Mudita Harmony & Mudita Bell Design/Development story

Two years ago, we announced that we started working on the development of a minimalist alarm clock. However, the main focus of the team was always, to first and foremost, address the challenges related to the production of Mudita Pure. Therefore, the company invested the majority of its resources into the development of its flagship, modern, minimalist phone.

Since the production of Mudita Pure has been moving forward according to plan, we assigned a dedicated team to work on the development of the Mudita’s alarm clock. 

After the launch of the website, with our first concept for Mudita’s alarm clock,  we received numerous questions and inquiries about our alarm clock. We realized that we wouldn’t  be able to address everyone’s needs with one product. That's why we decided to add a classic and a simplified version of the alarm clock to our product line up. 

For those following the development of the alarm clock- you have probably noticed that  we have also changed the name of E Ink alarm clock.  It's now called Mudita Harmony, while the name Mudita Bell has been given to the classic version of the alarm clock because we believe it’s more suitable to this product.

From the very beginning, our goal was to design offline solutions which balance the use of modern technology, while removing all the unnecessary features and distractions.   

Just like with everything we do, we’d like to share our development story with you, in order to give you a glimpse of the backstage process and how we developed  our new solutions, as well as the inspiration and thought process behind it.

Research and first ideas

As one of the first steps, we tested all kinds of solutions which we thought were worth trying out, in order to see what’s available on the market and what could be improved from our perspective.

The next stage consisted of consultations  with various sleep experts  with the aim to educate ourselves about all aspects connected to sleep.

We have also read number of books dedicated to sleep and carried out our own extensive research.

We conducted interviews with our family and friends and discussed their sleeping habits and preferences. We also talked about common frustrations connected with sleep hygiene.

Summary of the key advice related to sleep 

From all the extensive research we completed, we have compiled the following recommendations: 

1. Consistent Sleep Schedule  

Going to sleep and getting up at the same time naturally regulates the circadian rhythm. When we wake up, our biological clock is reset. This is the moment which starts the entire circadian cycle from the beginning (not the moment when we go to sleep). According to medical data, this is the most important factor in maintaining proper sleep hygiene. 

2. Regular bedtime

It is very important to be reasonable when it comes to bedtime habits, however, it is recommended that you should go to sleep when you feel tired. . By keeping a regular schedule, our body’s biological clock will naturally let us know when it’s time for bed. 

3. Getting enough sleep during the night

According to sleep experts, it’s recommended that you sleep approximately between 7 and 10 hours each night. However, the precise amount of sleep which an individual requires, depends on the specific needs of that person.

4. Counting circadian cycles

If the condition of getting up every day at the same routine time is met, then another important aspect according to sleep experts is to set sleeping times according to 90 minute cycles. The optimal number of sleep cycles should be five or six. As a result, we will then sleep 7.5 - 9 hours during the night. 

5. Relax and unwind before bedtime

A routine before going to bed is very important because it helps signal to our brain that it’s time to start getting ready to go to sleep. It is important to limit screen time during this period and avoid blue light exposure at least an hour before going to bed. This coincides with the advice to refrain from using electronic devices before bedtime. 

6. How to wake up 

Hitting the snooze button in the morning is not advisable. When we activate the snooze function in the alarm, the short pause between alarms is not long enough to enter the deep sleep phase again. Additionally snoozing confuses our body, which is already in the process of waking up.  Progressive wake-up is much more beneficial and can allow you to wake up more naturally. When it comes to choosing the alarm tone which is most beneficial to help awaken us from our slumber, it’s solely a matter of preference. What works best for some, may not be so beneficial for others. 

Functions of Mudita Harmony which address our the most significant factors related to sleep

While developing Mudita Harmony, we knew we had to focus on only the most important aspects of sleep hygiene in order not to overcomplicate the sleeping experience.  Here’s what we decided to prioritize: 

1. Supporting a regular sleeping schedule with a daily bedtime reminder

2. Encouraging individuals to remove their smartphones from the bedrooms 

3. Helping our users wind down and relax before going to sleep and with relaxing sounds

4. Adding meditation timer as an additional way to relax and calm our mind

5. Adding power nap timer, to recharge during the day 

6. Minimizing blue light- our front light has a warm color and you’re able to adjust the light intensity

7. Pre-wake up tone - to help us wake up more gradually

8. An alarm combined with a soft light, to avoid waking up in a dark room, as well as help the user wake up in a more natural, gentle way

9. Snooze chime in order to prevent you from falling asleep again, if you do need to hit the snooze button

10. Possibility to customize the wake-up experience, because we understand that we’re all unique individuals with different preferences 

We are extremely excited to finally share Mudita Harmony and Mudita Bell with the Mudita Community and the world. Getting enough sleep is incredibly important for both physical and mental health. Choosing the right alarm clock can play an important role in the quality of our sleep. 

While Mudita Harmony can help you establish healthy bedtime habits, Mudita Bell, an addition to our alarm clock lineup, can help you add even simplicity and tranquility into your bedroom. Mudita Bell is an analog alarm clock, with a classic clock face, equipped with 10 different melodies designed to wake us up in a more natural, gentle, and peaceful way.  Whichever one you choose, you are taking a step toward experiencing a more restful, restorative night’s sleep. 

After all, in a world of constant connection and ever-present technology, making mindful choices, for better sleep, positively impacts our health and overall well-being.

If you’d like to read more about topics connected to the subject of better sleep, please take a look at our Sleep Better page for more information and helpful resources. 

You might also find some other interesting other articles published on our blog:

• Healthy Sleeping Tips: A Simple Guide to Better Sleep 

• Ten Bedroom Plants to Help You Sleep Better

• Nap like a PRO: The Secret of the POWER NAP 

You might also consider joining our FORUM Community where we discuss ideas and exchange information about all things connected to wellness and digital well-being.