The case for an alarm clock in the bedroom
The simplest way to stop checking your phone first thing is a twelve-pound clock.
Four in five adults use their phone as an alarm. Most of them also read it before getting up. We asked a sleep researcher whether a clock helps.
Her answer was yes, mostly because it removes the phone from the bedside. The first ten minutes of the day set its tone, and a clock does not have notifications.
The best sleep technology we found costs twelve pounds and ticks.
Why the phone stays outside
Most people use their phone as an alarm, which means it is the last thing they look at at night and the first thing they see in the morning. Before they are fully awake, they have read the news, their messages and their email.
A twelve-pound clock breaks that habit. If the phone charges in another room, the alarm still goes off and the first ten minutes of the day belong to you.
What we tested
We tried six cheap clocks over a month: two wind-up twin bells, two quiet digital models with dimmable displays, a sunrise lamp and a plain radio alarm. The wind-up bells were the most effective and the least popular with partners. The best all-rounder was a simple digital clock with a soft tone and a display you could turn right down.
What happened
Everyone in our test said they slept a little better, mostly because they stopped scrolling in bed. Several said mornings felt slower and less anxious. Nobody missed the phone as much as they expected, and only one person moved it back to the bedside table.
