If you aren’t feeling rested when your alarm goes off, a sunrise alarm clock could change your life. The disruptive jolt of loud beeping and harsh tones isn't a fun way to start the day, nor is it a natural way to help your body rise. I’m a chronic snooze-button kind of gal, and I find a sunrise clock or wake-up light incredibly helpful for me to actually wake up when I need to and follow a healthier circadian rhythm, since the growing light helps tell my body it’s time to wake up. Plus, a bright light is much, much harder to ignore than a noise I can snooze.
I've woken up to the bright hues of nearly a dozen different sunrise alarm clocks over the past two years, and it's a game changer. Here's what makes it work, and which ones I recommend the most.
How Do Sunrise Alarm Clocks Work?
Your body is built to wake naturally with the sunrise and feel sleepy as the sun sets. The light at both the beginning and end of the day is a warm, golden tone, unlike the midday bright, slightly blue sunlight that keeps you wide awake. A sunrise alarm clock mimics this transition from morning to bright daytime light, helping to signal your body to wake up (or fall asleep, if the clock also has a sunset option).
A sunrise alarm has a built-in light you can set to brighten at a certain time. It doesn't happen instantly; it will slowly transition over a period of anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, and better sunrise alarms let you choose your exact brightening window. I usually choose a half-hour window for the light to start brightening, and let its brightening crescendo slowly wake me.
There are also sound effects. Sunrise alarms have a mix of relaxing and classic sounds that will usually go off when the light starts to brighten, to also help rouse you. I'd actually prefer if the light went first and music activated later, but that isn't always an option for these lights.
Some sunrise alarms also offer a sunset routine, meaning you can turn them on at night and they'll slowly dim into darkness to help you feel sleepy. It's another good visual cue for your brain and body to realize it's time for bed, and I prefer sunrise alarms like Hatch and Lumie that let you choose when to activate a routine (pushing a button starts the routine to happen over the course of 30 minutes, for example) versus needing to be in bed by a set time to use the routine.