I'M not a morning person.

I would love to be one of those people who swings out of bed joyfully like Cinderella surrounded by tweeting birds but I have been known to count to 50 before I yank the duvet off.

My aversion to early starts is compounded by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in the winter months.

So it was with some interest that I decided to try out the Lumie Bodyclock Elite 300, a dawn simulator that wakes you gradually with increasing natural light.

The blurb says the gentle onset of light acts as a signal for your body to ease production of sleep hormones (e.g. melatonin) and increase those that help you get up and go (e.g. cortisol).

I'm told it will also help boost mood, energy and productivity levels, for the rest of the day.

The alarm has a variety of settings (it can also help you drop off to sleep) but I kept it basic with a half hour gradual sunrise and a cheering dawn chorus.

I started using the alarm around October last year and while I can't say for sure it has improved my work productivity, it's a lovely way to wake up.

Deep sleepers might not think a light would not be enough to rouse them from slumber but it really does work.

I'm pretty sure it made my early starts a lot more bearable in the dead of winter and it would be particularly beneficial for those who work shifts.

I definitely noticed an improvement in my SAD symptoms too and can't imagine going back to my mobile phone alarm.

Lumie alarms start at £59.95 www.lumie.com