There appears to be a Google Clock bug circulating. While it won't damage your phone, the potential for unintended consequences is quite high.

Reddit users have been fretting for the past few weeks that people are risking oversleeping and being late for work because the app is not delivering the promised wake-up call. The problem is so serious that it has begun to affect reviews of the app on Google Play, with a number of one-star ratings. However, a fix is currently being worked on.

There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to this issue. The issue seems to be particularly common among Pixel users, but it also seems to affect other phone brands that rely on Google's apps.

Some report that the problem occurs when the phone is facing down (perhaps they inadvertently turned off the "do not disturb" mode), but others blindly report that the problem also occurs when the phone is facing up. Many seem to be related to using Spotify songs as an alarm, but again, not all.

The latter seems to be at least part of Google's diagnosis; another post on Reddit by Google's official account promises a quick remedy. 'We have identified a fix and will roll it out soon,' the account writes. 'In the meantime, you can change your alarm sound settings to your choice of device sounds. In other words, use one of the app's defaults rather than a Spotify song.

It's good that a fix is coming, but not much consolation for those who have to wake up tomorrow morning ready to be fired.

One solution is to download a third party alarm clock. This is an app problem, not a system-wide bug. There are many alarm clocks to choose from. Some also let people who have trouble falling asleep solve puzzles or do activities that force them to get out of bed, thus preventing them from falling asleep again.

But you may not even need to download additional software; with the best smart speakers in the bedroom, such as Amazon Echo or Nest Home, you can have a virtual assistant wake you up at any time you want. Just make sure you don't mistake a.m. for p.m.

Finally, if you wear a smartwatch to bed, make sure you have the option on your wrist. My Garmin Forerunner 245 has a built-in alarm that simply vibrates rather than beeps, which I have found to be an effective way to wake myself up without having to endure the wrath of my partner. Good luck.