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Review and Giveaway: Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30

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***The giveaway is now closed – congratulations Sharon!***

For a few years now, I’ve been thinking about getting a daylight alarm clock. I’ve read the reviews, pondered, considered, and last month I FINALLY did it. I’m here to tell you what I think, and if it’s worth getting one!

It’s the usual story – and I’m sure you feel the same! The clocks hadn’t even gone back yet at this point, but the mornings were already really dark and it was making it so much more difficult for me to get up in the mornings. Even though my alarm would go off at 6.40am, I would often snooze until 7…. or 7.15… sometimes even 7.30! Ugh! Almost a whole hour of wasted time and poor quality sleep.

So, after years of pondering, I chose to buy the Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 (this one). It’s the cheapest Lumie daylight alarm clock on the market (usually around £60), and it has great reviews. I bought mine from John Lewis, happy that if I didn’t get on with it I could at least use their generous 90 day return policy to get my money back.

The Lumie Bodyclock wakes you up with gradually brightening light, just like a natural sunrise. The theory is that you register (even though you’re still asleep) the ‘sunrise’ and your body starts to wake up naturally, rather than being rudely jolted out of a rather nice sleep by a sudden alarm.

There is also an option to have the Bodyclock beep once your alarm time is reached, so you should never risk oversleeping. You can also set a nightly sunset to help you fall asleep, but I don’t have any problems falling asleep so I don’t use this.

Setting it up

This was the most difficult part – Lumie could definitely improve their user guide to make it more user friendly (and perhaps I could be more patient!). For a device with only three buttons, it can be awfully confusing when you first start using it! Read the instructions a couple of times, and bear in mind that the time you set the sunrise alarm for is the time the sunrise will finish by, and the process takes 30 minutes. You can’t change that on this basic model, but you can on the more advanced models.

Also bear in mind that you need to set your alarm every night (by pressing the central button) which has an upside and a downside – you won’t forget to switch it off at the weekend and get woken up, but you will need to remember to set it every night.

How am I finding it?

Apart from a couple of stumbles with setting the alarm at first, great! I’ve found that I don’t wake up until the Bodyclock is fairly bright, usually just before 7am. BBC Radio 2 starts playing on my phone at 7am to make sure I do still get up.

The BIG difference for me is that horrid feeling of being pulled from a lovely deep sleep, disorientated into a pitch black room with an annoying alarm bleeping is GONE. GONE! It’s great! I do still want to stay in my bed, because it’s so comfy, but it’s far far easier to get up than before.

Anything else you should know?

  • The Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 comes with a two year guarantee
  • Replacement bulbs can be bought for about £5, although it should last for a few years unless you’re unlucky
  • The Starter 30’s more premium product is the Active 250 (£89) which has a built in radio and more options – but the Starter 30 has the best reviews of any Bodyclock model.

Any downsides?

One main downside  for me- my husband gets up slightly later than me, and doesn’t enjoy being woken up by the light too. There are ways around that – an eye mask, or as I’ve suggested, he could get up a little earlier too!

Worth buying?

For me, yes! Absolutely. I can see myself continuing to use it for years. If you hate waking up in the dark mornings and struggle to get going, put this on your Christmas list at once!

Giveaway

After I had bought my own Bodyclock, Lumie generously contacted me to offer a Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 for one of you to win!

To enter the giveaway, you need to follow me on Twitter – and use the widget below to get bonus entries too! The giveaway will close on Dec 6th at midnight UK time.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you use a Lumie Bodyclock too? I’d love to hear what you think!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Hi Kerry,

    Just wanted to say a huge thank you for the Lumie Light that has just arrived , I can’t wait to try it . Have a wonderful Christmas.

