The standard alarm on your iPhone has a problem: it’s too easy to ignore. One swipe and you’re back asleep. For early risers, that might be fine — for heavy sleepers, it’s a disaster.

What a Good Alarm App Needs

After years of sleep research and thousands of user feedback, we know: an alarm app needs to do more than beep. Here are the most important criteria:

1. Force Active Waking

Passive alarms (sound + swipe) don’t activate your brain. You need a cognitive task that forces your brain to boot up. Math problems, typing challenges, or pattern recognition are proven to be effective.

2. No Easy Way Out

Many alarm apps offer puzzles but also have a “Dismiss” button right next to them. That’s useless. A good app must force you to complete the task.

3. Motivation Through Gamification

Waking up is a habit. And habits are reinforced by rewards. Streaks, points, and achievements turn waking up into a game you want to win.

4. Adjustable Difficulty

Some people need just a light task, others need a 5-minute math marathon. The app must adapt to your sleep behavior.

Why Standard Alarms Fail

The iPhone’s default alarm was built for the average person. It offers:

That’s it. No puzzle, no streak, no consequence. For the 30% of the population who identify as “heavy sleepers,” that’s simply not enough.

What Makes Wakey Different

Wakey was built specifically for people who struggle with waking up:

Conclusion

The best alarm app is the one that reliably wakes you up. Not the one with the most features, but the one that understands waking up is an active process. If your current alarm isn’t enough, try an app like Wakey — free on the App Store.