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Wake-up Light

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Butter

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Wake up light

Philips brought out the wake up light around 2008. This light is a new form of alarm clock.

The light will simulate a sunrise and give the person a pleasant way of waking up, this is because of a natural reaction the user will have towards the sun rise. Nature’s alarm clock is the sun rise and in the past (before technology) people would rely solely on the sun, they go to bed once the sun sets and wake up when it rises. This lamp uses this natural reaction to wake you up very pleasantly.

The theory behind it is that when the sun rises your body slowly prepares you to wake up by creating fewer hormones which make you sleep (adenosine and melatonin) and will be breaking down the melatonin and adenosine to wake you up again.

The product was tested in different parts of the world especially where it is dark such as Norway during the winter. After about 6 weeks 98% of the citizens who tested the product wanted to continue. Links 4 and 5 show the results of 60 days as well as after two, four and six weeks.

The price can range from 109€ to 129€ this is a lot of money but I believe it will make a large difference when used. There are also models where there is an iPod/ iPhone charger dock attached to the light to play your music while using the light.

1 http://sleep.health.am/sleep/more/what-makes-you-sleep/

2 http://blog.onlineclock.net/wake-yourself-up-with-light/

3 http://www.wakeup.philips.com/#/gb_en/the-town/aurora_borealis

4 http://www.wakeup.philips.com/#/gb_en/the-results

5 http://www.wakeup.philips.com/#/gb_en/the-people

Comments

5 responses to “Wake-up Light”

  1. Ali D. Avatar
    Ali D.

    I think this would be a very interesting lamp to see in class one day. Do you know anything about the material it is made out of and how it was built. Such as the technology used and the programming required in order to make this lamp. Further more is the idea of sunrise formed just through light dimming or is there more to the process?

    1. Butter Avatar
      Butter

      The idea is mainly the light turning on slowly when it is time to wake up this could start about an hour before you wake up. In order for this to work the room has to be near to completely dark since it will subtract from the lamp working because the actual sunrise could start at 5 instead of the planned one.
      There is also a setting where you can adjust the brightness because if the lamp is next to your bed the light would be stronger and can hurt your eyes.
      The light uses a replaceable halogen light bulb.
      The materials used are glass, ceramics and metals according to the “looking closely at the lamp” section on the Philips website below

      Here is some more information from this website stating features. (http://www.drnedley.com/wakeup-light.html)
      Features:

      Gentle Wake-up Light gradually increases in 30 minutes before your set wake up time. Light falls on your eyes and positively affects your energy hormones, preparing your body to wake up. This makes waking up a more pleasant feeling.

      Soft rising light wakes you gently
      • Halogen lamp

      Light intensity
      • Up to 250 lux for natural awakening
      • Clinically proven to make waking up more pleasant

      Natural wake-up sounds
      • Choice of 2 natural and pleasant wake-up sounds

      Wake up to your favorite radio station
      • Digital FM radio

      Easy to use
      • Bedside lamp

      http://www.design.philips.com/sites/philipsdesign/about/design/designnews/pressreleases/pressbackgrounders/wakeuplight.page

  2. emiller Avatar
    emiller

    This does sound large a revolutionary idea, but that is a lot of money forn alarm clock. I think the idea is good but they should try to make it more cost effective.

  3. oliviaajarvis Avatar
    oliviaajarvis

    This seems like a great idea as it can be hard to wake up abruptly in the morning but I doubt there are many people willing to pay that much for an alarm clock. According to this website http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wake-up-lite/id349866558?mt=8 there is an iPhone app that also simulates a sunrise, issuing light gradually starting 30 min before your alarm is set to go off, the only difference being that this app is free and therefore a lot more appealing.

  4. Butter Avatar
    Butter

    I actually have received the wake-up light as a gift from my family for Christmas/ birthday and I have to say after trying out for the past weeks. It is the best invention in a very long time, if you do not wake up at the alarm time a noise will wake you; the sounds can range from your own music, drums, birds, chimes, and radio. Yes it is very expensive but it also makes me more relaxed waking up.

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