Dawn Simulator Update

I’ve been using my dawn simulator alarm clock for a few weeks now. It starts lighting up at 6:00am and by 6:15 (my actual “get up” time…supposedly), it’s at it’s brightest. I’m finding that I’m starting to open my eyes around 6:05 or 6:08am. I’m guessing that’s the light that’s getting through my eyelids.

I’m still able to snooze through the bright phase. The first few mornings, I got up at 6:20 and 6:25. But then one morning, there was just no motivation. None. Bright light or not, I’m sleepin’.

Then the real defect of this device showed itself. At 6:30am, the just light went out completely. Back to dark.

And so I slept until 6:50am.

You know what this as taught me? If I can withstand that pesky light for 15 minutes, it will go out and I go back to sleep!

But I’m trying, really. Now, at about 6:20am or so, I reach over and turn on my bedside lamp. Then when the dawn simulator goes off, there’s still light in the room. See? I’m making an effort.

I can’t say that the simulator makes a huge difference in my attitude and mood when waking up. It is nice to gradually wake up, without having a jarring radio station or buzzer come on. I’m still grouchy and I still bitch about having to even wake up at all, but at least it’s a gradual thing now. So, that’s something.

It does have a nifty feature, where, if in the middle of the night, I need to see to get a Sudafed or my water, I can push the “+” button a couple of times and just a smidge of light comes on. Enough for me to see, but not enough to wake Todd.

And now that the sun is coming up earlier, I have some natural light to help the process, too. Oh, and the time changes this weekend! I had forgotten. That will be even better.

So, to sum up – the dawn simulator makes waking up a bit more natural, but it won’t cure your bitchiness.

I think that should be the tagline.