Glo Pillow wakes you up naturally

Designers have been working on the perfect alarm clock for years, and I think they finally got it. The Glo Pillow, created by a pair of university students, has built-in LED lights that light up gradually in the morning to gently wake you up from your deep sleep. The Daily Mail says this method is supposed to be more effective than a buzzing alarm clock that only shocks your system and leaves you feeling tired in the morning .

Despite the fact that the pillow has bright LED lights inside to recreate the natural light cycle, the designers say the pillow is soft, flexible and no different than your average pillow. A soft control panel on the side of the pillow displays the time, and has several controls that allow you to change the time, set the alarm, and turn the light on or off.

Glo Pillow has lights on both ends of the pillow so you won't be able to escape the bright light in the morning, but you'll be feeling alert and less stressed out when you wake up. The pillow goes from 0 to 500 lux over the course of 40 minutes, but most people will be up by the time the light hit 220 lux. Designers, Eoin McNally and Ian Walton, say this helps set your circadian rhythm or body clock and results in more healthy sleep/wake patterns.

The pillow started out as a design school project, but is expected to go into production at the end of the year after the design won several awards. Look for it in shops next year for around $80.

Link: Smooth awakening: The 'sunrise' pillow that wakes you up gently

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