Set the alarm clock for 5:43 am

Leave this tab open — the alarm only rings while the tab stays open.

The alarm goes off in: ::

You can also try the other alarm clocks

Alarm clock for 5:41 am Alarm clock for 5:42 am Alarm clock for 5:44 am Alarm clock for 5:45 am

Going to bed for a 5:43 am alarm

Asleep by 8:28 pm — 6 full sleep cycles, about 9 hours
Asleep by 9:58 pm — 5 full sleep cycles, about 7 hours
Asleep by 11:28 pm — 4 full sleep cycles, about 6 hours

A sleep cycle runs about 90 minutes, and most people take around 15 minutes to drop off. Waking at the end of a cycle feels easier than waking in the middle of one.

5:43 am across the country

London	5:43 am
Birmingham	5:43 am
Manchester	5:43 am
Glasgow	5:43 am
Belfast	5:43 am

Times are worked out live in your browser, so daylight saving is already accounted for.

How to use the online alarm clock

Waiting beside the canal bridge controls, you need 5:43 am to stand out from the quiet early-morning minutes. The alarm marks the appointed moment to raise the bridge for the barge, rather than leaving you to keep checking the clock. Once it sounds, 17 minutes remain before 6:00 am, giving the movement a clear place in the morning schedule.

With your attention on the canal, the alarm page can sit behind another browser tab after it has been set. Moving it into the background does not dismiss the alarm, provided the browser remains open and the phone or laptop stays awake. Sound volume should be checked beforehand, especially if the surroundings are unusually still. If the browser page is closed or the device falls asleep, no sound will mark the barge’s lifting time.

Standing by the bridge before dawn calls for something simple that will not occupy both hands or distract from the water. A few sips from a flask of tea or water are easier to manage while watching the time than a full breakfast. Food that needs unwrapping, cutlery or several minutes of attention can wait until the bridge is back in position and the 5:43 am task is finished.

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 5:43 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.