You Get What You Pay For, Or At Least, You Don't Get What You Don't Pay For

A little over a month ago, a friend on facebook noted that her "dawn simulator" was "up and running." "So far, so good," she added.

I was intrigued. I don't like getting out of bed. Especially in the dark. Now, I realize I don't have a lot of room to complain, since many, many people have to get up in much darker dark much more often than I.

But when I do, and especially after the impending shift back to "standard" time, I really, really don't like it and have lots of trouble dragging myself out of bed.

So I clicked on the link to see what sort of contraption my friend had gotten that was going to make this easier.

Here is what she got.

As you will notice, this machine, which you hook up to a lamp so that it can bring the lamp up to full brightness ever so gradually thus simulating dawn, costs $156.95. I quickly lost heart. We don't have that kind of money, at least not for something as optional as a "dawn simulator."

But I couldn't stop thinking about it. I wanted one. I coveted hers.

So last week, I went to the hardware store and bought a timer like the ones I have the living room and den lamps on. It cost about $5. It's so non-high tech I can't even show you a link.

I've hooked it up to my bedside lamp. The outlet, thankfully, is within reaching distance of the bed, since I have to use the manual switch on the timer to turn the lamp on and off at night. I can adjust rather easily what time it comes on in the morning and for how long.

The first night I set it up, I switched out the 100 watt bulb for a 60. The next morning, it was clear even that was too much so I went with a 40 watt bulb. That seems fine.

Now, obviously, this isn't really a "dawn simulator". It doesn't come on gradually; it comes on all of a sudden. (Unless it doesn't, like happened Sunday morning when I turned it off the wrong way the night before.) I am clearly going to have to train myself to sleep facing away from the lamp, as it's a bit much to have it come on right in your face even if you're asleep.

So I'm not getting all the physiological benefits of the gradual increase in light. That's what the big bucks are for. But it's still making it way easier to wake up. And it only cost $5. I'm satisfied. We'll see if it helps when the time changes.