Most of us must wake up in the morning and we require an alarm clock to get up. Since I was a child I always used an alarm clock that used noise to wake me up and this would always jar me awake in an unpleasant manner. In my 30s I tried using alarm apps that slowly made the alarm louder but this wasn’t much better than the regular alarm. After reading the book why we sleep I heard about using light to wake up instead of sound. The book explained that waking up with a loud alarm raises blood pressure and causes stress. If you use the snooze it will cause that stressful rise in blood pressure repeatedly per the book.
After learning about the light alarm clock, I was on a mission to find one that would meet my needs. I came across the Philips wake up light alarm clock. This clock is a big lightbulb that slowly gets brighter to wake you up. If the light doesn’t wake you it will start playing light bird sounds to help wake you.
After using the Philips wake up light alarm clock for a few months I found that I wake up a lot easier. Using light to wake me has put me in a better mood every morning. Now I wake up without the alarm clock being fully lit because the light wakes me up in a natural way which puts me in a proper sleep rhythm.
Here are a couple reasons why you should try a light alarm clock.
It wakes you naturally
Melatonin is the hormone that tells you when to go to sleep and the brain releases it when it starts to get dark. The opposite happens when you want to wake up and therefore light is a better choice than sound when it comes to an alarm clock. When you use a light alarm clock it mimics the sunrise which wakes you gently. You will feel refreshed rather than knocked awake with loud noise.
Helps with sleep rhythm
Sleep rhythm is one of the more important factors when it comes to having healthy sleep pattern. Talk to any healthcare worker that must change from night to day shifts and you’ll know what bad sleep rhythm can do to one’s health. Using light to wake up tricks the brain into thinking that the sun is rising at a different time than it normally does. This is helpful to keep you on track with your sleep pattern. As I said before I have started waking up before the alarm is fully lit because my sleep rhythm is now in line when I set my alarm clock.
The verdict
The Philips wake up light alarm clock for me was a solid choice. The price of $140 wasn’t too bad and it is easy to set up. I like the brightness of the light and the different shades it goes through to wake me up. Based on the price and ease of use I would recommend it to anyone that wants to try a light alarm.
Side note
Being a personal trainer I explain to my clients the health benefits of sleep all the time. If you don’t sleep well, then you will have trouble getting healthy because lack of sleep negatively all areas of health. Many of my clients that struggle with sleep also struggle with weight gain and skip workouts. After we get the sleep under control my clients will usually see results. I personally have problems with sleep and using the light alarm clock has helped me improve my sleep which helps me to stay healthy.
Check out our article on how to get a better sleep
