Question: Do you need a sonic boom to wake up in the morning? Or maybe your kids do.

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute just tested one alarm clock that comes pretty close, plus a few others that could help you get up and at'em in the morning.

Rachel Rothman, engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute, said the experts evaluated more than 40 alarm clocks.

"We chose alarm clocks that had special features, whether it is an iPod docking station or an additional feature. For those individuals who need a little extra boost getting up in the morning, we recommend the Sonic Bomb ($43). It's extremely loud and will wake anyone up. It also comes with an additional vibrating feature if you need an extra boost," she said.

The iHome iH9 ($100) also rang the bell. Testers like the ascending alarm for an iPod or the radio. And there's a backup beep alarm if you forget to dock your iPod at night.

"If you want an alarm clock that does it all, we recommend the Homedics Sound Spa ($90)," said Rothman.

"It comes with an iPod dock and charger, a speaker system, as well as an LED projector that will show the time on the wall. It also has six soothing nature sounds that help lull you to sleep at night."

These clocks aren't cheap, but they do much more than your basic alarm clock.

Here's a tip. Don't set your alarm for earlier than you want to wake and then hit the snooze button. It's much better for you to get steady sleep than fragmented sleep.