# Those alarms that light up gradually instead of just blaring noises - worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971 "2004-05-25T11:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/1 "2004-05-25T11:32:27Z")
As I’ve now got to get up long before dawn to get to work, I find that I have a hard time getting up when 1) it’s cold 2) it’s dark. I heard about the life-changing alarms that have a 100 watt or so bulb on them (probably one of those all-spectrum “natural” lights for all I know) that are on a dimmer and gradually lighten up to their full intensity to keep you from being jarred awake by some godawful morning radio. I think they also play soothing rain sounds or bird songs or something. While I’m generally not the sort to believe the people on TV when it comes to things like this, I figure that this may be a good idea as 1) It’s easier to get up when it’s bright out and 2) it sucks to shuffle into the bathroom and then get hit with the full power of flourescent lighting without giving your eyes time to adjust. So, I like the idea of waking up more easily and having my eyes at least slightly adjusted to the light so I don’t just go and hide in the shower. Like I said, I’m generally wary of the As Seen on TV stuff, so I was wondering if anyone has experience with these. Are they worthwhile? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/2 "2004-05-25T12:15:43Z")
In a word - YES In a few more - no better way to wake up, I’ve had 2 of them so far. Just my humble O ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/3 "2004-05-25T16:33:30Z")
My SO and I live in the northern part of the US, and we noticed that it was much easier to get up in the summer (when it was light) then in the winter (when it was dark). So we bought one of these alarms. The increased light seems to make waking up a little easier. It’s not such a sudden event when the alarm goes off. Getting up for work is still not my favorite thing, but at least it’s not quite as abrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/4 "2004-05-25T17:32:41Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > …no better way to wake up… Sure there is. Back in the day when my routine required me to rise at 5:30, I kept a little consumer-grade Faema espresso machine on my nightstand, running on a timer. The sound of steam being forced through ground beans builds gradually, and it pretty gentle compared with the klaxon-styled racket of most alarm clocks, and certainly less potentially injurious to the waking psyche as waking to CBC FM news used to be. If you’re not into espresso, even a drip coffee machine is a pleasant way to wake up. An inoffensive sound – and anyway, what really wakes you up is the room filling up with the scent of coffee. Mmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/5 "2004-05-25T17:56:22Z")
The term for these is “dawn simulator”, in case you want to do searches for info. In my experience, they are helpful, though I’m not sure a 100-watt bulb is bright enough–my local store sells them with those big floodlight bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/6 "2004-05-25T18:50:27Z")
I may have to look into getting one of these; I’ve long thought that the idea makes sense, and Og knows I have trouble waking up in the morning. (And I hate coffee, so **Larry** ’s approach is not for me.) On a bit of a tangent: I’ve wondered, given the connection between the sleep-wake cycle and the body’s thermal cycle, how much temperature has to do with waking up. Has anyone tried to used a timed temperature increase (either via thermostat or an electric blanket on a timer) to improve waking? ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/7 "2004-05-25T18:57:18Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > On a bit of a tangent: I’ve wondered, given the connection between the sleep-wake cycle and the body’s thermal cycle, how much temperature has to do with waking up. Has anyone tried to used a timed temperature increase (either via thermostat or an electric blanket on a timer) to improve waking? From [here](http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s230.htm): > [@](#): > > Norman Swan: And what’s been the contribution of this department to research into seasonal affective disorder? > Dr Avery: Our primary contribution has been looking at the dawn simulation as a new treatment for winter depression. This is a low level of light coming on gradually in the bedroom during the final hour, hour and a half of sleep. We think that this light signal is getting through the eyelids to the retina. The retina in turn has connections to the body clock in the hypothalamus in the brain, and in essence will set the body clock. Whatever the mechanism for its action, what is clear is that people using the dawn simulator do much better with their winter depression, compared with controlled conditions. > Norman Swan: The light comes on round about the time dawn would start in summer, is that what you do? > Dr Avery: Actually it starts about the time that the dawn would start in the Spring, about 4:30 in the morning and then hits its peak intensity at about 6 o’clock in the morning when our subjects are waking up. > Norman Swan: The tradition treatment for this, after it was discovered was light box therapy - very bright lights and you sit in front of them for periods of the day - and you did some work on that which showed that the morning was a critical time, did you not? > Dr Avery: Yes, the morning bright light is much better than