What's a good alternative to an alarm clock.

For the methods im using now I need to wake up in the middle of the night, but I can't seem to do it right. I use affirmations and suggestions and they do wake me up, but not enough. I'm always so tired when I wake up I either forget to do my method or the instant my eyes close I fall asleep. I've tried using an alarm clock, but that wakes me up too much. Also I used the water method, but it didn't work. All I need to know is what mantra I should use. In the past I was able to wake up with no problem, but I forgot the mantra I used.
:doh:

If you have one of those fancy internet phones there's a lot of alarm clock apps that you can customize. If your current alarm clock is too loud maybe you can use an app that adjust the sound. There's some that play music instead of annoying beeping too and that might help.