Alarm Clock vs. Cell Phone Alarm: Which One Should You Use

Posted By on September 30, 2015

Getting up at the right time can be difficult in an era where many people are overworked and can’t get enough sleep. If you work an unusual or flexible schedule, you may have trouble waking up at dinner time before a night shift or at 2 a.m. for an early morning shift. With that in mind, it is better to use an alarm clock or use the alarm on your cell phone to wake you up?

The Alarm Clock Forces You to Get Up and Out of Bed

The best reason to use an alarm clock is that you can put it far enough away that it forces you to get out of bed to turn it off. While you can put your cell phone on the other side of the room if you want, most people tend to keep it close by. This may tempt you to push the snooze button instead of getting yourself into the shower or eating before you get to work or class, which could cause you to get out of bed later than you hoped.

Cell Phone Alarms Mean You Don’t Need to Buy an Alarm Clock

If you have a cell phone that has an alarm on it, you may feel that there is no reason to buy an alarm clock. Those who are on a budget may not want to spend $10 or more on a redundant item. As cell phones become more and more sophisticated, it is easier to set the alarm on your phone to go off when you need it or set it to multiple times depending on the day of the week. That is something a traditional alarm clock may not be able to do.

Your Cell Phone Alarm Always Works

Depending on the type of phone that you have, its alarm may go off even if the phone itself is turned off or has lost battery power. This is a good thing for those who may not have charged their phone battery or had their phone turn off unexpectedly. If your alarm clock were to stop working because your home or apartment lost power, you might not be able to wake up when you need or want to.

While choosing a cell phone alarm versus a traditional alarm is a matter of personal preference, each one presents its own pros and cons. Therefore, you have to take a look at your sleeping habits, financial resources and other needs to determine if your cell phone is sufficient at waking you up or if a traditional alarm is needed.