Now & Zen -- Media

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MEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE
Mike, The Woodlands, TX asks

Q: Do I benefit from the extra few minutes of sleep I get by hitting "snooze"?

ASK MEN'S HEALTH ANSWERS:
Only if they give you a chance to finish up a cool dream. "It's unlikely that the extra 10 to 15 minutes will make a dent in your nightly sleep deficit," says Gerard T. Lombardo, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at New York Methodist Hospital. Chances are, that deficit is growing: According to the National Sleep Foundation, Americans are sleeping 6.9 hours per night -- much less than the 8 hours usually needed for good health.

The desire to hit "snooze" comes from the instant reaction that drives you to shut off whatever blaring monstrosity just invaded your deep, peaceful sleep. May we suggest a more genteel alternative? Rather than scare you out of bed, a Zen alarm clock ($100, now-zen.com) uses a gradual series of chimes to rouse you, leaving you less groggy.

Men's Health Magazine



FROM WILLAMETTE WEEK
ZEN ALARM CLOCK BY NOW & ZEN
BY LARA GIFFORD

Your world is inevitably filled with the noise of traffic jams, advertising jingles, incoming faxes and choppy cellular calls. Do you really want to start the day with a screeching buzzer more aggravating than an 18-decibel siren? Would you believe that lush chimes could slowly and softly coax you out of slumber, instead? Provided the car alarm next door doesn't get to you first, the Zen Alarm Clock rouses with a series of soft, E-note chimes. The first snooze period lasts four minutes; chimes continue to sound off in shorter intervals, eventually ringing every four seconds until disabled. The clock's lovely wake-up call matches its handsome, hand-polished wood casing. Bonus: The Zen clock is purported to aid dream recall, the theory being that you're less likely to have your reverie shocked right out of memory if you awake less abruptly.



FROM MICHAEL SANDERS

”As the author of a gadget column, I'm frequently asked to write testimonials for products, but until now, I haven't taken anyone up on the offer. But the Zen Alarm Clock and the Now & Zen products in general are unique. They're not just cool to own, or cool to try, but you'll want to keep using them time and again. I am always looking for products and ways to raise the quality and productivity of our daily lives, but in the most soothing, relaxing means possible. This is the first alarm clock I've owned where I didn't dread the alarm, but instead looked forward to it. Talk about a great way to start the day; awake, alert, yet relaxed.” Keep up the good work Now-Zen, you make a great product that's both functional and relaxing!

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FROM IMMRAMA INSTITUTE

Please feel free to reprint the review on your site. We love the Zen Alarm Clock! I use one for my morning alarm, and I've enjoyed it so much I purchased another to give as a gift to my sister. Over the first few months of this year, everyone on our staff tried the clocks in either the traditional style or the digital style, and they all found it wonderful for waking up smoothly and also for training themselves to remember their dreams.

Thanks again and have a wonderful weekend!

Regards,
Kristen Cramer
Immrama Institute

Article Reprinted Below:

Zen Alarm Clock
Zen Alarm Clock The Zen Alarm Clock from Now & Zen makes waking up a pleasure. The clock's progressive chime strikes gradually, slowly easing you from sleep into a waking state. This leaves you feeling more refreshed and alert, and also helps significantly with dream recall.

The Zen Alarm Clock uses a resonating chime reminiscent of Tibetan bells. The alarm is progressive, beginning with only a single chime. A few minutes later, the chime strikes again. The interval between chimes gradually decreases. As the minutes pass, the chimes become more frequent, until they ultimately begin to sound every five seconds.

The benefits of waking up gradually are numerous. Rather than being jolted awake, as is common with a more traditional alarm clock, you are gently eased from sleep into alertness. The transition feels much smoother and more natural. You feel more energized and invigorated upon waking.

Dream recall increases considerably with the use of a Zen Alarm Clock. Because you are eased awake, it is not as difficult to retain the memory of the last dream you had before waking. While testing the clock, we noted a distinct feeling of moving almost directly from the dream state into the waking state, leaving dream details fresh in the mind.

The Zen Alarm Clock also may be used as a meditation timer. Its chime is far more pleasant than the shrill beeping of a wristwatch alarm or the buzzing of a kitchen timer.

Now & Zen offers the Zen Alarm Clock in a variety of wood colors and faceplate styles. They also offer a digital version of the clock, along with a Zen Timepiece, a doorbell, and a Tibetan phone bell, all incorporating the use of a Tibetan chime.

