alarm clock

We can never have enough inventions to increase our quality of sleep and it seems like we have a winner with the new Lark alarm clock ($129) which is available on its website and since it connects wirelessly to your iPhone, it will be coming to Apple stores on June 14.

Developed by a Harvard sleep expert and a sleep coach for pro-athletes, the Lark gadget is a wristband you strap on that vibrates to wake you up, thus only waking up one person. Don't worry, you're not going to feel a strong electric jolt, the vibration is quite light and is described by the Wall Street Journal to feel "gentle and soothing."

Further, the product even tracks your sleep patterns with a sensor and records it onto an app available in iTunes. And if you're worried about how effective this product will be after a long length of time, the creators have solved this problem — apparently the vibrations also change daily so people won't start getting used to it and ignoring it.

The WSJ review also said that although wearing a wristband takes some getting used to, it starts to feel less noticeable after a couple of wears. So what do you think — is this something you would buy?

Last fall, iPhone owners were hit by a daylight savings alarm bug, which allowed them to sleep in, even if they didn't want to. A work-around was put into place (by setting a new alarm each day — no reoccurring ones), but users were still skeptical about the effectiveness.

Be warned — daylight savings time is here again (we're all "springing forward" this weekend), and if you're not willing to pony up for a cute nightstand clock (you know, old school), you can always install one of these reliable iPhone alarm apps to use instead.

• Alarm Clock + (Free) — This simple app uses your music as your alarm, provides automatic weather reports with your internal GPS, and has a flashlight for those late-night bathroom trips.
• Clock Pro Free (Free) — This clock app has all your timing needs covered, coming with an alarm clock, music alarms, notifications, an analog clock, chess clock, stopwatch, world clock, nature times (for high tide, low tide, and sunrise/sunset), sleep timer, egg timer, countdown clock, and even a project clock that works when your iPhone is turned off. Phew!
• Alarmed (Free) — This alarm app is simple and easy to use, coming with reminder alerts, reoccurring alarms, reusable timers, sleep timers, and custom sounds.

See the rest after the break.

Do you ever find yourself in a healthy pattern of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day? I love it when this happens because it means A) I don't need an alarm clock since my body is waking up naturally and B) that I'm following the same sleep schedule on the weekend, which makes me feel well rested and ready to conquer my weekend errands and activities.

The reason we feel so great when we're on a regular sleep cycle is because we're setting our circadian rhythm — the tiny master clock structure in our brain that is filled with nerve cells and is the pattern of sleep and awake cycles, affected by light. What's interesting to note is that people who live in complete darkness (hello — Reykjavik in the Winter!) are still able to adjust to a 25-hour clock with regular sleeping and waking patterns. Here's what the natural daily circadian rhythm looks like.

Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks for getting your circadian rhythms back on track this Spring.

My iPhone alarm went off without a hitch this morning (is that a good thing?), but plenty of you lamented about your buggy alarm when we asked you if your iPhone woke you up on Twitter. Apple said the alarm issue would be resolved by Jan. 3, but until there's an actual fix in place, you can always work around it (by setting a new alarm each day — no reoccurring ones), buy a cute nightstand clock (you know, old school), or just install one of these reliable iPhone alarm apps to use as a backup from here on out.

• Alarm Clock + (Free) — This simple app uses your music as your alarm, provides automatic weather reports with your internal GPS, and has a flashlight for those late-night bathroom trips.
• Clock Pro Free (Free) — This clock app has all your timing needs covered, coming with an alarm clock, music alarms, notifications, an analog clock, chess clock, stopwatch, world clock, nature times (for high tide, low tide, and sunrise/sunset), sleep timer, egg timer, countdown clock, and even a project clock that works when your iPhone is turned off. Phew!
• Alarmed (Free) — This alarm app is simple and easy to use, coming with reminder alerts, reoccurring alarms, reusable timers, sleep timers, and custom sounds.

See the rest after the break.

Remember the Clocky? It's the alarm clock that actually rolls off of your nightstand and onto the floor, making it nearly impossible to hit the snooze button. I love it in concept, but the two-wheeled design is a little clunky for my taste. Luckily, there's a new alarm clock that will roll you right out of your bed: meet Tocky, a high-tech alarm clock designed to roll onto the floor and hide until you find it to turn it off.

The plastic and rubber round alarm clock, available for $82 at ModCloth, also features a touch screen for setting the time and alarm, and the ability to record voices as well as upload MP3 files. It's tiny — measuring just over three inches round — so you can travel with it, too. Just be sure to check under your hotel bed before checkout in case the Tocky hides itself a little too well.

The iPhone-as-alarm trend continues, this time with the iHome iA5 alarm clock ($100). Similar to the recently released iLuv model, the alarm clock/iPod dock is made to work with an app on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Download the free iHome app from the App Store containing an alarm clock, weather forecast, statistics (including average alarm time and average number of times you hit the snooze button), and quick links to Facebook and Twitter.

The dock itself has a built-in alarm, so it works even if your iPhone isn't attached — but it has a time sync button to make sure both clocks display the proper time when your device is attached. You can even program the snooze button for up to 29 minutes between alarms. While the dock works best with the iPhone/iPod app, it will also work with your other iPods, too.

I recently gave you some green ideas for Mother's Day, but here's another you can add to your shopping list: the Bedol Water Alarm Clock ($30). What's so great about this clock, you ask? Well, for one it's totally portable and comes in an array of colors, but the most amazing part is that it doesn't require any batteries — it runs on water!

To learn more about how this clock works, just keep reading.

Besides producing pretty protective cases for the new iPad, iLuv also makes great accessories for other Apple products. The latest iPhone/iPod Touch dock from iLuv is no exception, and serves as more than just a speaker. The iMM190 Stereo Speaker ($90) features a unique shape, allowing it to display your iPhone horizontally or vertically for optimum photo and video viewing.

In addition to enhancing video from your phone, it also doubles as an alarm clock. Download the free iLuv App Clock from the iTunes App Store; the straightforward app displays the time (either vertically or horizontally) and features changeable color themes. The time is displayed in a large, easy-to-read font, and also displays current weather conditions for your location at the top of the screen.