the evening bright light - particularly in individuals who have hypersomnia. There are few people who have early morning awakening as part of their winter depressive syndrome, but most sleep too much and they have marked difficulty waking up in the morning. > Norman Swan: And you’ve looked at their body temperature overnight - what did you find? > Dr Avery: We found that the body temperature rhythm was phase delayed… that is the timing of the minimum which normally occurs at about 3:30 in the morning was occurring at 5:30 in the morning - so that these individuals with winter depression had marked difficulty waking up at 5:30, 6 in the morning, in part because their body clock drifted too far clockwise. > Norman Swan: And that body temperature is not the cause of the problem, it’s just a manifestation of it. > Dr Avery: It’s probably just a manifestation of the problem, although it’s difficult to be alert if your brain temperature is too low. We know that the body and brain temperature drop prior to sleep onset and normally the body and brain temperature rise prior to awakening. > Norman Swan: Has anyone tried electric blankets rather than lights. > Dr Avery: It turns out that this body temperature is controlled by a very good thermostat… And this thermostat is shifting across the 24 hour period, so that simply using electric blankets probably would not do it because the body would simply vasodilate or sweat more in order to cool the body down. > Norman Swan: So profound is that entrainment in the body’s rhythm. > Dr Avery: What we’re doing with the light therapy we think is actually going directly to the thermostat and resetting the timing of the thermostat so the body is adjusting the thermostat upward at an earlier time. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/8 "2004-05-25T20:59:59Z")
Most interesting. Thanks, **Hunter**. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/9 "2004-05-26T00:30:35Z")
Intrigued enough that I think I’ll get one. They’re damn expensive though (cheapest I saw was $90, but if it gets me up, I think it’ll be worth it). The model in particular used a 60 watt bulb, so no floodlights for me. Thanks for the input. ---
**Author:** ![Anduin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Anduin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/10 "2004-05-26T16:14:35Z")
I just wanted to say that I’ve seen them as Zen Alarm Clocks, as well. I think they have a chime that starts out chiming every ten minutes, and then eight, and so on. It also has the light that slowly increases in intensity. I’ve found those online, but the cheapest is around $80 US. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/11 "2004-05-26T19:23:16Z")
FYI, I got mine from [this store’s](http://shop.store.yahoo.com/indoorsun/dawnsimulators.html) brick & mortar storefront. The dawn simulator is quite pricey, but worked well. It’s just a control that you plug a lamp of your choosing into, so you’re not limited in your choice of lamp. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/12 "2004-05-26T19:33:24Z")
So how effective are these for the Sleep Like the Dead? I can sleep through a regular alarm for over an hour. I have one super, extra, makes the cat jump, loud alarms just to get me to the waking point. Then I have a persistent regular alarm on the other side of the room to make me actually get up. So do these daylight clocks work for weirdos like me? - JayElle, who slept through Hurricane Alicia. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/13 "2004-05-26T19:49:14Z")
Hard to say…but what the heck, it can’t hurt. Another option that you might want to try (though I have no personal experience with them) is a vibrating alarm clock. These are alarm clocks designed for deaf people–they have a motor unit of some sort that you stick under your pillow, and when the alarm goes off, it vibrates to wake you up. There are a number of online stores that sell clocks like that, but I don’t know offhand how much they cost. A simple web search should turn up a number of options, though. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/14 "2004-05-26T23:58:15Z")
I _looooove_ the Zen Alarm Clock I got for Christmas. It rings a chime, waits 3.5 minutes, rings again, and the frequency gradually increases. It’s a very pleasant sound, and, since I hear the first chime only subconciously, it helps prepare me to wake up; I remember dreams somewhat better now than I did with my loud buzzy alarm clock. And the pyramidal wooden clock looks nice in my room. You can also get a smaller ‘travel’ version, or a digital version (with a real chime, but an LCD display). ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/15 "2004-05-27T01:20:23Z")
I just have the radio come on to a morning show. I can drift in and out, but having a lively conversation in my room even at low volume, wakes me up within 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-alarms-that-light-up-gradually-instead-of-just-blaring-noises-worth-it/246971/16 "2004-05-27T01:51:53Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > I just have the radio come on to a morning show. I can drift in and out, but having a lively conversation in my room even at low volume, wakes me up within 5 minutes. Zen clock sounds better than dawn simulator, I’ll have to check both out. The problem with the radio is that I wake up and go, “NPR assholes” and put in earplugs. I suppose I could listen to something else. Nothing like starting the day off with a steaming pile of hate.