Another question for my flist

[innerslytherin]

Since you guys all had amazing ideas and encouragement for me on yesterday's query, here's another one for you all.

I don't wake up well. I'm a heavy sleeper once I do sleep, especially now that I have a prescription to help me get to sleep. And I'm not a morning person at all. So I was thinking about trying one of those sleep tracking wristbands at night, that set off an alarm when you're at your lightest, but those get mixed reviews on Amazon. Then I started thinking about a dawn simulating alarm clock. I don't really want to spend $300 on it, but around $100-150 would be okay. But I can't seem to find one that people agree on there, either.

Do any of you have any experience with dawn simulating alarm clocks? Any suggestions?

Comments

[mingsmommy.livejournal.com]

OMG! Yes! My husband got me one on e-bay several years ago. It was AMAZING. Sadly, I don't know what brand it was and it died (and my sleep rhythms have changed so I don't really need it any more) but I HIGHLY recommend them.

Another thing that worked for me in the past (I used to be a super heavy sleeper) was having an electric blanket or a bed warmer set on a timer. I set the timer for 30-45 minutes before I wanted to wake up. The warmer you are, the easier it is to wake up.

[innerslytherin]

Thank you so much! :) I don't know about the blanket ONLY because I take medication that makes me wake up drenched in sweat on a regular basis. I might electrocute myself. LOL

But I'm glad to know that you recommend the light, because I seriously need some help. At my last serious professional job I got written up for sleeping through my alarm several times in one month. At this job, well, I'm living with my parents and ride to work with my dad. But sadly, my DAD is my alarm clock, because I sleep through FOUR alarms. Anything that helps (and doesn't require going to bed at 8 pm) is worth it.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

I am a morning person so I'm probably not really one to comment. However I live with someone who is most definitely an owl rather than a lark. We wake him up with a clock radio. Ours is set to BBC Radio 4 so we are woken up by the news, weather, sports reports etc delivered in nice rounded tones with a smattering of political jokes. For a more raucous waking up you could tune into a rock station? A bit of ACDC first thing would get your eyes open.

[innerslytherin]

LOL sadly music has never proven effective at waking me. Probably because I suffer from insomnia (I know, right? I have a hard time getting to sleep, and then when I do, earthquakes and tornadoes don't wake me), and got in the habit of listening to audiobooks almost every night -- I can sleep through a lot of auditory stimulation. So hopefully light will help...

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

I have to second the electric blanket rec - since I started using one on a timer, I've found it MUCH easier to function in the morning.

[innerslytherin]

Hmm...as I told Ming, I take medication that makes me wake up drenched in sweat on a regular basis (can't shower at night because of that either), and the medication is not optional. So I'm not sure the blanket is a good idea. :/ But I have dug out a timer and put a lamp on it, so thanks for the timer idea! :D

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

This is relevant to my interests ^_^

I like the idea of the electric blanket - I think I need to look into that...

If you do end up getting a wrist-watch, could you review it?

[innerslytherin]

I think I've pretty much decided on the light rather than the wrist-watch, because from the customer reviews I've seen of the Sleeptracker watches, it tracks movement rather than actual sleep data, and not everyone has had great results. However, if that doesn't work, there's a possibility I'll still try one of the watch things.

Either way, I'll let you know what happens. :)

[kimmeke-86.livejournal.com]

I have one of Philips, which I'm happy with. The light goes on half hour before the alarm is set to go off, and gets brighter and brighter (depends on the intensity you put it though, because I'm not such a heavy sleeper, so I don't need it to get to bright). If I don't wake up by that, a bird sound comes on.

The only down side is, that when I'm lying towards the lamp in the morning (mostly I'l lying the other way around though), I wake up pretty fast from when the lamp jumps on. But hey, I'm a light sleeper, so I don't think you will have that problem.

[innerslytherin]

Thank you! :D I love the idea of the brighter and brighter. I like the idea of being able to program a dusk as well as a dawn, and I think I've read the Philips doesn't do that. Can you let me know? I was leaning toward that one except for that.

I would LOVE it if it would wake me up early/pretty fast either one. It has to be better than waking up in a panic 10 minutes before I need to leave for work because I slept through four alarms. (Which hasn't happened recently, but since I'm looking for a job that isn't with my dad, could happen again in the future.)

