The key to these ‘silent’ alarm clocks is vibration: there are sensors to place under the pillow and rings with this function.
There are people who say they have never had to use an alarm clock to get up on time ; and according to some scientific studies, that is up to a third of the population, who mysteriously open their eyes before the alarm goes off. But for the rest of us, the clock is indispensable to wake up at the desired time.
Although the shrill ring, ring of the classic models has gone down in history, the sound of the radio, a song, or a melody from the mobile phone is still annoying for those who share a room and can stay in bed a little longer.
Are there options that help you wake up without disturbing others? The truth is that there are, and thanks to technology, there are more and more of them. They all have one characteristic in common: they use vibrations to wake you up gently and silently.
A sensor under the pillow
A search for the keywords ‘vibrating alarm clock’ in any of the most popular online stores will yield dozens of results offering traditional bedside clocks, but with an accessory that is placed in the bed (usually under the pillow) and vibrates when it is time to get up. These are the ones that deaf people usually use (those, and the ones that flash light).
A bracelet
There are very simple bracelets such as those from Pivotell or e-vibra whose only function is to vibrate to alert you of an alarm. This can be used to wake you up, take medication, remind you of an appointment… They are characterised by being very economical and while some only have memory for one or two alerts, others allow you to configure up to 15. In addition, they usually work with a rechargeable battery.
A smart watch
Virtually any smart watch has an alarm function: Apple Watch , Fitbit models , Xiaomi Watch , Huawei , are configurable from the mobile app and sometimes also from the watch itself, they are another alternative to wake up with a gentle vibration on the wrist.
In addition, it is most common that when the alarm ‘jumps’ it can be turned off or postponed for a few minutes, in the case of those who want to snooze. As this type of device measures different variables related to health and rest and are capable of detecting the phases of sleep cycles, they also offer the possibility of configuring smart alarms that start at the time they predict that you will wake up most rested: for example, you can say that you need to get up between 7 and 7:30 and the watch will vibrate when it considers that it is the best time.
A ‘smart ring’
The truth is that the alarm function is not a common feature in smart watches, basically because most of them do not have a way of ‘alerting’ you that it is time to wake up. Although there are some that do, such as Circular Ring , which has added vibration to its features.
From the app you can program the weekly alarm clock, choosing which days and at what time it should activate, and being able to choose between two options: to take into account the point in the sleep cycle in which you are in order to wake you up at the best moment, or to vibrate and vibrate until you get up and move.
A body sensor
SilentWakeUp is a device that is placed on the body (on the arm, for example) using a hypoallergenic silicone adhesive and, again, wakes you up using vibration. Funded thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, it connects to the mobile phone via Bluetooth where, through an app, the alarm is set. When the time comes, it starts to vibrate very softly, and increases the intensity for 10 minutes until it manages to wake you up.
