Ok, so: sunrise simulators, dawn simulators, wake up lights,
whatever you want to call them, help you wake up by slowly brightening
a light over the course of 15-120 minutes, which syncs up your bodys
natural circadian rythem. Supposedly you will wake up on your own,
feeling refreshed and ready, rather than being woken up by your alarm.
It is also claimed that you will be less groggy and more alert more
quickly, and lastingly through the day. Then you will be more tired at
night and better able to go to sleep. You can also get a Christmas
light timer for less thn $5 at any hardware store and plug your lamp
into it. However, this does not have the scientific research to show it
is helpful, and it may actually be detrimental. I tried it with a full
spectrum bulb and I can't say it's working.
( Here the red line shows how a
normal alarm clock wakes you up. The yellow is sunlight waking, the
green is a sunlight simulator (source:
http://lightbox-for-sad.com/daybreak.html)
There are alarms that monitor your REM
cycles and wake you up in a certain timeframe/window.
---
There is one that is really good sold in the Skymall magazine. Go to
skymall.com and will find it. It starts with aromatherapy, then lights,
then buzzer at end of cycle if person not wake with the other
two. [Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock]
---
My mother has used a wake up light for years. I am from
Washington state so it is really helpful to have something like
this. I believe the one she bought was from sharper image, but if
memory serves they are now out of business. I would definitely
recommend them (I am thinking of getting one myself).
---
You might also try verilux.com to see what they have. I have one
of their full-spectrum lights on my desk.
---
My old house was furnished with built in "wake-up" light pillars that
were in every room (from the floor to the ceiling) they did work
perfectly but were much larger in size. It is a great idea, but I cant
imagine using small ones like the one in the video. I would think after
time you would get used to it? I grew up in Thailand so mine too were
overseas.
---
I use an alarm from Brookstone that wakes me up with light and nature
sounds. I couldn't find the exact model online since I've had it
for a few years, but you might want to check this one out:
http://www.brookstone.com/store/product.asp?product_code=daybreak_alarm_clock&search_type=search&search_words=alarm%20clock&prodtemp=t1&cm_re=Result*R4C1*T
---
You may find some good info on types of lights here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder
---
or you could try the bed shaker
http://unitedtty.com/store/product133.html
---
I'm guessing that you don't have children (since you probably wouldn't
have much use for a wakeup light when your kids will happily wake you
up at 6:30... atleast that's the case in my home).
I recall seeing one in a catalog years ago.... not sure if was Sharper
Image or Brookstone or something like that. Sorry, can't be of
more help.
---
I had a wake up light when I lived in England.
There are too many other contributing factors to pinpoint anything, but
the first year I was there, and did not have the light, I got SAD.
subsequent years, I did not.
I really enjoyed the slow light progression in the morning, because I
hate alarm clocks. It would start out very dim and slowly get brighter
over half an hour, and I would wake up naturally, even though it was
still dark outside in the winter time at 9 am. If the light didn't wake
me up on my own, there's a gentle beep of an alarm, nothing like the
heart attack inducing alarms I normally avoid. And vice versa in the
evening, it would get progressively dimmer until it shut off.
I would have loved to bring my clock back to the US, but the electrical
systems aren't not compatible, and a converter just does not work with
clocks. the slightest thing off, and the timing starts losing seconds
here and there, so as a timepiece, it was no longer effective. Other
electical items can transfer over okay, but clocks...they're either
accurate or they aren't, nothing to compromise inbetween.
I think a backup battery would help in other situations, but am unsure
whether it would have any effect on the actual accuracy of the clock
overall. Satellite accuracy, yes, that would solve the problem! But the
battery sounds like a backup, and that won't matter if the clock itself
thinks it's operating normally.
The voltage doesn't need to effect the timing much to make the point of
the clock moot, it's a timepiece and it needs to keep the time. :)
I debated this a lot with folks there, trust me, I wanted to bring the
clock back with me. But once I acknoweldged that the point of the clock
was to dependably give the right time, I was resigned. Even being off a
second a day should be unacceptable, but the friends who've brought
clocks trans-atlantic report that they would be off about 5 minutes
day.
---
Hi Brenton, I suggest one of these two fine products from thinkgeek
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/91f2/
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/8f1a/
---
I was living in the UK last winter and seriously considered buying one
of these lamps. Our dark mornings in the U.S. are nothing compared to
England's! The prices are fairly expensive (so will be shipping from
the UK). If you want to put something to work straight away, you're
probably best off buying a comparable fixture from the U.S. Here are a
couple quick links to available clocks in the U.S.
This one seems a bit fancy:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/70460.asp?source=google&keyword=wake+up+clocks&cm_ven=NewGate&cm_cat=google&cm_pla=TopProducts&cm_ite=wake+up+clocks&OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=1089714861&OVKEY=wake%20up%20clocks
But here are a few others to look at :
http://www.gadgetshack.com/light-therapy-sun-alarm-clock.html [Sunrise
Alarm, Daybreak Duo, GoLITE M2]
---
Amazon has a handful:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wake+up+light&x=0&y=0
There's quite a few more under "Customers Who Viewed This Item Also
Viewed" as well, my search for "wake up light" might not have been the
best keywords to use
---
I actually have this unit for overall sleep therapy:
http://naturebright.com/sunTouchPlus.php?gclid=CJzrjqiw65YCFRNOagodtDigOQ
I also have an alarm clock from the Sharper Image which can be set up
to wake with light.
---
My wife bought this one a couple of weeks ago:
http://www.amazon.com/Verilux-Shine-Natural-Deluxe-Bedside/dp/B000F97B6M
[Verilux Rise and Shine]
My complaint with it is that the display is too bright - I hate any
type of light source at night, and this isn't easily covered up with
some pjs, like with a normal alarm clock. It's plenty bright to wake me
up in the morning, and I really do enjoy the way it slowly wakes me up.
It's a sufficient light source for reading in the bedroom at night.
---
[This is the
one I ultimately chose to buy]
(bluemax
version: 
)
