A Guide to Choosing an Alarm Clock
In a perfect world, you’d be getting such high quality and sufficient quantity of sleep that you wouldn’t even need an alarm clock. But, given the modern, fast and unhealthy lifestyle, we lead sooner or later everyone turns to the utility of an alarm clock.
Finding the ideal alarm clock is, in some respects, a relatively low-risk venture. Does it take you out of your slumber when you want it to? Then it does its primary purpose effectively. That said, as the science of sleep becomes bigger and bigger business, so too do our options for how to rouse from that sleep.
What to Be on the Lookout for in an Alarm Clock
So, if you have a hard time waking up in the morning and making it to work, then beautifully made table alarm clocks are your safest bet. However, with so many options at your disposal, finding the ideal model can sometimes be overwhelming. To make the right selection there are some important factors to keep in mind when shopping for the one that best meets your wake-up needs.
Personal Preferences
Simply put, what to look for in an alarm clock relies on your interests and requirements. Therefore, if you’re the type of person who hits snooze a million times but still can’t get yourself out of bed—possibly to the detriment of functioning, such as it means you’re late to work all the time or can’t tend to your children when they need you then you should look for an alarm clock that forces you to wake up and jolts you out of your stupor.
In this regard, some models shake your bed, and others try to turn you off by making you do math problems or produce incredibly loud, annoying noises.
If you have no trouble getting out of bed but feel that an unpleasant awakening affects your outlook for the day, you should opt for an alarm with a milder approach that gently lulls you to sleep or sounds that gradually increase in volume.
Some clocks, on the other hand, get brighter as the time for waking up approaches, which some people find to be a simpler and less stressful experience—likely because it’s simpler to wake up in the light than in the dark.
If you, however, experience insomnia that is made worse by worry about the time or how little sleep you have left, then an alarm clock that doesn’t displays time is your best buy. On the other hand, those who want to know the time but detest having to do any work at all to do it should look for a design that projects the time on the ceiling.
Also, some alarm clocks feature bells and whistles designed to aid you in enhancing your general sleeping hygiene. Limiting blue light before bed, spending less time on your phone before bed, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, reducing distractions while you sleep, and developing a pre-bed routine that puts you in the mood for sleep are all examples of good sleep hygiene.
Analogue or Digital-What’s the Difference?
When narrowing down their choices many people wonder “Are digital or analogue clocks more accurate or what the difference between the two is?”
A digital alarm clock is an LCD-display gadget that can be programmed to wake you up at any moment. It usually features multiple alarms, snooze options, and other helpful tools for getting out of bed on time. An analogue alarm clock, on the other hand, is a clock face marked from 1 to 12 and two circularly moving hands that indicate the passing of time.
Although, regrettably, digital alarm clocks are considerably more prevalent today than their analogue counterparts, these table alarm clocks are still available and are still used by people who are concerned about power outages, the dangers of blue light, or the unreliability of their digital clock. Moreover, they are a stylish alternative to add some vintage charm to your bedroom whenever it calls for it!
Functionality
When browsing for alarm clocks online or hitting the brick-and-mortar stores, take into account how easy is it to set up or how likely is it that you’ll use it every night as opposed to something else, like your phone’s alarm.
The only way an alarm clock is useful is if you utilize it on daily basis. Beyond basic usability, it’s crucial to carefully consider the language used in marketing—this is true for all products but is especially pertinent in the sleep industry, which is a very exciting sector with no regulation as of yet.
So, are the bells and whistles on your alarm clock supported by research? Or is it claiming things that it has no right to claim? Certain bells and whistles, such as whether your alarm clock also has a clock radio, can be evaluated only on their own.
Usefulness
In other words, does it assist you in achieving your sleep and wakefulness-related objectives? Does it assist you in any quantifiable method with your goal of cutting down on your excessive bedtime and getting out of bed more frequently? Does it make you feel more tranquil in the mornings if that’s what you want?
The ideal approach in this situation is to keep a journal of your thoughts and experiences for a few mornings before using it, and then monitor how you feel or how quickly you get out of bed over the following week or two while using it. Afterwards, compare.
Sleeper Type
Purchasing an alarm clock online also means taking into account the type of sleeper you are. Depending on your sleeping habits, you can choose between a loud and a slightly quieter alarm.
The least amount of artificial light and distractions may be preferred by light sleepers. To help them wake up from a deep sleep, deep sleepers, on the other hand, might prefer an alarm that is loud or gets louder over time, possibly with light or a sunrise simulator.