[kimmeke-86.livejournal.com]

Mine only does a dawn, so ...

You already slept through 4 alarms? Wow, when it comes to a normal alarm, I already jump up when it barely started. It happens that I put it off and fall back a sleep, but rarely.

[innerslytherin]

Yes, I am the complete opposite of a morning person. I often sleep through the four alarms without even realizing a single one has gone off. :/

[kimmeke-86.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! I hope you don't have to get up too early then each morning?

[kimmeke-86.livejournal.com]

Btw if you plan on getting an alarm system like this. I would def. suggest you ask for a 'test' in the shop. You know, that they show you how bright the light can go, and how loud the sound can go (which starts if you do not wake up from the light). To make sure that it is something you can wake up from (if you sleep through that many alarms I think it is def. worth seeing for yourself first. I figure there will be a difference in there between different ones. )

[innerslytherin]

Sadly, I couldn't find any shops that had them in stock in my area. :( Especially because of my morning problems, I usually like to test any alarm I buy, and especially these, that are a bit pricey (though entirely worth it to me if they work!). But I ended up ordering one finally, and hopefully if it doesn't work, I can at least recoup the cost selling it on eBay or something.

[lordhellebore]

I have no helpful suggestions, but the subject sur eis intersting. I have a terribly miserable time getting up each morning...

[innerslytherin]

I hate mornings. Hate them. When I was unemployed, I was going to bed around the time I now have to get up and go to work. I was sleeping 8 hours, from around 6 am to 2 pm, and was well-rested, but entirely nocturnal. I hate getting up at 5 am. HATE.

Alarm Clock

[(Anonymous)]

This doesn't have the serenity of a dawn simulating alarm clock, but when you absolutely, positively HAVE to get up, use a Clocky alarm clock. It's the only thing that can rouse my 18 year old son. That boy has slept through the house alarm going off right outside his bedroom door, but the Clocky actually wakes him. It sounds like R2-D2 on crack. lol It varies the sounds it makes, so you don't get used to them and continue sleeping. It also has wheels, so after you hit the snooze button that first time and the alarm goes off again, it rolls off your nightstand, forcing you to get up out of bed and chase it down, beeping madly as it goes. (Movement can be disabled, though, if you prefer.) Although beeping isn't the right word. Like I said, it sounds like R2-D2 on crack. To put it mildly. ;)

My son swears by it. It's worth every penny.

Here you go (there's a video review there, so scroll down):

http://www.amazon.com/Clocky-Alarm-Clock-Wheels-Almond/dp/B000PWLTNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297316831&sr=8-1

Just a thought!

Kathy

Re: Alarm Clock

[innerslytherin]

Thank you! I've seen those before, and it's good to hear (and see) a customer review. That thing is adorable!

[dragonladyk.livejournal.com]

You've already got solutions, but I thought you might like some information. ^^

Most people who aren't morning people are so because their homeostatis is sluggish: their internal body temperature is slow to drop and slow to rise, so both shutting down and waking up take a lot longer. Instead of their body temperature dropping when their eyes tell their brain it's dark and cueing the urge to sleep, their body temperature needs the extra push of the midnight chill to get them down (making them night owls) and then in the morning their body temperature doesn't rise with the dawn but with the later warmth of day (hence the urge to sleep in). Those with sluggish homeostasis are crabby in the mornings because we're trying to function before the startup process is complete and the normal core body temperature has been reached -- something "normal" people only experience when wakened prematurely.

Hot showers, hot coffee, and hot tea all serve to raise the internal body temperature more quickly and get us through the startup process faster. Dawn simulating clocks get the startup process started earlier than a standard alarm, so that by the time it IS time for the non-morning person to get up, the waking core body temperature has already been reached.

DragonLady

[innerslytherin]

This is fascinating. I didn't realize it was a matter of body temperature. It's possible that I'm sabotaging myself by drinking Coke in the mornings, huh? I'll have to try starting out with a cup of tea, instead of leaving that until 9 or so...

I have so far had good luck with the dawn simulator, though I know I need to get to bed earlier still.