All that considered, the way we wake up is just as important as the hours of sleep we’re getting. Studies have shown that waking up naturally with the sunrise can regulate your circadian rhythm and improve the quality of your sleep1. Unfortunately, this kind of natural wake-up call isn’t always possible, especially if you have blackout curtains or a windowless bedroom (hello, city apartments). Sunrise alarm clocks, otherwise known as wake-up lamps or dawn simulation clocks, help you wake up gradually, with warm, natural light instead of sound. These clocks use advanced LED technology and customizable brightness settings, so you can take your sleep into your own hands and start your day on a lighter note than the loud (often stress-inducing) sound of your phone’s alarm. Below, we’ve carefully selected the best sunrise alarm clocks to help give you more mellow, mindful mornings. If you’ve ever been jolted out of a Zen-like dream state by the blaring sounds of your phone’s alarm, you’re likely familiar with the stressed, disoriented feeling that can often follow—and if you ask us, waking up to a soft, serene sunrise is much more enjoyable. “Light helps to wake us up more gently and gradually,” Bonney confirms. “These sunrise alarm clocks can also reduce the effects of sleep inertia—a drowsy, disorienting feeling that many of us (especially teenagers) experience after a sudden awakening.” As we said, waking up can be stressful. Bonney explains this further: “When we’re sleeping, our blood pressure is lower, but when we open our eyes, cortisol kicks in, and the brain adapts by constricting blood vessels, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Sunrise alarm clocks can reduce that stressful wake-up experience.” Sunlight can affect our mood, too. As Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., previously told mindbodygreen, “Light therapy is not new, and doctors have long been recommending this therapy for many different ailments.” Many of these sunrise alarm clocks have features similar to those of sun lamps, which aim to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and ease depression, lethargy, insomnia, and morning blues. “When light travels from the eyes via the optic nerves to the SCN, it suppresses melatonin and creates a waking effect on the brain and body, initiating the awake phase of the 24-hour circadian rhythm and waking you up,” Bonney elaborates. Each wake-up device has different features and settings, but the best sunrise alarm clocks operate with a series of lights that progress from red to orange to white, to most-closely match a natural sunrise. Bonney says this light simulation can also help make you feel more alert. “When your body senses the light, it halts the production of melatonin—which helps you wake up—and increases the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine to help you wake up.” Some sunrise alarm clocks also provide mellow sounds, which typically play after the lights have progressed, as well as nighttime features like sleep stories or calming light to help ease you to sleep. You’ll receive a free one-month membership trial with your purchase, but you will need to pay $10 per month once the trial ends if you want to have access to the exclusive sounds (music, dreamscapes, rest exercises, and sleep stories). That said, this alarm clock is a great device even without those sounds included. It uses the natural light progression from red to orange to white, before playing your (optional) chosen sound. You can also use it at night as a reading light, and (even without the paid membership) you’ll have access to a ton of features to help create a more calming bedtime and wake-up routine. Just note, you will need to use your phone to control this device, whether you pay for the membership or not. What customers say: The model also earns extra praise for its extensive sound offerings. The 15 options go beyond typical rain or nature noises to include eccentric sounds, like purring kittens and a clattering cafe—all of which need to be purchased on the brand’s website. Luckily, you can try them before committing. What our testers say: “I have never been a morning person, but since getting the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 my mornings are that much brighter—literally,” raves mindbodygreen writer Sarah Regan. “The sunrise setting is particularly helpful now that mornings are getting darker, and waking up to the sounds of birds chirping never hurts either. I’ll never go back to a standard alarm clock!” The device’s portable design and ambient light sensor come in handy if you do wake up in the middle of the night, as you can grab it and bring it with you as a night light rather than reaching for your phone or turning on a harsh overhead light. Like most sunrise alarm clocks, this one also has a corresponding app that you use to control its features, and you can even sync your Flow Light with others, so you and your loved ones can settle into the same sleep rhythm. What customers say: The Glow Light has a 4.5-star average rating on the brand’s website, with plenty of reviews to back it. Customers love the simple, intuitive design and the gradual wake-up it provides. One person raves, “My wife is very sensitive to light, especially at night. The warm yellow light itself is very calming, and the fact that they automatically gradually dim and turn off helps us wind down and naturally drift to sleep without having to worry about flipping a switch.” But what really sets this sunrise alarm clock apart from others on the market is its color quality. While many brands use a cool white light, this clock starts with a red-tinted hue that slowly builds into a gentle orange and then to a warm white. The natural light progression makes this one of the most convincing sunrise simulators of all the clocks we considered. Oh, and the cherry on top? It includes a radio with five natural wake-up sounds—so if you do want to add some sound to your wake-up, you can choose from options like ocean waves or classical music. What customers say: Equipped with 20 brightness settings and seven color settings, this alarm clock is a crowd-pleasing option that’s ideal for those who want to customize their wake-up experience. It also allows you to press snooze up to five times, and it comes with a convenient dual-alarm clock feature, so you and your partner can wake up at different times using the same machine. What customers say: The most affordable option on our list, it costs less than $30 yet still packs plenty of features. For starters, light-sensitive users are able to turn off its clock display at night, a feature that’s surprisingly nonexistent in more expensive devices. It also offers warm LED light and an array of eight fun color options—all of which this device delivers at the same price as a regular old alarm clock. What customers say: This alarm clock comes with a surprising number of features given its price point. Shoppers love that they can select the duration of the sunrise (from 15 to 60 minutes), as well as the color of the lights. Several mention that this model is a great option for kids who struggle to wake up early. That said, its sunrise is notably less gradual than other options, going from 50% to 100% brightness in one progression.
