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Geek Culture / Anyone used dawn simulating light alarm clocks?

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Phaelax
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Posted: 13th Feb 2018 14:25
I want to try one of those alarm clocks that gradually brighten to mimic the affect of dawn. I have to get up at 4am for work, and despite my years in the military, this still isn't easy for me. Regular alarm clocks do me no good, either they fail to go off completely (iphone bug widely mentioned with no remedy from apple in years) or I don't wake up consciously enoough to realize I hit snooze or turn it off. (I assume that's what I'm doing, I have no memory of my actions for the first few minutes) So I want to try the "natural" way of waking up. Anyone ever bought one? I've read reviews on several but there's always negative reviews that make me hesitant.
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Ortu
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Posted: 13th Feb 2018 18:31 Edited at: 13th Feb 2018 18:33
When in doubt, try it, but don't rely solely on it.

I have similar problems with turning it off without realizing it, the key for me is to set it just outside comfortable arms reach. It's close enough to hear it, but im required to get out of bed to touch it, which is enough to get me up and awake

I'm actually still using the same alarm clock I've had since childhood. It's super basic, but it's held up for more than 30 years and still gets the job done.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 14th Feb 2018 14:27
They range anywhere from $30 to well over $100. I'd rather not "try" one that doesn't work that well. I've actually thought about trying to make my own from a PI and rgb leds.
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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 9th Mar 2018 11:34
Lol, this reminds me of an interesting solution I came up with a few years ago while still in high school. I took one of those light timers and hooked up a lamp with it, and then to simulate a more blue color, I put a translucent blue glass over the bulb. So each day, half an hour before I needed to wake up, a lamp with a blue glass over it turned on... I don't recall it helping much lol, but considering what it was...
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Phaelax
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Posted: 9th Mar 2018 14:19
That would be a cheap alternative, but I'd like to gradually be woken up by the light, not shocked out of my sleep!
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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 9th Mar 2018 20:13
That was just the thing! It was one of those old mechanical timers too, so every morning I'd be woken by this CLUNK and sudden light lol.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 10th Mar 2018 14:56
I mean, if it gets you up I suppose the method works. But it's suppose to be better for you if you're gradually woken out of rem sleep. Unfortunately, I have a cat that likes to get very active at 2am...
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Jeku
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Posted: 10th Mar 2018 16:59
I have an uncle that still uses a windup mechanical alarm clock with the hand that hits the bells very noisily. It works and probably they're pretty cheap. They're bug proof
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Posted: 16th Mar 2018 08:12
Quote: "They're bug proof"
You sure? Last time I installed updates for my mechanical alarm clock the output driver broke! Stinkin thing!

Quote: "But it's suppose to be better for you if you're gradually woken out of rem sleep."
Yeah, that was my goal. I think the key is some sort of gradual increase in light levels, like the alarms you mentioned in your first post. I hear they use those a lot in places like Antarctica during the winter, to help the researchers wake up. Very interesting how that stuff works!
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