I would love to be one of those people that jumps out of bed at 6am, ready to face the day with a hop, skip and a jump - but I'm not. I've never been a morning person, preferring to peel myself away from the sheets as slowly as possible while I mourn the lost hours of bed comfort having to make a living brings. Ever since I was a child I've needed at least eight hours of sleep; any less and I don't function as well, greeting everything with a grump and a frown. Over the years the problem has gotten worse and I found it progressively harder to jump-start my day without feeling constantly exhausted or like I needed a mid-afternoon nap. The winter months are the hardest, greeting me with a wet and dark, dreary day that doesn't scream 'jump out of bed and come out to play' like a bright flare of sunshine can. For some time I'd been thinking of investing in a Lumie Light Bodyclock to help inject a little energy into my mornings and start the day off as I intended it to progress, but this January I took the plunge and finally placed an order.
The Lumie Bodyclock is the original wake-up light (also called a dawn simulator) that wakes you gradually with increasing natural light. The science bit is that this light is a signal for your body to ease the production of sleep hormones and increase those that help you get up and go; there's a reason why we all feel a little more productive during the summer months and feel like hibernating during January. Ever since the dawn of time the rise of the sun has been a sign for our body to kick-start and undertake the tasks ahead, so it makes perfect sense that a bedside light that wakes you up gradually will have a positive impact. Theoretically 'wake-up lights' help to keep your sleep cycle on track, boosting your mood, energy and productivity levels all day. A 30-minute sunrise emitted from the Lumie Light wakes you naturally and gradually, providing a 'sun ray' effect projected onto the wall behind. You can even use it as a bedside light thanks to the dimmable feature, as well as utilising the 30-minute fading sunset to help wind down for bed.
So, has the Lumie Light had a significant impact upon my well-being and energy levels over the last couple of weeks? Essentially, yes. The gradual increase of light is very subtle, only waking me within five minutes of my intended 'alarm' time and definitely providing a sense of daytime - unlike my blackout blinds that could convince me it's the middle of the night at 11am. There's no shock to the system, no sudden burst of beeping you scramble around to switch off and no sinking feeling of 'oh bloody hell' as you rip away the covers. I've definitely found waking up gradually helps me to get more stuff done in the morning, rather than rushing around trying to get ready in 40 minutes because I've pressed snooze three times. The key, I've noticed, is to take a few minutes to wake properly and then just get out of bed... If I mong around for another fifteen or twenty minutes after I've woken up I find it much harder to kick-start my morning; the benefit is definitely in the immediacy of energy!
I also really love the 'sunset' function that helps you wind down at the end of an evening; I've tended to use this while watching telly or applying my overnight treatments, so within thirty minutes I'm in 'sleep mode' and ready to snooze. Because it turns off by itself it removes the need for scrambling around for the bedside light button when you're already half asleep! At around £60.00 these aren't a cheap gadget, but that (for me) is a small price to pay for increased energy and a gentle awakening - plus way cheaper than a daily can of Redbull or a caffeine addiction... I would thoroughly recommend the Lumie Light if you're suffering from winter blues, struggle in the mornings or just need more bounce in your step. These devices are intended to treat SAD and are medically approved too, meaning there must be something proven within them to work; they're a great investment and a great way of being good to yourself this dreary winter.
Have you got your own Lumie Light? Are you intrigued to put one to the test yourself?
The Lumie Light is available online priced from £59.99.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
The Lumie Bodyclock is the original wake-up light (also called a dawn simulator) that wakes you gradually with increasing natural light. The science bit is that this light is a signal for your body to ease the production of sleep hormones and increase those that help you get up and go; there's a reason why we all feel a little more productive during the summer months and feel like hibernating during January. Ever since the dawn of time the rise of the sun has been a sign for our body to kick-start and undertake the tasks ahead, so it makes perfect sense that a bedside light that wakes you up gradually will have a positive impact. Theoretically 'wake-up lights' help to keep your sleep cycle on track, boosting your mood, energy and productivity levels all day. A 30-minute sunrise emitted from the Lumie Light wakes you naturally and gradually, providing a 'sun ray' effect projected onto the wall behind. You can even use it as a bedside light thanks to the dimmable feature, as well as utilising the 30-minute fading sunset to help wind down for bed.
So, has the Lumie Light had a significant impact upon my well-being and energy levels over the last couple of weeks? Essentially, yes. The gradual increase of light is very subtle, only waking me within five minutes of my intended 'alarm' time and definitely providing a sense of daytime - unlike my blackout blinds that could convince me it's the middle of the night at 11am. There's no shock to the system, no sudden burst of beeping you scramble around to switch off and no sinking feeling of 'oh bloody hell' as you rip away the covers. I've definitely found waking up gradually helps me to get more stuff done in the morning, rather than rushing around trying to get ready in 40 minutes because I've pressed snooze three times. The key, I've noticed, is to take a few minutes to wake properly and then just get out of bed... If I mong around for another fifteen or twenty minutes after I've woken up I find it much harder to kick-start my morning; the benefit is definitely in the immediacy of energy!
I also really love the 'sunset' function that helps you wind down at the end of an evening; I've tended to use this while watching telly or applying my overnight treatments, so within thirty minutes I'm in 'sleep mode' and ready to snooze. Because it turns off by itself it removes the need for scrambling around for the bedside light button when you're already half asleep! At around £60.00 these aren't a cheap gadget, but that (for me) is a small price to pay for increased energy and a gentle awakening - plus way cheaper than a daily can of Redbull or a caffeine addiction... I would thoroughly recommend the Lumie Light if you're suffering from winter blues, struggle in the mornings or just need more bounce in your step. These devices are intended to treat SAD and are medically approved too, meaning there must be something proven within them to work; they're a great investment and a great way of being good to yourself this dreary winter.
Have you got your own Lumie Light? Are you intrigued to put one to the test yourself?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
The Lumie Light is available online priced from £59.99.
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