u/WithBands

Hey all, I have a genuinely bad relationship with mornings. I'd first wake up, grab my phone, doomscroll, and be in a bad mood before my feet hit the floor. Every alarm app I tried just made it worse (barcode scans, math problems, the phone screaming at me).

Instead of solving math problems at 6 am Dew only turns off once you type one good thing about yourself. Typing "I am resilient" at 6am while reflecting on my past really helped me to reset the tone of the morning and start it off with a positive attitude. Dew saves each affirmation you type or say, so you end up with this little journal of them. There are also AI-generated affirmations specific to you and affirmation suggestions to turn off your alarm. Tons more features in the app and that are coming out!

Core app is free. There's a Pro tier at $19.99 a year with a 7 day free trial but the main thing isn't paywalled.

Check it out here: https://www.dewalarm.com

Hey all,

I wanted to share a shift in my morning routine that has completely changed my baseline focus and discipline over the last few months.

For years, I was constantly trapped in the "snooze loop." I had tried everything to force myself out of bed.. loud alarms across the room, alarm apps that make you do math problems, you know name it, even barcode scanners in the bathroom.

I came to an epiphany that those aggressive methods were unfortunately backfiring. By forcing my brain into an immediate state of fight-or-flight (panic, anger, frustration at a math problem) at 5:30 AM, I was starting my day with a unnecessary massive spike of cortisol. I would eventually get out of bed, but my brain felt scattered, anxious, and desperate for a quick dopamine hit, which usually meant immediately scrolling on my phone for 30 minutes anyway. I realized discipline shouldn't start with self-punishment, It should start with intentionality.

I wanted to change my neurological reaction to waking up. I did so by doing something small, intentional, and positive each day to put my brain into a mindful state before my feet even touched the floor. That's it, just a small intentional act of positivity and grace towards myself, helped me to continue the day with so much more focus and energy. That one act was enough to get the ball rolling and let me continue my day as a sequence of positive events.

I wanted to know if anyone else has noticed that aggressive and shocking alarms ruin their morning focus? How do you all manage that first 60 seconds of waking up without falling back asleep or reaching for social media?

Most alarm apps make you solve a math problem or scan a barcode to shut them up. I wanted to try something different: with Dew, to dismiss the alarm you have to type out an affirmation, something good about yourself before it stops.

The idea is that the first thing you actively do each morning is say something kind to yourself, instead of starting the day with a jarring buzzer and a jolt of stress. It still works like a normal, reliable alarm. The dismiss step is just intentional instead of annoying.

It’s live on the App Store now but I still consider it early, and I’m iterating based on feedback. I’d really appreciate honest takes, especially whether the type-an-affirmation mechanic feels meaningful or just gets annoying at 6am. Happy to answer anything about the build too.

Check it out at dewalarm.com

Hey all, I'm a solo dev and Dew is my first iOS app.

Origin story: I was snoozing my alarm 5-8 times every morning and It felt like I was starting the day already losing. Every alarm app I tried either let me snooze forever or required me to do math problems / scan barcodes / yell at my phone. I wanted something gentler that still made me actually show up and leave with something tangible.

So I built Dew. The alarm goes off, and to dismiss it you have to type a sentence about yourself such as "I'm capable of handling today", "I'm proud of yesterday". Dew saves them in a Reflect tab so you can look back at past mornings, and sends you one notification a day with your last typed note. Dew is AlarmKit-powered so it actually breaks through Silent and Focus mode. No subscription required to use the alarm.

Building this app took me months, there was lots of broken builds, one rewrite, and I learned way more about iOS notifications than I expected.

I want more feedback from real users, If Dew brings some new positivity and warmth in your life and helps you break your snooze cycle, an App Store review would mean a lot. Please tell your friends about Dew and spread awareness! Just one positive thought to start your day will help you build momentum for more positive actions throughout the day. There is a ton more features in app so be sure to check out the widget and other pro features. Feature requests are welcome of course too!

🔗 App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dew-affirmation-alarm/id6761745674

🌐 Website:  dewalarm.com

Happy to answer any questions about the build, the mechanic, or anything else!