Alarms: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, definitely. I rely on my mobile phone's alarm every single weekday. I usually set it for half past six because I need to leave for work quite early. Without it, I'm pretty sure I'd end up sleeping straight through till mid-morning.

I prefer gentle, acoustic tunes rather than loud, jarring buzzers. I find that a soft piano melody wakes me up much more peacefully. Harsh sirens just make me start the day feeling startled and irritable, which isn't ideal.

Unfortunately, yes. A few months ago, my phone's battery died overnight, so the alarm never sounded. I woke up an hour late and had to rush out the door in a complete panic. Luckily, my manager was quite understanding about it.

To be honest, rarely. I almost always hit the snooze button at least once or twice. I like having those extra five minutes to slowly come round, even though I know it often makes me feel a bit groggier.

Not really, no. Back then, my parents always made sure I was awake in time for school. My mum would usually pop into my bedroom and open the curtains, which was far more effective than any digital clock.