Can anyone recommend an alarm clock that won't give me a heart attack?

[VaKim]

I haven't used an alarm clock for 30 years or more. I have always just woke up on time. But now, with hot flashes and all, I don't halfway sleep most nights, and usually am just dozing again when it is time to get DH up for work. So I need something so I don't have to lie there awake watching the clock to make sure I don't sleep over. 

 

I hate a regular alarm clock, as it is so loud and scares me to death when it goes off. I end up feeling queazy and nervous for half the day. Any suggestions for a "gentle" alarm of some sort? Not a phone or other wifi device, though, as we do not take those in the bedroom with us. 

[horsellian]

I have no personal experience, but a friend swears by one of those clocks that lights up slowly to wake you - like this (just the first link I googled).  It would certainly qualify as gentle, as the beeping noise is optional!

[shukriyya]

I was going to suggest an app on your phone. I use a wonderful one that has various nature sounds--birds, water, rain, bamboo flutes etc--and you can combine the sounds to make your own wake-up. It starts quietly and gets a little louder. It's a really nice way to wake up, gentle and soothing.

 

For a non-phone version you could go with a meditation timer-clock. They're pretty $$ but you'd get the kind of gentle wake-up you want. Amazon sells one called the Ensio that's supposed to be pretty good but it's $100. Also some of the white noise machines have alarm clocks on them.

[wapiti]

Have you tried a clock radio (radio alarm) set to the music of your choice?  And at a volume of your choice?

 

I'm with you.  I don't use an alarm for this very reason - scares me - usually I wake up anyway but once in a while my dd wakes me up.  (From across the room. I *hate* it when the kids stand right next to me and tap me or talk to me - same effect as the alarm - scares me half to death)

 

With a beeping alarm, it's a major emergency until the thing is turned off.

[Guest submarines]

We got DD a natural sounds alarm clock form Walmart. It is really cute and has a variety of soothing sounds. It also glows. Very pretty. If you google "soothing sound alarm clocks" you will see quite a selection.

[73349]

I have one that gradually lights up for 15 minutes or so before it turns the radio on (I set it on the classical station at a moderate volume). It's by Philips and we found it on Amazon. It was costly IMO--over $100--but it's great.

 

I picked it because it's hard for me to wake up before sunrise, but it's necessary at certain times of the year.

[Guest submarines]

Also, you if you have a fitbit (or maybe similar wrist band) you can set it to vibrate. I find it very gentle to wake up to.

[Desert Strawberry]

D uses his phone, and I use an app on my Kindle. Both offer a choice of alarms, start of quietly and build up slowly. I have been using mine to wake me at 3 am to test my blood sugar. I like that it is very gentle, doesn't wake D or the 3 kids in the attached nursery, and requires me to go through a couple of steps to turn it off. 

[Wabi Sabi]

We have had a Now and Zen alarm clock for the last 10-12 years. It looks like the one we have (a regular analog clock, not digital) is no longer made, but they do have this one now: 

http://www.now-zen.com/cgi-bin/orders/shop.pl

[LucyStoner]

I usually wake to BBC radio switching gears to Morning Edition. Aside from the odd dreams this can cause, it works for me. Sometimes a news story will get into my pre-wakened self tho and dream hilarity ensues.

[retiredHSmom]

philips wake-up light hands down.  We have had one for 8 years and now all our college and high school aged kids have them too.  The light usually wakes me up a few minutes before the alarm and it is a gradual waking.

[Laurie4b]

I've used a nature sounds alarm before (cheap one from walmart) and now use a very soothing tone on my smart phone. I don't like to be jarred out of sleep, either.

[prairiewindmomma]

I like my fitbit set to vibrate.

[mathnerd]

Why not use your phone's alarm clock feature? That is what I have been using for many years now and I can change the ring tones to suit my preferences.

[Tammi K]

I didn't read the replies so forgive me if it's been mentioned. Try googling the term 'Zen alarm clock' and you will see many options of alarm clocks that wake with a gradual increase in frequency and intensity of bells, chimes, etc. There are dozens of options.

We bought one for our daughter and she loves it.

[Vida Winter]

You could try a CD player alarm - I like to wake up to a favorite song & change it around once in a while.

[aggieamy]

Another vote for a light up alarm clock.  I used one and really liked it.  

 

Now I have a baby.  It's also a pretty effective alarm system.  

[Mom-ninja.]

I've got nothing to suggest. Dh wakes me. 

[Hikin' Mama]

I HATE waking up to an alarm too. I know you said no devices, but I use my ipad's alarm, which my daughter somehow set up to play music when it goes off. Now when I need to wake up to an alarm, I hear a lovely song by a Hawaiian artist that transports me back to paradise, if only for a moment. :)

[happi duck]

I hate being awoken via adrenaline surge too.

 

I don't always (read ever) wake up while it's dark nor to we have a dark room. Am I right in assuming that the sunrise alarms are only useful for waking up in a dark room?

 

I have so much trouble waking up that my days start badly.

[happi duck]

We have had a Now and Zen alarm clock for the last 10-12 years. It looks like the one we have (a regular analog clock, not digital) is no longer made, but they do have this one now:

 

http://www.now-zen.com/cgi-bin/orders/shop.pl

This looks really interesting. I like that it's a "real" sound. Do you have the one that's in a box? If so, does it work with the lid closed? Thanks for posting!

[Stacia]

This looks really interesting. I like that it's a "real" sound. Do you have the one that's in a box? If so, does it work with the lid closed? Thanks for posting!

 

I have one of the the in the box ones: http://www.now-zen.com/Digital_Zen_Alarm_Clock.html

 

Yes, it works with the lid closed too.

