Is an alarm bracelet better than your traditional alarm?

Using silent, gentle vibrations, it’s an alarm bracelet worn overnight –less aggressive than your traditional alarm. The band is also marketed to those who are hard of hearing or who don’t want to wake up their partner with a noisy alarm.

What’s the promise?

By using gentle vibrations, the bracelet supposedly won’t trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, avoiding the spike in cortisol and adrenaline often caused by traditional alarms. Its thin design means you’ll barely notice it and, similar to a Fitbit, the bracelet also tracks your sleep and counts steps.

What’s the science?

Sleep scientist Dr Dan Gartenberg says, ‘A vibrating wrist alarm is not automatically healthier than a traditional sound alarm.’ In fact, he says that ‘both sound and vibration can produce a stressful awakening if they are excessively intense or begin suddenly at full strength’. Instead, says Dr Gartenberg, a combination of sound, light and vibration is the way to go.

What’s the verdict?

I wore it for five nights and, while waking up to the band definitely felt a lot calmer than my usual alarm, I have my doubts that it would be enough to rouse a deep sleeper – especially since its vibrations peter out after 40 seconds.