NOW & ZEN, INC., OCTOBER 15th, 2010 MEDIA RELEASE CONTACT:TEHYA McINTOSH (800) 779-6383 EXT. 229 New bamboo alarm clock featuring a large brass bowl-gong transforms the experience of waking up in the morning Innovative Colorado company's "Bamboo Zen Timepiece®" wakes users with a series of rich acoustic gongs Sustainable bamboo clock/timer, the company’s greenest product yet New Bamboo Zen Timepiece Boulder Colorado-based Now & Zen has been making beautiful, hardwood, acoustic alarm clocks, starting with the world famous Zen Alarm Clock®, for over 15 years. Now the company is introducing its most advanced product to date with the new Bamboo Zen Timepiece®. Like a musical instrument, the product's 6" acoustic brass bowl-gong fills the room with complex tones whenever it strikes. And the sound of the gong can be adjusted over a wide range, from soft, subtle ring tones to loud, bold gongs that can be heard throughout the house. Used as an alarm clock, the Bamboo Zen Timepiece wakes users over a 10 minute period with a series of gradually increasing gong strikes. The product's inventor and company president Steve McIntosh explained, "It's like waking up in a Zen temple; it gracefully summons your consciousness into awakening." Yet the Bamboo Zen Timepiece is more than an alarm clock, it also functions as a countdown timer for personal practices such as yoga, meditation, or bodywork. McIntosh added: "It's the perfect accoutrement for meditation or yoga—it helps you make time for your practice because it's so beautiful and fun." The clock can also be set to strike its gong on the hour, serving as a "mindfulness bell"—a contemplative practice recommended by spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. Now & Zen introduced its original acoustic chiming clock, called The Zen Alarm Clock, in 1996, but according to McIntosh, the Bamboo Zen Timepiece is the company's most environmentally friendly product yet. While the wood used in all Now & Zen products is sustainably grown on tree farms, and the company operates according to a strict policy of environmental sustainability for all its operations, the introduction of the company’s bamboo line sets a new standard for sustainability. Bamboo, which is a species of grass, is a very “green” material for making clock bodies. Compared to a hardwood forest the same size, a bamboo grove produces 30% more oxygen and twenty times the biomass yield. Bamboo can be harvested annually after the first five to seven years without replanting, compared to twenty-five to fifty years for trees, which then need to be replanted in bare soil. Moreover, Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on the planet, and it’s qualities of oxygen production, carbon sequestering, and water and soil retention make it one of the world’s most sustainable commodities as well. Now & Zen markets its products internationally through third-party retail stores and catalogs. It also sells directly to consumers through its website and Boulder headquarters store. The company's philosophy is expressed by its tag line: ‘quality of thought, stillness of being.’ Now & Zen's complete line of natural lifestyle products can be seen at: www.now-zen.com, or by calling the company to request a catalog. Now & Zen, Inc. 743 Pine St., Boulder, CO 80302 • (800) 779-6383 • www.now-zen.com • orders@now-zen.com

NOW & ZEN, INC., JULY 28th, 2005 MEDIA RELEASE CONTACT:TEHYA McINTOSH (800) 779-6383 EXT. 229 Innovative Colorado company introduces the world's most exquisite alarm clock, waking its users with a series of rich acoustic gong strikes The new Zen Timepiece can be positioned with its clock display to the front (top), or with its solid brass bowl-gong to the front (above). Every once in a while a new product comes along that really rocks the category of products to which it belongs. The new Zen Timepiece™ from Now & Zen, Inc. is just such a product—it's an alarm clock with a large solid brass bowl-gong that fills the room with a series of rich, subtle, acoustic sounds that make waking up a 'spiritual experience.' When the alarm is triggered, the Zen Timepiece strikes its bowl-gong just once, producing an exquisitely deep, long-resonating gong sound … then, after the first strike, it automatically strikes again in 3-1/2 minutes … then in 2 minutes … then in 1 minute … gong strikes gradually increase in frequency over 10 minutes, eventually striking every 5 seconds until turned off. According to the product's inventor and Now & Zen CEO, Steve McIntosh, "it's the most aesthetically sophisticated alarm clock ever made. It's not a gimmick or a novelty, it makes a real difference in the quality of your life—once you experience it, you'll never want to wake up any other way." Boulder Colorado-based Now & Zen has been making beautiful acoustic alarm clocks, starting with the now world famous Zen Alarm Clock®, for over 10 years. The new Zen Timepiece, however, is a real breakthrough for the company. Tehya McIntosh, Now & Zen's vice president, explained: "We've been working on this for a long time, it's the result of a decade of product evolution at Now & Zen. This product definitely extends our brand's mission, which is to serve the growing demographic of people who prefer things natural—natural foods, natural fibers, natural materials, and now with our products, natural acoustic sounds—over the years we've learned a lot about what it takes to make authentic products for authentic people." The Zen Timepiece is much more than an alarm clock, it also functions as a countdown timer for personal practices such as yoga, meditation, or bodywork. McIntosh added: "It's the perfect accoutrement for meditation or yoga; it helps you make time for your practice because it's so beautiful and fun." The volume of the clock's gong strikes can be adjusted over a wide range from soft, subtle ring tones to loud, bold gongs. This allows the user to customize the sound according to her preference. The clock can also be set to strike its gong on the hour, serving as a 'mindfulness bell' — a contemplative practice recommended by spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. As beautiful to see as it is to hear, the Zen Timepiece is also a decorative accessory that adds elegance to any room. Its wood platform (available in cherry or maple) is designed to be positioned either with the clock's digital display to the front, or turned around, with the bowl-gong in the front. Although the clock looks good both ways, when the digital display is turned to the back it accentuates the clock's natural theme and helps reduce the visual clutter of electronic modernity in one's interior environment. At a suggested retail price of $139, it may be the world's most expensive alarm clock, but according to Steve McIntosh, it's definitely worth it: "Waking up in the morning is a metaphor for life, and anything that adds grace and beauty to this daily process is a good investment. When you use the Zen Timepiece it's like waking up in a Zen temple." Now & Zen markets its products internationally through third-party retail stores and catalogs, and it also sells directly to consumers through its website and Boulder headquarters store. The company's philosophy is expressed by its tag line: 'quality of thought, stillness of being.' Now & Zen's complete line of natural lifestyle products can be seen at: www.now-zen.com, or by calling the company to request a catalog. Now & Zen, Inc. 743 Pine St., Boulder, CO 80302 • (800) 779-6383 • www.now-zen.com • orders@now-zen.com

2005 Media Releases June 1st - Now & Zen launches its new Glossy Black Lacquer Digital Zen Alarm Clock®