All of these things can make sure the snooze mode works towards actually getting you out of bed. Deeper options like a snooze limit that, once reached, will disable the use of snooze, adjustable snooze intervals, and even a delayed snooze mode that waits until after you’ve disabled the alarm to ensure you’re actually up. Snoozing: This is another simple feature that most, if not all, alarm clocks will have however, there’s is more to a snooze mode than just a simple toggle.All the apps here support multiple alarms, and using an app without this isn’t going to get you far. Being able to set alarms at once for different times, on different days, is a basic yet useful feature. Multiple Alarms: This is a basic one that every alarm app should include.While alarm apps are pretty simple, there’s still plenty to look at when it comes to picking the best one for you. Purposefully Irritating: Loud Alarm Clock.The app got my tired brain working while an alarm blared in the background. Knowing my snoozing history, I queued up seven tasks at a medium difficulty.
My take: This app offers flexibility, letting you choose the number and difficulty of tasks. With I Can’t Wake Up! Alarm Clock, you can select up to eight tasks to turn off the alarm, including math problems, memory games and even shaking your phone. I Can’t Wake Up! Alarm ClockĮxercise your brain with this app to jump-start your day. Within 15 minutes, I was awake and out of bed.įree with in-app purchases for iOS $0.99 with in-app purchases for Android. The intelligent snoozing kept me in check without forcing me up at a moment’s notice, and I felt more refreshed after giving my body some time to gradually wake up. But this gentle app was a good compromise for the inner snoozer in me. My take: Initially, I worried that I would linger in bed because of the app’s soothing ring tones and snooze option. You can also choose the “intelligent” snooze setting to keep you from sleeping past your wake-up phase. The Sleep Cycle app tracks your sleep to wake you when you’re sleeping lightly-it goes off during a set window (the wake-up phase) rather than a certain time. After completing the tasks-and especially seeing my goals-I was in the right frame of mind and was energized to start my day.įeeling groggy in the morning? Your alarm may be waking you from a deep sleep. And this app’s multifaceted strategy strikes the right chord for someone who struggles to get up and stay up. My take: Any three-part operation to turn off an alarm takes dedication, but it’s still quicker than snoozing. Strapped for time? You can set the alarm to require only some of the phases. And finally, the motivation phase displays your goals for the day. The brain phase stimulates your mind with a game. The body phase gets you out of bed to take a picture. Want to start your day on a positive note? The Kiwake app centers on three aspects: body, brain and motivation. If one alarm just isn’t enough, try setting several alarms that walk you through your morning routine-scan your toothpaste, cereal box, milk carton and more-to keep you on track and out of bed.įree, available for iOS. You can’t expect to end a snooze habit in one attempt, though. But afterward, I landed myself back in bed for another 20 minutes thanks to my sheer lack of willpower. My take: I felt a quick adrenaline rush when I jumped out of bed (the ring tone options are somewhat unforgiving). To turn off the alarm, you must get up and scan a barcode that you selected the night before. You can’t roll over when Barcode Alarm Clock rings.
As a regular and repeat snooze offender (I have references!), I teamed up with my smartphone to put these five alarm clock apps to the test. Looking for a way to end the bad habit? While electronics and sleep don’t always mix, your phone may be able to help. But the immediate gratification might not actually help you feel more rested. If you’re like the roughly one-third of American adults who don’t get enough sleep, hitting the snooze button may be part of your daily routine.