will be observed; • determine a biometric characteristic comprising the rate of change of the electrical resistance over the predetermined period of time; • compare the rate of change of the electrical resistance with a predetermined rate in order to determine a state of the user; and • select one of the operating modes of the alert device based on the state of the user; wherein one of the operating modes of the alert device is a non-disturbing mode in which the alert device is disabled, and the controller is adapted to determine whether the user is in a predetermined state based on the biometric characteristic, and to select the non-disturbing mode of the alert device when the user is in the predetermined state. a communication device comprising • a controller; • a receiver coupled to the controller; • an alert device that is coupled to the controller, wherein the alert device is adapted to alert a user that the receiver has received a communication, and the alert device has a plurality of operating modes; and • a controller; • a receiver coupled to the controller; • an alert device that is coupled to the controller, wherein the alert device is adapted to alert a user that the receiver has received a communication, and the alert device has a plurality of operating modes; and a biometric monitoring device, which is coupled to the controller, the biometric monitoring device comprising a sensor (280, 395) that is adapted to sense an electrical resistance of the user at intervals and transmit the resistance signals to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to • read and store the resistance signals for a predetermined period of time during which trends will be observed; • determine a biometric characteristic comprising the rate of change of the electrical resistance over the predetermined period of time; • compare the rate of change of the electrical resistance with a predetermined rate in order to determine a state of the user; and • select one of the operating modes of the alert device based on the state of the user; • read and store the resistance signals for a predetermined period of time during which trends will be observed; • determine a biometric characteristic comprising the rate of change of the electrical resistance over the predetermined period of time; • compare the rate of change of the electrical resistance with a predetermined rate in order to determine a state of the user; and • select one of the operating modes of the alert device based on the state of the user; wherein one of the operating modes of the alert device is a non-disturbing mode in which the alert device is disabled, and the controller is adapted to determine whether the user is in a predetermined state based on the biometric characteristic, and to select the non-disturbing mode of the alert device when the user is in the predetermined state.