Set the alarm clock for 5:53 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 5:51 am Alarm clock for 5:52 am Alarm clock for 5:54 am Alarm clock for 5:55 am

Going to bed for a 5:53 am alarm

Asleep by 8:38 pm — 6 full sleep cycles, about 9 hours
Asleep by 10:08 pm — 5 full sleep cycles, about 7 hours
Asleep by 11:38 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.

5:53 am across the country

London	5:53 am
Birmingham	5:53 am
Manchester	5:53 am
Glasgow	5:53 am
Belfast	5:53 am

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

How to use the online alarm clock

While you wait to set off for the tide pools, a 5:53 am alarm marks the exact moment without making you keep checking the clock. The seven minutes before 6:00 am leave a small buffer for pulling on a jacket, checking the tide notes and making sure the torch is packed.

Your tide-pool departure could pass in silence if the browser alarm is no longer running or the phone has gone to sleep. Sound can also slip unnoticed into connected headphones, even when they are lying in a pocket or another room. Checking the audio destination beforehand and leaving the volume comfortably audible makes the alert easier to catch without disturbing the whole house.

Before an early coastal start, a simple drink and a small, familiar snack may be more practical than a full breakfast while everyone else is asleep. Water, tea in a flask, or a banana can be prepared quietly before 5:53 am, while anything messy or time-consuming can wait until after the tide-pool visit. Keeping the flask beside the keys also reduces the chance of leaving it on the kitchen worktop.

Common questions

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 5:53 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.

Do I need an account or an app?

Neither. Choose a time and a sound, press Start, and it runs in this browser tab. Nothing is downloaded, nothing is registered, and closing the page leaves nothing behind on the device.

Can I change the sound?

Yes, there is a short list of tones to pick from before you press Start. Softer sounds are easy to sleep through, so a firmer bell tends to be the safer choice for anything early in the morning.