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For anyone who has a difficult time waking up in the morning, especially around Daylight Savings Time, sunrise alarm clocks — alarms which use gradually increasing light to simulate the rising sun — might mean the difference between a cranky morning and a productive one. Scientific studies indicate that by mimicking your body’s natural circadian rhythm and allowing you to wake up slowly rather than yanking you out of REM with a sharp alarm, sunrise alarm clocks can make it easier for you to start your day.
Many light therapy alarms on the market today come equipped with additional features and adjustable settings. We like models that can also be used as a sun lamp, for example, which is helpful for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder in the winter. Many include a wide range of alarm volume and brightness levels, and others can be connected to your smart home device. If you’re struggling to adjust your sleep schedule to the changing seasons, then check out our picks below.
Hatch Restore 3 Sunrise Alarm Clock & Sound Machine
$169.99
Buy Now On Amazon
Hatch Restore is as gentle as it gets for a sunrise alarm clock, which is why it’s our clear top pick. With smart functionality, calming light, and integrated meditation, this clock will not only help you wind down, but actually make you want to hit the pillow.
The companion Hatch Sleep app lets you personalize your sleep-wake routine, but it best functions as a sound machine, with a library of soothing sounds, white noise and shades of mood lighting at your fingertips. The soft glow of the reading light is quite gentle, too.
The app also includes meditations and “sleep stories”, which really help establish a good routine before bed without having to force yourself down with melatonin gummies. The soft-touch buttons on the clock are also intuitive, so you don’t have to wake yourself up too much fumbling around in the dark. And we like this “putty” colorway, which blends in seamlessly with your existing bedroom decor.
With a sleek design, smart features, and a gentle touch, Hatch Restore lulls you off to sleep as effectively as it nudges you awake. We’ve been using a Hatch sunrise alarm clock for years and it’s still one of our go-tos for gentle nights and smoother mornings. Don’t just take our word for it though: more than 9,000 people have purchased the Hatch Restore 3 in the last month alone, per Amazon.
Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light
$108.95
Buy Now On Amazon
There’s no competing with the customizability of Philips’ SmartSleep Wake-Up Light, which combines several functions — including recommendations based on your sleep environment, “wake-up” and “wind-down” programs, and several color and alarm sound options — in one handy device.
The sunrise alarm feature begins slowly increasing light around five to 60 minutes before your alarm, so that by the time it goes off, your room is already fully bright. When it is time for bed, you can program the clock’s bedtime setting, which simulates a sunset (there are 20 light intensities to choose from in total). Of course, all of these settings can be modified and customized to your needs.
The alarm comes with several sounds at adjustable volumes to choose from, while the nighttime setting includes five different relaxing sounds to block out other noise and help lull you to sleep.
Not only does the SmartSleep Connected make sure you can fall asleep, it makes sure you’ll stay asleep. Shoppers agree, giving this a 4.3-star rating (out of five) from more than 14,000 verified reviews.
Casper The Glow Light
$129
Buy Now AT CASPER
Casper may be best known for its mattresses, but the sleep company makes a decent mood light and clock too.
A small but consequential feature of sunrise alarm clocks is that most need to stay plugged in like a traditional lamp, and can be bulky to move if you’re trying to nap in say, your living room. We like that The Glow Light from Casper is a fully wireless, portable night light — which gives the ability to move it around if you’re a frequent couch napper.
We also love how streamlined this light is, which has just a few controls: you flip it to turn it on, twist it to adjust the light levels, and wiggle it to turn it into an ambient night light you can take with you to get a midnight snack. The lighting is soft and gentle, and while heavy sleepers might not appreciate the lack of relaxing sounds or alarm options for waking up, if you just need a gentle nudge to get up in the morning, The Glow Light has your back. We’ve been using this unit for years and it’s still one of our favorites for its simple set up, chic looks and effectiveness.
REACHER Wood Grain Sunrise Alarm Clock and Sound Machine
$35.99
$49.99
28% off
Buy Now On Amazon
This REACHER Sunrise Alarm Clock is one of our favorite gifts to give, thanks to its ease of use and elegant wood grain trim. At roughly 6 x 6 inches in size, it’s small enough to place on your bedside table without being distracting, and its dimmable light slowly wakes you up, rather than jolting you awake.
What we like: there are 26 different sleep sounds to choose from at various volumes and intensity levels (think white noise, brown noise, ocean sounds, wind, etc.). You can also choose from eight different lighting colors.
This sleep alarm clock has quickly become a favorite in my family, with my brother putting one in his kids room, and turning on the sleep machine to help his little ones fall asleep. My parents use it too and appreciate the ability to customize a gradual wake up (and light up) time — anywhere from five minutes to an hour. This set comes with a 59-inch cord to let you easily plug it in.
Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock
$38.98
$52.98
26% off
Buy Now On Amazon
Another sunrise alarm that provides a gentler wake-up call, this Amazon pick combines a gradual mock sunrise with the morning alarm sound of your choice, be that nature sounds, or FM radio.
The clock is a touch-screen, which is satisfyingly reactive and easy to navigate, especially when it comes to the very prominent snooze button on top of the device, which pauses the alarm sound and light for five minutes.
We don’t love that the light clicks off as soon as the alarm is switched off, but it’s nothing we can’t live with. Choose from multiple color options to match your bedroom decor.
What Is a Sunrise Alarm Clock?
The number of additional features and functions you need is a matter of personal taste, but there are a few factors we think are important no matter what clock you choose. You should be able to adjust to the perfect volume and brightness level, for example, and consider how smoothly the lamp transitions to full brightness. Here’s what else to know.
Settings:In general, the more volume and brightness levels a clock has the better, as everyone’s sensitivity to light and sound are a bit different. Additional settings like automatic timers, the ability to set more than one alarm at once, and a variety of alarm sounds are also helpful. Some of our favorite clocks also include a bedtime setting, in which the light gradually decreases at night to mimic a setting sun.
Versatility: Many of these clocks double as a lamp, which can provide the benefits of sunlight during the winter or in geographic locations that don’t get a lot of sun. Many also function as a night light, with a variety of color options to customize your atmosphere.
Operating Time: Most sunrise clocks elevate the brightness levels over a period of 30 minutes. We also take into account how long the light stays on after the alarm goes off and whether this can be adjusted.
Intuitive:User-friendly design is essential, and common complaints about sunrise alarms are that they are too confusing or difficult to use. We’ve found versions that set up easily right out of the box.
