This document lists numerous unconventional alarm clock ideas and strategies to help people stop snoozing and get out of bed more easily in the morning. It separates ideas into categories such as alarm clocks that require physical effort to turn off, cognitive challenges to turn off the alarm, emotional incentives, ways to make the bed less comfortable, introducing randomness, and promoting better sleep habits. The document explores creative alarm designs, games, competitions and automated systems to motivate people to wake up on time without hitting snooze.

1. Stop Snoozing!

2. Easiest solution…
• Alarm clock with no snooze function

3. Hardest solution…
• Find a job where you can wake up anytime.

4. Require more effort to snooze:
Physically (1)
• Alarm clock that runs away from you (Clocky)
• Alarm clock that flies away from you
• Multiple alarm clocks (farther away)
• Alarm clock + Kinect: stop ringing only after 20 jumping
jacks
• Alarm clock + Kinect: stop ringing only after yoga poses
• Alarm clock rug (makes you stand on it to stop ringing)
• Alarm clock that you need to punch (repeatedly)
• Alarm clock that makes you drink a cup of coffee to
stop ringing.

5. Require more effort to snooze:
Physically (2)
• Alarm clock that makes you drink a glass of water (or two).
• Alarm clock that makes you drink water before sleeping.
You’d want to get up.
• Alarm clock basketball (only if you get it through a hoop)
• Alarm clock soccer (only if you get it through a goal)
• Alarm clock underwater (in an aquarium with cold water.
Get your hand inside!)
• Alarm clock that spills water on you (bucket)
• Alarm clock with a water gun
• Alarm clock that sets ice cubes above you: you snooze, they
start melting [ick]
• For advanced users: alarm clock that drops something on
you

6. Require more effort to snooze:
Physically (3)
• Hiring someone to kick you out of bed
• Hiring a personal coach to kick you out of bed
and exercise
• Get a delivery every morning [need to sign]
• Rent a [shelter] dog
• Rent a [trained] wake up dog
• Rent a cat (who wants breakfast)
• Get a tamagochi
• Wake-up call service to your home [like hotels]
• Rent a baby :-)

7. Require more effort to snooze:
Physically (4)
• Alarm clock with an upside-down thumbtack on the
snooze button [ouch]
• Alarm clock that injects caffeine into you (like the
coffee soap)
• Snooze button that shocks you
• A far alarm clock and a bed that doesn’t let you get
back to it
• Alarm clock with a different sound every day
• Alarm clock that sounds like you got a phone call
• Alarm clock that turns the tv on
• Alarm clock that turns the radio on

8. Require more effort to snooze :
Cognitively (1)
• Alarm clock that requires you to solve a jigsaw puzzle
• Alarm clock that requires you to solve a math problem
• Alarm clock that makes you write down your dream
[use dictionary to ensure it’s text]
• Alarm clock that makes you type a piece of text (quick!)
• Alarm clock that makes you say a tongue-twister
• Laser tag alarm clock (use a laser pointer to hit the
center from far away)

9. Require more effort to snooze :
Cognitively (2)
• Alarm clock that makes you fetch items from
around the house (use video or barcode)
• Alarm clock that makes you play a game [4 in a
row? Tetris? Rock band?]
• Obstacle course on the way to alarm
• Tilt-the-board toy, get the ball in the right
position to stop alarm
• Alarm that hides before ringing

10. Require more effort to snooze :
Emotionally (1)
• Alarm clock that updates facebook status whenever
you snooze
• Alarm clock that posts something embarrassing on
your wall
• Alarm clock that donates money to a cause you
disagree with
• Alarm clock that shreds money
• Alarm clock that destroys your items [homework?]
• Alarm clock that donates your clothes to goodwill
• Competition with your friends [who snoozes the least]
• Competition (who gets out of bed fastest)

11. Require more effort to snooze :
Emotionally (2)
• Competition (who sleeps the most hours)
• You get points every time you snooze
[badges!]
• Alarm clock that gets a little destroyed every
time you snooze [need to buy new one]
• Alarm clock with a limited amount of snoozing
[per month? Total?]

12. Incentivize you to get out of bed (1)
• Coffee maker with timer
• Newspaper dropping on you
• Bread machine with timer
• Dimmer with timer [turns on light gradually]
• Inside sun lamp with timer
• Opening the curtains with timer
• Heat up room [floors!] with timer
• Make bed more uncomfortable with timer
• Jetsons/ Wallace & Gromit breakfast machine
[puts you on a conveyor belt]

13. Incentivize you to get out of bed (2)
• Bed turns into shower
• Bed turns into kitchen
• Breakfast in bed served (and gets cold)
• Breakfast in bed served (and your favourite items
disappear one at a time)
• A drill sergeant alarm clock
• Sleep on a tree
• Sleep outside (sleeping bag, tent)
• Sleep standing

14. Identify the origin
• Get a better mattress
• Check for medical condition

15. Sleep Quality
• Sleep quality tracker (wearable)
• Sleep quality tracker (on bed/under pillow)
• Chloroform at specified hour, [wake-up chemical] in
the morning
• Relaxation/energizing essential oils sprayed in the
room (with timer)
• Melatonin
• Heartbeat sound
• Hypnosis
• iphone app to wake you up when it’s a good time
[sleep cycle]

16. Bed
• Bed starts to rise diagonally (rolling you out)
• Bed starts to rise towards the ceiling (so you’d have to
jump)
• Windows open/ walls become transparent (so people can
look inside)
• Bed that becomes less comfortable (think rocks)
• Alarm clock that vibrates the pillow/bed
• Alarm clock that vibrates a band around your hand
(silently! Plus for your partner)
• Bed that simulates a car ride [kids often fall asleep in cars]
• Alarm clock that affects your pajama [hot? cold?]
• Alarm clock that makes bedding starts glowing

17. The power of randomness
• Alarm clock that may or may not snooze when
you push snooze
• Alarm clock [wake up during range] that
shows you a time that could be later than
reality.

18. Go to sleep earlier
• Competition with friends?
• Dimmer with timer [becomes dark at a certain
hour]
• Seat-belt mechanism for bed: starts beeping if
you’re not in it

19. Phew. That was tiresome.