 

It's pricey, but I love it.

[Guest]

My dh still uses the heart-stopping alarm we got when we married 33 years ago.  

 

Me?  I have a gentle sound on my iPhone.  I MUCH prefer it.  

 

You can set the iPhone on airplane mode (to reduce the exposure to continuous wifi) and the alarm will still work, if that is something that concerns you.

 

[VaKim]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am gonna check out Walmart this weekend and see if they have any of those with gentle sounds like mentioned above first of all. 

We do not have smart phones. Only plain old tracfones. However, I do have a Samsung tablet. If I were to download an alarm on it, would it still work with the wifi off? Does anybody know? I wouldn't want to use it long term though, as my dd uses it all the time for games and is forever changing or turning off the sounds and stuff.

[AndyJoy]

Pre-cellphone I used a clock radio and woke up to light rock or even just static with the volume turned super low.

[hornblower]

I think the Samsung tablet comes with an android clock & alarm & timer app. It should have a bunch of sounds & tones already built in & you can also download other sounds or use a favourite quiet piece of music.

[Azalea]

I have used a Shake Awake - find them at Amazon. It vibrates to wake you up. Cheap and it works. 

[Reefgazer]

I rarely use an alarm clock either; my own internal alarm has served me well also.  But on days when I *must* be up, I set the alarm on my phone as a backup.  You can choose the sound and volume that you prefer.

 

I haven't used an alarm clock for 30 years or more. I have always just woke up on time. But now, with hot flashes and all, I don't halfway sleep most nights, and usually am just dozing again when it is time to get DH up for work. So I need something so I don't have to lie there awake watching the clock to make sure I don't sleep over. 

 

I hate a regular alarm clock, as it is so loud and scares me to death when it goes off. I end up feeling queazy and nervous for half the day. Any suggestions for a "gentle" alarm of some sort? Not a phone or other wifi device, though, as we do not take those in the bedroom with us. 

 

[Pippen]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am gonna check out Walmart this weekend and see if they have any of those with gentle sounds like mentioned above first of all. 

We do not have smart phones. Only plain old tracfones. However, I do have a Samsung tablet. If I were to download an alarm on it, would it still work with the wifi off? Does anybody know? I wouldn't want to use it long term though, as my dd uses it all the time for games and is forever changing or turning off the sounds and stuff.

 

My plain tracfone did have an alarm and I liked it, so check your specific phone.

[birchbark]

A Moonbeam clock is another light-up option.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I've seen models that start quietly and gradually get louder until you turn it off.

 

[Kareni]

I too have an alarmingly loud alarm clock; my husband and I call it the Rue d'Alarme (rude alarm).  He tends to get up earlier than me and will wake me up so that neither of us has to listen to it!

 

Let us know what you end up getting.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[MiMi 4under3]

My friend just uses a plain old digital timer.

 

Before she goes to bed she sets it for 8 hrs, or an amount that will have her up by a certain time, and it beeps in the morning.

[indigomama]

I have an alarm clock made my Timex, that my mom got me when I was in High School. It has a recording button on it, so you can record a message to wake up to. It's fun to record various messages.

 

When I was in high school, I may or may not have, recorded a bit from the movie Titanic, where Leonardo DiCaprio says "You're the most beautiful girl. woman, I've ever known." Not a bad way to wake up  :D  :blushing:

[Word Nerd]

I use my iPhone. There are various app options available, but I just use one of the Apple alarms/ringtones that isn't too alarming. Until a few years ago, I used the same old clock radio I got in 8th grade and woke up to music or talk radio.

[Reflections]

I haven't used an alarm clock for 30 years or more. I have always just woke up on time. But now, with hot flashes and all, I don't halfway sleep most nights, and usually am just dozing again when it is time to get DH up for work. So I need something so I don't have to lie there awake watching the clock to make sure I don't sleep over. 

 

I hate a regular alarm clock, as it is so loud and scares me to death when it goes off. I end up feeling queazy and nervous for half the day. Any suggestions for a "gentle" alarm of some sort? Not a phone or other wifi device, though, as we do not take those in the bedroom with us. 

 

 I hate alarm clocks. My dh has his phone set to a rooster crowing ... luckily (????) I'm so exhausted lately, that I sleep through it.

 

What I find that works great as an alarm, that is not a phone, not a wifi device and that is relatively gentle is a hungry cat with a full bladder and a closed door between her and the food and litter box.  

[VaKim]

 I hate alarm clocks. My dh has his phone set to a rooster crowing ... luckily (????) I'm so exhausted lately, that I sleep through it.

 

What I find that works great as an alarm, that is not a phone, not a wifi device and that is relatively gentle is a hungry cat with a full bladder and a closed door between her and the food and litter box.  

:lol:  Well, we actually have 9 cats, and most of them go outside at night because they do not wait until morning to decide they want their human servants to wake up. I am a very light sleeper, and if I don't have my fan running for noise, a cat just walking on the floor wakes me up.  :thumbdown:

 

I finally did the thing I should have done to begin with. I asked my dd about our tablet.  :)  Turns out, it has a really nice alarm on it that works without wifi. She said she never uses the tablet after I go to bed anyway, so for now, I am gonna use it. I was gonna try it out this morning, but I pretty much didn't sleep much last night (common these days), so I was already awake when it was time for it to go off. It has a setting on it, like a pp mentioned, where it starts out low and gets gradually louder. It also has many nice sounds to choose from. I chose an ocean theme with hornpipes. 

 

I may still end up getting one of those sunrise clocks though, once we get some funds built back up (DH was laid off from February until October this year). Thanks for all the great suggestions though. I had no idea there were so many options out there. Definitely not a techy type.