Alarm Clocks - Suggestions

[FrankAbagnale]

Does anyone have a suggestion of a decent alarm clock that isn't as abrupt as your standard "beep beep beep" type clock.

At the moment I use my iPhone but would quite like to move my phone away from where I sleep.

I have looked at the Phillips Lumie lights that mimick sunrise, which seems a reasonable idea - gradually waking the user up with increasing light.

I have heard about the alarms that wake the user up at a moment of light sleep rather than a set time. Does anyone use these? Or, are there any other clever alarm clocks out there that I should consider?

I don't think I am ready for the alarm that takes off and flies around the room!

[Foliage]

FrankAbagnale said:

I have heard about the alarms that wake the user up at a moment of light sleep rather than a set time. Does anyone use these?

My smart watch does that, I still wake up feeling like st..

[smiffy180]

https://youtu.be/MlsOytEHStk ?

[RobM77]

I've had a basic 'Lumie Bodyclock' for 10-15 years now and it's brilliant. Unless I'm in a really deep sleep (usually because I got to bed too late), it wakes me up gradually every morning, usually so I'm just about fully awake a few minutes before the alarm goes off. The artificial sunrise starts about 20 minutes before the alarm time. It also does the same in reverse if you wish when you go to sleep. During BST you'll also need blackout curtains for it to work, because otherwise the light is pointless. This may work so well for me because I'm very sensitive to light when I sleep (my wife's iPhone wakes me up straight away if she looks at it in the night), but I love it

[Kenny Powers]

Apple Watch alarm is good in nightstand mode. Slowly illuminates the room in the minutes before it goes off. Nice inoffensive sound and very simple i.e. no selectable tones or volume settings to mess with, just a simple alarm clock.

[FrankAbagnale]

Thanks all,

I am going to test the apple watch tonight and see how it works out for me and likely look to buy a lumie light after summer.

I often think that the apps which wake you up in "light sleep" are a gimmick and is more of a placebo.

[PF62]

FrankAbagnale said:

I have looked at the Phillips Lumie lights that mimick sunrise, which seems a reasonable idea - gradually waking the user up with increasing light.

I bought a similar type a few years ago, and it is excellent.

Apart from waking you up gently, one of the real benefits I have found is when you wake up in the middle of winter and it is pitch black. You think "is the alarm going off in five minutes, so is it worth going back to sleep". Now you could look at your alarm clock, but being as blind as a bat, by the time I have put on glasses to read the clock I have woken myself up.

With these lights, as they start to turn on 15 - 20 minutes before the alarm goes off, if it is pitch black, go back to sleep. If the light is turning on, no point.

[Magic919]

I haven't tried Philips, but I'm on my third Lumie. The first one went wrong after many years. I tried the LED Lumie next and didn't get in with it. Went back to a bulb-type Lumie after that. Wakes me up with light and dawn chorus.

[amymax18]

Another vote here for the Lumie, I would definitely recommend it, especially in winter. I have the Active 250 which has the FM radio and a whole host of settings. Its not cheap for an alarm clock, but I managed to pick one up 2nd hand for £65. The benefits of the Lumie over certain Philipps models seem to be that you can change the bulb.

[CarlosFandango11]

FrankAbagnale said:

I often think that the apps which wake you up in "light sleep" are a gimmick and is more of a placebo.

I have one of these apps, and for me it works really well.

[FrankAbagnale]

Tried the apple watch overnight and it was certainly a gentler wake up. Although, there were a couple of odd pings from the watch in the night. Not messaging pings, more bongs. Not quite sure what they were!

[Crusoe]

Up at 5 most mornings so got a fitbit with the silent vibrate alarm. Let's my wife sleep while I get up and a nice gentle wake up that repeats so you don't sleep through.