I am not a morning person. Waking up and rolling out of bed is difficult. The sound of an alarm jars me awake making me feel unrested and grumpy.
I much prefer to wake up on my own. When the sunlight filters into my room, I can gradually come awake. I am rested and ready to start my day.
This works fine in the summer when the sun is up before I need to be. During most of the school year, sunrise is much later. So I’m forced to find another wake-up solution.
I have thought about buying a sunrise lamp for quite some time. The problem is: which one to get? There are a lot of options and several price points. The reviews are mixed as well. I could never commit to investing in one.
So what’s my solution?
Smart bulbs in our bedroom ceiling lights.
The smart bulbs are dimmable, and they are color changing. We programmed the lights to mimic the color of the sunrise. They start out dim with a warm pink light. Over the course of 30 minutes, they gradually change color and become brighter.
Smart bulbs are not all created equally. You pretty much get what you pay for— make sure you read the reviews before deciding which ones to get. The color-changing lights cost more than the dimmable lights that switch between yellow and white light. Depending on what color settings you want, you may be able to mimic a sunrise lamp with the dimmable light. I enjoy the warm pink glow in the morning.
Our program runs on weekdays. I wake up on my own on weekends. On Monday mornings, I wake up shortly after the lights turn on. On every other day, I take almost the full half-hour to wake.
We have a backup alarm set to go off as well. Now the sound is not jarring, and I’m ready to get up. I feel more rested and can better tackle my day.
Are you a morning person, or do you struggle with waking up, too? What’s your solution?
