Imagine this.

The gentle morning sunrise peeks through your curtains, birds are happily chirping away, and you’re tucked in your extra cosy warm bed after the most glorious night’s sleep. Only to be rudely awoken by the grating, irritating sound of your alarm clock – artificial, piercing, and annoying by design. That jarring tone of your digital clock, analogue clock, or clock radio certainly does the job when it comes to waking you up, but is this really the best way to rise and shine? We don’t think so.

Aside from the sound itself being deeply unpleasant, the reasons alarms affect us go deeper than our desire to stay curled up in bed when it’s time to get up. Alarms often interrupt deep sleep or REM sleep, which are crucial for physical and mental restoration. This can leave you feeling groggy and tired, even after a full night’s sleep. If you’re human, it’s likely you’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed at least a few times in life, and let’s just say it takes a little more than strong coffee for normal order to be restored.

How you wake up sets the tone for the day, your energy levels, cognitive sharpness, and mood. In recent years, the way we fall asleep and wake up has been widely studied, especially sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess, disorientation, and impaired cognitive function experienced immediately after waking up from sleep, particularly after waking during deep sleep or from a nap.

At this point we know what you’re thinking: “That sounds great, but I need an alarm to wake up on time!” So, let’s dive into some alternatives that don’t sound like a bedside mariachi band.

Sunrise alarm clocks mimic waking up with natural sunlight, helping to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. Now we’re not disputing that this is a healthier way to wake up, but it’s not a foolproof method. Heavy sleepers might need a little more than a gentle glow to shake a leg in the morning, and sunrise alarm clocks can be very expensive. They may also disturb your partner if placed on a bedside clock table in a shared bedroom.

Another option particularly useful for heavy sleepers or the hearing impaired, are bed shaker alarms. The vibrating device goes under your pillow, mattress, or sheet – and the clue is in the name – it quite literally shakes you awake. Although a silent alarm, your partner might not be impressed when it’s their turn for a lie-in, and if the wire comes loose, say goodbye to your wake-up call.

So, these options, although silent, also have their pitfalls. A vibrating alarm watch or wearable wristband is an affordable alternative which wakes you up quietly, leaving your partner undisturbed while you gently rise from your slumber – no bed shaking necessary.

WakeBand™ adds an element of calm to your wake-up call. With customisable vibration for heavy sleepers and a snooze function, you can wake up silently on your terms while everyone else sleeps peacefully. Another handy feature is that you can set your alarms for the full week via the app, so there’s no need to check your phone before bed. Less blue light = better sleep!

This vibrating alarm has its perks for those around you as well. Does the sound of your alarm signal ‘walkies’ at 6am to your dog? Want to leave your newborn undisturbed while you take a little ‘me’ time in the morning? WakeBand™ wakes you and only you, so you can start your day however you’d like.

WakeBand™ is also the perfect alarm alternative for those who are hard of hearing, and it also functions as a pill reminder – or even an oven timer!