Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light, Colored Sunrise and Sunset Simulation, 5 Natural Sounds, FM Radio & Reading Lamp, Tap Snooze, HF3520/60

Excellent way to wake up
This is the second Philips SmartSleep Light i’ve owned. My first lasted me a LONG time; and waking up to light is a game changer in regard to overall sleep quality. No loud noises; you can choose a birdsong or your favorite radio station to ease you awake; and this is an option under the Menu; in case the emerging ‘Dawn’ doesn’t do the trick. I’ve never had to use anything more than the light source. Many of my friends don’t believe that a light can wake you! But I say they don’t know what they are missing. Once you understand the science behind Dawn Simulation you will understand why this is best for your sleep – wake cycles. Especially in the dark winter months; you can train your body to still believe it’s spring! Magically. I like all the Menu options available; you choose when and how you want to wake but one of the really amazing features of using a Dawn Simulator is that you are also able to use it as a Sunset at night when you may want to read in bed to relax you into sleep. This is a unique and amazing feature; you set the timer for Sunset; and tuck yourself into bed – the light is brighter and very very gradually begins to fade into ‘sunset’ and dark. Your brain is easily and happily relaxing into sleep! I love this feature. The clock comes with a very easy to understand User Manual – and there are several Timers options you can use as well. The color quality of the Philips is excellent; soothing and bright IF you want it to be – you make the choices as to the amount of brightness you need or want. I’d HIGHLY recommend this product.

So far, doing fine…
purchased this unit online just to see if it would help getting up in the dark. After about a months use, can say it seems to help a little, but sleep habits are just as important if not more. Having some knowledge of sleep, I know the most important part of waking up refreshed is getting enough sleep, but the portion of the sleep cycle is important too, (at least the first 15 minutes or so). We sleep in cycles about 90 minutes in length, reaching the deep levels of sleep at various times during this cycle. If one were to be awakened during one of these deep phases, it would take longer to feel fully awake as you are coming out of a deeper level than if just naturally waking on your own, (without an alarm). So our sleep habit is the most important part of waking refreshed and alert. (i.e.: I need ~9 hours of sleep to feel refreshed. If I go to sleep at 10PM, and wake at 0700AM; I will have my 9 hours sleep and completed 6 cycles of sleep. If I stay up til 11PM, then wake at 0700AM, I will have had 8 hours sleep, but more importantly only 30 mins of the 6th cycle, and awaken during a deep phase of that cycle). So going to sleep and waking at the same times every day is the most important part of waking refreshed and ready to go. This device wakes one gently, and can be effective with the gradual increase of light as well as the audible effects. The interesting point is that the subtle stimuli of light will wake you if you are in light sleep, (also known as theta wave sleep). If you are in deep sleep, (also known as delta wave sleep), you probably won’t wake until the light and audio alarms pull you out. This is an excellent way of determining your natural cycle end point given a fixed onset of sleep time. If you require the light and audio, adjust your onset of sleep time forward or back so that you are waking with just the light. When you awaken with the light alone, you know you have awakened near the end of your sleep cycle, as you naturally would on a day you do not use the alarm to wake up, (such as a day off). Of course, many people having difficulty getting to sleep to start. But with persistence, one can ‘learn’ to get to sleep easier by maintaining the same sleep wake cycle…everyday. (Not easily done in todays world though).Anyway… this device is effective, but only if you get the sleep you need. If I would only get 4 hours of sleep, I would still wake up tired. The gradual increase in light takes a while to adjust to your level of sensitivity, and the audible program can be set to be stimulating enough to arouse one from deep, delta wave sleep. The buttons around the edges require a bit of getting use to, but once you learn the relative positions, they are fairly easy to operate. The gradual decreasing light function when going to sleep is beneficial to me as I enjoy reading before going to sleep, and it helps remind me when I should put the book down, (as opposed to getting just another chapter in…). Long term effects and reliability yet to be determined, but I will try to report them after 6 months to a year.

I’m really happy with this product.I found setting the clock and alarm quite intuitive.I like the feature of a 30-minute sunset, as it gives me time to get into bed and sort myself while still having light but I don’t have to get up to switch my bedroom light off and turn my room into instant blackness. Love the peaceful descent into slumber.The light can get as bright as you want it – to me it simulates the sun. They say there are 3 colours to choose from but you can’t choose. The light is more red and orange at low light and slowly becomes yellow as the light gets brighter. At first I was disappointed that there wen’t any colour options but now I’m not sure I would use multiple options, as I would want to simulate natural light as much as possible.Some have commented there is no battery in case the power goes out. While this is true in a sense, I can say that when the power returns, the clock doesn’t need to be reset – it keeps the time and alarms that were stored before it lost power. I’m not sure how long it keeps the settings before it needs to be reset. I unplugged it for an hour and everything was as before when I plugged it back in. So I’m happy with that.The radio is a decent quality. Not powerful but also not like listening to something in a tin can. Can also deliver a little bit of bass, so no complaints there.Very happy with this purchase.

Horribly expensive here in India.But cheaper than an air fare. I bought my original, glass, model (this one is plastic) in UK, but, after some years its buttons are failing.It is part of my wake-up life. Don’t know how I could live without it. And, as I said, cheaper than an air fare.Is it worth it to YOU? At this price, probably not.