    Reply

  4. I have been interested in trying one of these clock for a while now , there is nothing worse than being jolted awake on these dark mornings by a Loud ringing alarm in your ear lol

    Reply

  7. I couldn’t agree more! I hate the situation of sleeping like a baby ands seconds after it waking up with the annoying sounds of the alarm clock. I just love the idea and it would be so helpful! Thanks for your review! xx

    Reply

  12. I like the concept of the gradual wakeup much more than my current alarm. I have it set so it plays a gentle tune but it still makes my brain jump/say I don’t think so and I’m back under the duvet.

    Reply

  13. Seen these in the shops and have thought I must do some research to see if they would help me, loved your review and have now added it to my Christmas wishlist

    Reply

  15. I have anxiety and I think having one would help with dark mornings when I really don’t want to get up lol thanks for the post I think I might ask for one for Christmas now x

    Reply

  18. How did I not know this existed? Funnily enough, I also set my alarm for 6.40 and don’t usually end up getting up closer to 7.15 or later! This is exactly why I need this in my life.

    Reply

  21. I’ve been thinking about getting one of these for a while. I have trouble getting to sleep so I think I will definitely get one now knowing it has a sunset option too!

    Reply

  24. Amazing I have been wondering about these for a while but the price is a challenge… My husband suffers badly in the winter and I have had a really bad autumn slump…

    Reply

  25. I’ve heard of clocks like this being quite helpful for several of my friends. I think it’d make a big difference for me, too. I am an early riser but I think this would help on those days that are a little more difficult than others. 🙂
    Diane @ Life of Di. recently posted…November: Currently.My Profile

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  26. I’ve wanted to try one of these for years. Every year winter comes along and I think “I should really invest in one” but then Christmas takes over my thoughts and I always feel like the kids Christmas pressies are much more of a priority than me so never get round to purchasing one. By the time spring arrives I start feeling better in the mornings and all thoughts of getting one are forgotten because I’m feeling ok through the day. It’s a vicious circle and I never learn!! Great giveaway Kerry x

    Reply

    • Thanks for your comment Leah! This was EXACTLY me (although I have no kids – oops!). But every year I’d think I’d get one then decide to wait and see since it was a whole £60. When I spend £60 without thinking the rest of the time and this changes your whole life!

      Reply

  30. This would be ideal for my other half. I don’t have any issues getting up in the morning but he absolutely DESPISES waking up in the morning. We try everything with him, including plugging in his alarm as far away as possible so he actually has to get out of bed to go and turn it off! This would certainly make his mornings happier…perhaps Santa could bring him one if I don’t win 😛
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  31. So funny you posted this, I’m just moving and this is top of my ‘to-buy’ list. Lots of my friends swear by their Lumie. Great to hear another recommendation.

    Reply

  32. I’ve thought about a sunrise clock for the last couple of years. I bought one many years ago which had a little sun that actually rose/set from inside the clock but the motor was so loud that it shocked me awake anyway, rubbish!

    G is a very heavy sleeper, so if a sunrise clock didn’t wake him up then he’d still want a loud buzzing alarm which would defeat the point a bit. I’d love to try it though, so maybe I’ll try one from JL as well and return it if it doesn’t work for both of us. Unless I win this one!! 😀
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    • How annoying! Mine doesn’t make any noise at all, and you can set it to beep at the end of the sunrise. I think that would still be better than just having the beeping because even though you weren’t aware of it, the sunrise was slowly waking you up.

      Reply

      • Currently G’s alarm usually goes off a little before mine so his buzzer probably would wake me up before the light did. And he needs something he can control the snooze on to make sure he definitely gets up.

        I’d still love to try one and see whether we could make it work, so perhaps John Lewis is the answer as I could return it if we weren’t both happy with the arrangement.
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  33. Interesting, I’ve wondered about these clocks in the past, especially while I was living on the west coast of Scotland – those were some truly dark mornings! By the sound of it, it’s a winner.
    I don’t really have any use for one currently, the morning light floods into the van, and I don’t get up quite so early.
    Rachel recently posted…Autumn Apple CakeMy Profile

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