If you start your day before sunrise, or if you’re looking for a more peaceful alternative to a blaring alarm clock, a sunrise clock may be your new favorite nightstand accessory.
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It mimics the natural sunrise by gradually lighting up at a certain time, and many even have gentle sounds to help you wake up.
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Best of all, it won’t jolt you awake like a normal alarm clock (or your phone) would.
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Using an alarm clock that simulates both the sunset and sunrise can help you fall asleep faster and wake up quicker in the morning, says Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of NY Sleep and Psychology.
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If you’re ready to make the switch, I consulted sleep experts on the benefits of sunrise alarm clocks and what to look for when shopping for one.
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I also pulled together a list of options to shop based on their guidance.
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“I’m more likely to sleep through the night now since I’m not anticipating being startled awake by my phone’s blaring alarm,” says NBC Selected reporter Zoe Malin.
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“The gradual increase of light in my bedroom lets me slowly transition from a deep sleep into consciousness.”
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You can use this sunrise clock to gently wake you up in the morning, moving from red to orange to white before your alarm sounds, or as a bedside light to wind down.
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You can also customize your sleep and wake up routine, play sound, adjust light and more using the companion Hatch Sleep app, or you can press the buttons directly on the device to control your nighttime or morning routine (keep in mind, you’ll need Wi-Fi connection for the device to work).
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It’s also a stylish alternative to other alarm clocks: “Since the curved device has a sleek, minimalistic appearance, it practically blends into my bedroom,” says Malin.
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“In terms of user experience, one of the biggest upgrades compared to previous models is the big button on the top, which lets me turn off my alarm, as well as turn on and off my sound machine, without using my phone once I program everything in the app,” says Malin.
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“That means I can keep my phone out of my bedroom overnight so I don’t get distracted by it.”
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This Philips sunrise clock comes recommended by Dr. W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and sleep specialist based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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It has an auto-dimming display and five adjustable colors.
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The light gradually gets brighter and starts 30 minutes before your scheduled alarm time — the simulation starts off as a soft red and moves to orange and ultimately a bright yellow light to wake you up.
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The brand’s companion app, SleepMapper, lets you customize your chosen sunset and sunrise times, track your sleep over time and sync your sleep metrics with Apple and Google Health.
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Best portable
Casper’s The Glow Light lacks sound options, so it’s less of an alarm clock and more of a sunrise- and sunset-simulating light.
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I use the Glow Light every day to wake up in the morning since the light gradually increases over the course of an hour based on the time I set on the companion app.
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It also functions as a bedside lamp: I usually use its auto-dimming feature to help me wind down at night, and the light will automatically turn off after an hour, so I can fall asleep without having to worry about it staying on.
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I like that the light has several straightforward, easy-to-use functions: You can twist it on its base to control its brightness, flip it upside down to turn it on and off, and lift it off its base to light up the way to a midnight snack (it’s durable enough to survive everyday tumbles, too).
Best budget pick
This Jall sunrise alarm clock has seven colored lights and 20 brightness levels to gradually wake you up over the span of 10, 20 and 30 minutes.
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It also has access to FM radio and seven built-in sounds to help you wake up or wind down, such as birds chirping, ocean waves and piano music.
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To better customize your routine, the clock also has 16 volume levels to choose from.
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This Lumie sunrise clock lets you customize the maximum brightness and wake up gradually over anywhere from 15 minutes to 90 minutes.
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It also has a built-in alarm that lets you wake up with the radio or one of 15 sleep sounds to complement the light, according to Lumie.
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Plus, It has an auto-dimming display and a snooze button.
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Lumie also offers other, pared down Bodyclock models available: The Bodyclock Rise 100 loses its radio function and alarm while the Bodyclock Glow 150 includes 10 waking sounds and a duration of 20 minutes, 30 minutes and 45 minutes.
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Though this is a pricier option, I recommend pairing Loftie’s smart lamp and alarm clock for a complete sunrise clock and sound machine set.
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The lamp, which doubles as a chic piece of home decor, gradually brightens at the time you set via the companion app, while the alarm clock (which the brand notes is not a sunrise clock, but rather more like a sound machine) has sleep, meditation and wake-up sounds to help you rise in the morning and wind down at night.
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The lamp doesn’t display time nor has built-in sleep sounds like most other options on this list, so pairing it with the clock provides most of the capabilities you might be looking for in a new morning alarm.
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You can also set a sleep schedule on the app, which lets you gently transition from day to night by gradually turning down the brightness.
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How I picked the best sunrise alarm clocks
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To pull together our list, the experts recommended I keep the following key features in mind (more on these features below):
- Adjustable brightness and colors: Look for a sunrise clock that lets you adjust its brightness level and color options, whether via an app or manually on the device, for a more customizable wake-up and wind-down experience, experts say.
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Most sunrise clocks will also automatically adjust the light in the morning to mimic the gradual sunrise.
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- Brightness level: You’ll sometimes see a sunrise clock’s brightness level expressed in lux or lumens: Lumens are a measure of brightness, whereas lux is a measure of lumens spread over an area, expressed in square meters.
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As you shop for a sunrise alarm clock, keep in mind that a higher lux signifies a more intense light.
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Most sunrise clocks I list below range between 100 to upwards of 300 lux.
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Sunrise clocks can include sleep sounds that can either help lull you to sleep or gently wake you up in the morning — these typically range from nature sounds like birds chirping and ocean waves to white noise that reduces distractions.
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Some options only emit wake-up sounds if you haven’t turned off the light alarm after a certain amount of time, which can be a helpful backup plan, says Winter.
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Look for a sunrise clock with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity that lets you customize features like brightness level, sleep sounds, your wake-up schedule and more through a companion app, experts say.
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…and 36 more, not listed.
The Aporia
