How the math alarm works
When you create an alarm, choose Math as the mission and set how many problems you want and how hard they should be. In the morning the alarm rings with no snooze button. Tapping dismiss opens the first problem, and the alarm only ends when you've answered them all correctly.
Close the app or lock your phone partway through and the alarm starts ringing again, so guessing, stalling and going back to sleep aren't options.
Why solving math wakes you up
Swiping an alarm away is a reflex; you can do it without really waking. Arithmetic isn't. Holding numbers in your head and working out an answer takes focused attention, which is exactly the part of your brain that's still offline during the groggy first minutes after waking. A few problems is usually enough to get you past the point where falling back asleep is easy.
Set the difficulty to match your mornings
Too easy and you'll solve it on autopilot. Too hard and you'll resent your past self. PushClock lets you dial both the number of problems and their difficulty per alarm: gentler on weekends, brutal on the morning of a flight. Start easy and step it up once your streak is established.
More brain-game missions
If your brain adapts to math (it happens), rotate in another mind mission, or set the alarm to pick one at random:
- Memory game: remember and repeat a pattern.
- Guess the flag: name the country.
- Language quiz: a little vocabulary before breakfast.
- Tongue twisters: say it out loud, clearly, to stop the alarm.
- Bible verse: start the day with scripture.
When math isn't enough
Some people can solve equations from under the duvet and go straight back to sleep. If that's you, pair a mind mission with something physical on alternate days: a push-up alarm gets you onto the floor, and a photo mission gets you out of the room. If you're a very deep sleeper, start with our guide to alarm clocks for heavy sleepers.