My favourite piece of tech from the last few years is an alarm clock

As a tech journalist, I’ve been lucky enough to test some of the latest and greatest gadgets for almost five years. 

There have been plenty of highlights during that time, from flagship smartphones and cutting-edge foldables to a robot vacuum and even a 3D printer. 

However, my favourite piece of useful tech is a gift I got for Christmas in 2020. It’s not particularly attractive or advanced, and serves only one function for me – waking up in the morning. 

You guessed it: it’s an alarm clock. However, this isn’t your average alarm clock. 

It’s what’s known as a light alarm, which simulates the sunrise to wake you up gradually using light. After years of being shocked awake with a loud, annoying sound every morning, I was excited to make the switch. 

The one I chose was Lumie’s Bodyclock Spark 100. It’s one of the most affordable versions the British company makes, although it still costs £99 when paying full price in the UK. 

Buy the Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100 in the UK

That specific model isn’t available in the US, but the Bodyclock Rise 100 is functionally identical and costs $99. 

Buy the Lumie Bodyclock Rise 100 in the US

That’s a lot of money for what is essentially just a fancy alarm clock. Is it really worth getting this over a regular alarm clock, which costs a fraction of the price? 

After almost three and a half years (was 2020 really that long ago?!) of near-daily usage, the answer for me is a resounding yes. 

My favourite way of waking up

Waking up using the Bodyclock Spark 100 has had a hugely beneficial impact on my mornings. It begins lighting up 30 minutes before I need to be awake (more expensive models can customise this duration), with a beep only starting once the alarm time has been reached.  

95% of the time, I wake up sometime in the middle of the half hour, feeling much more refreshed than I would otherwise. Having an extra 10-15 minutes in bed is a nice additional perk. 

It’s no coincidence that I feel better. Using light means I naturally wake up at a lighter stage of sleep, rather than being jolted awake from deep sleep. It’s not foolproof – a full sleep cycle typically lasts around 90 minutes – but I doubt most people can afford a 1.5-hour window to wake up in the morning. 

It’s not the only solution to this problem: many people wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker to bed, allowing them to be silently woken with a vibration when sleep data suggests they’re sleeping lightly. This is still the best choice if you sleep next to a partner and need to wake up earlier than they do. 

However, I find wearing something on my wrist while sleeping to be uncomfortable, and it’s another potential source of distraction while trying to get some rest. I already try to leave my smartphone in another room while sleeping to limit this. 

Not a perfect solution

The Bodyclock Spark 100 doesn’t get everything right, though. I don’t particularly like the way it looks, while the plastic buttons on the front feel a little cheap. You also can’t set a schedule for alarms on this particular model, so I have to remember to set it each night. 

And of course, being reliant on the mains means you can’t use it while away from home. In that situation, a cheap alarm clock does the job, and I set it as a back-up (in case there’s ever a power cut during the night) anyway.

However, none of these are dealbreakers for me, and they shouldn’t be for you, either. Combined with a blackout blind (I use a £23.95/$26.99 Easynight one, which can easily be put up and taken down each day), it’s transformed my mornings for the better. 

I don’t even use the sunset feature, which gradually dims the light and shifts it towards warmer tones to encourage sleep at night. At the end of the 30 minutes, you can set it to stay as a night light or switch it off completely. 

Alongside customisable sunrise/sunset duration, other Lumie models include features such as weekly alarm scheduling, Bluetooth support and FM or DAB radio via built-in speakers. But you don’t need those extra features to see a real benefit. 

A light alarm is arguably more important during the darker winter months, especially if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However, I find it to be hugely beneficial throughout the year, and you might too. 

Considering a light alarm but not set on Lumie? See our round-up of the best you can buy.