How to use the online alarm clock
Breaking away from what you are doing at 1:34 am gives you time to get ready and leave for an NHS night shift without drifting into another task. The alarm marks that exact moment rather than the tidier-looking 2:00 am, which would be too late if changing, packing food and travelling still lie ahead.
For this departure, the signal needs to be clearly audible above a television, extractor fan or other background noise. The alarm volume follows the sound available through the browser and phone or computer, so a quick test can reveal whether it is loud enough from across the room. A closed browser or sleeping phone means the alarm will not sound, so an NHS night shift needs a separate backup if missing the departure time would leave no room to recover.
Leaving during the night can split sleep into awkward pieces, especially when 1:34 am falls between resting and preparing for work. Keeping everything needed for the shift together beforehand protects the sleep that remains before the alarm: clothes, pass, keys and food can be ready without a bright search around the house. Once awake, using low lighting until preparation begins can also make the transition less abrupt for anyone else still asleep.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 1:34 am?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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