Mom and Dad got us the sunrise alarm clock thing that wakes you up by simulating the sunrise next to your head, a thing I have wanted to try for YEARS.
Trial: Day 1
We tried it the first morning we got home, but that wasn’t really a good test. We set the alarm late enough that the room was getting bright anyway. Didn’t get the full effect.
Trial: Day 2
The NEXT morning, we set the alarm for 6am like usual, and it works! We woke up gently, the room was lighter, and since it was only 5:59, I turned off the alarm before what is described as “gentle beeping” could begin. But then, we were so comfortable and happy that we didn’t get up. Went back to sleep for an hour, woke up too late for the gym, so we shut the light off and slept for another hour. It was a lovely morning, but maybe the gentle beeping is necessary to get us out of bed.
Trial: Day 3
We set the alarm for 6 again and actually got up! The gradual light really is nice, but “gentle beeping” my Aunt Sally*. It’s not the all-out horrible alarm sound they always play on TV, but it’s not gentle, either. The answer is yes, when it’s really that dark and cold outside of bed, the beeping is necessary no matter how nice the simulated sunrise. It’s a shock, but it’s less of one.
Verdict after three days: I like the new alarm clock.
*Apologies to someone’s Aunt Sally.
Snooze McDuck
We have an alarm clock that slowly ramps up the beeping. Starts all quiet-like then builds to a “god damn it get up” level. Good for when one is a light sleeper and the other isn’t, as long as the light sleeper needs to get up first.
momma betty
Sounds to me like the verdict is still out. Does it have an option for changing the sounds? I like the sounds I’ve set on my phone–birds chirping, sort of a gentle reminder that some other creatures are up. But Bob finds their chirping pretty annoying.