Today’s post is looking at a product I’ve been interested in for some time. This is the Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 review. For the last few months, and for the last few years if I’m honest, I’ve been aware that my mood decreases and lethargy increases during the Winter months. I know it happens to lots of people. Suffering from the Winter blues or even, the more severe Seasonal Affective Disorder is no fun, but the products from Lumie can really help.
I’ve been trying out one of their bodyclock alarms, which all simulate dawn in your bedroom. The theory is that because of the shorter days in Winter, we don’t get enough light through our eyes, and so our mood, behaviour and personality can be affected. It happens to many people, particularly those living north of the equator, except where there is a lot of snow. The lack of light means we produce more melatonin in our systems, making us feel sleepy and lethargic, and less serotonin, which of course helps us feel alert, awake and in a good mood. Some people suffer more than others, but no-one really knows why at this point.
The Bodyclock Active 250 Review
I know I’ve been feeling a bit fed up, lacking in energy and motivation, eating lots more carbs than I should and generally wanting to sleep a lot more than normal. I seemed ok until Christmas, but January and February have been really hard months from this perspective.
The Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 is a dawn simulator as I mentioned. It brings increasing amounts of light into your room at a preset time, allowing the melatonin in your body to decrease so you feel less sleepy, and increasing levels of cortisol so you feel more alert and energised. I set it up a few weeks ago and have been using it every morning to see if it really does make a difference.
Reviews I’d read before the clock arrived, suggested it would be very difficult to set up. They said it wasn’t designed very well, and the buttons were low quality. Well, I can say I found none of this to be true. It’s not difficult to set up, just different to anything else you’ve probably had before, and just takes a good read of the instructions. I’ve kept the booklet next to my bed in case I forgot how to use it, but haven’t needed it for over a week now.
The clock allows you to set a wake up time, so say 7am. Then you can choose a wake up sound, selecting from a Rooster, A Dawn Chorus, Crashing Waves or the Radio. The following morning, the Bodyclock Active starts to send out its light, half an hour before the wake up time. It gets brighter and brighter, illuminating the room like a sunny, Spring morning. Then at the preset time, the wake up sound kicks in.
If you have difficulty getting to sleep, other functions will allow you to listen to White Noise, or maybe the Crashing Waves, as the light diminishes, sending you off to sleep. I don’t have trouble sleeping, but these sounds are certainly relaxing and almost hypnotic.
Has it Worked?
So the question you’re all wondering is, does it really work?
Well, I am convinced it’s made me feel better. After about a week, I found myself waking naturally, once the light had increased sufficiently, around 10 minutes before the wake up time. I just seem to be less sleepy, open my eyes and listen to the waves (it’s my favourite sound!). Once in the shower, I’m feeling more alert and awake than I was a few weeks ago, and I feel a lighter, brighter mood too. I know the weather is improving slightly anyway, but it’s still quite dark in my bedroom in the morning, so the light is definitely waking me. And it’s such a calm way to wake. Before I was using a radio alarm clock, and would jolt awake to the sounds of Grimshaw – not that soothing!
I don’t think I suffer with SAD, but I’m pretty sure I get the Winter blues and this light has made a huge difference to me in the last few weeks. I would highly recommend one!
The design and styling is pretty nice too. I love the soft, rounded shape which doesn’t intrude on the style of the room either.
If you’ve been thinking of getting a Lumie light, or wondering if you suffer with SAD or Winter Blues, do check out their website and their blog, for a mountain of incredibly useful information. There are different types of Bodyclocks, at different price points, that will suit your requirements and your pocket.
The Bodyclock Active 250 is £99.95 and available on the Lumie website shop.
Disclosure: I was sent a complimentary Bodyclock Active 250 for the purposes of this review. The comments and opinions are genuine, honest and my own.
Jen is an interiors writer and blogger and has an insatiable love of home style and decor
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This is a nice clock, Jen, I think I will look for one after reaching your post