Best Sunrise Alarm Clock – Our Top 5 Picks for 2024

Best Light Alarm Clock Buyer’s Guide

Each of these products is impressive, so we’ve answered a few common questions to help steer you in the right direction. If you’re skeptical about waking up to a simulated sunrise rather than just leaving the curtains open, you’re not alone. However, we think there are a few important elements these sunrise alarm clocks could provide that your windows can’t.

We’ll go through how these products work, and why they’re so popular while helping you decide which is right for your lifestyle.

How They Work

Using a series of bulbs and brightness presets, light alarms work by gradually increasing light from very dull to bright that works to stimulate the eyes and brain, causing you to slowly awaken. Most of these alarm clocks are accompanied by a sound at the end of the cycle to ensure users wake up on time, but some wake before the sound.

These should work better than traditional options because they trigger the receptors in our eyes that let us know it’s morning, allowing a hormone change that makes us more alert by simulating the sun. So while many of these alarms have light settings that allow users to cycle through to their favorite color, it could be more effective to choose colors that closely resemble sunlight.

A double-bell alarm might wake you up fast and scare you alert, but they don’t change the fact that your body still thinks it’s time to be asleep. This is why lights are so effective; they could trick your body into becoming alert virtually whenever you choose. However, we wouldn’t recommend switching up the time too much from day to day, as you don’t want to mess with your circadian rhythm.

Reasons to Use

If you’re wondering why you should make the switch to a sunrise alarm clock, it depends on when you wake up and how sleepy you are when you do. While some people have no trouble waking up ready to go at 6 AM, others may struggle to find access to natural light or just naturally wake up later.

Learn More: Benefits of Waking Up Early

Gradual Transition to Waking

If you’re prone to anxiety or tend to hit the snooze button more than you’d like, waking up gradually to soft light could help.

Multiple Uses/Functionality

Some devices may be used as light therapy for those with circadian rhythm disorders or night lights for kids who are a little scared of the dark.

Need more info? Check out our complete guide for best light terapy lamps.

Light’s Relationship with Circadian Rhythm

After thousands of years of sleeping when it’s dark and waking up in the morning, our bodies have grown accustomed to natural triggers like morning sunlight to regulate hormones that induce wakefulness and sleepiness. In today’s world, we often wake up before the sun and work in simulated lighting, so our bodies might struggle to accurately keep time. This could mean we struggle to fall asleep and wake up when we want to.

Light alarms try to combat this by waking the body up slowly to light, simulating a sunrise. This could help our bodies to regulate hormones that make us alert.

Important Considerations When Buying a Sunrise Alarm Clock

If you’re ready to make the switch, we want to help you make sure you’ve considered all the options to find your best fit.

Cost

There is some cost disparity between the best luxury choice and our budget option, so before you fall in love with one choice, make sure you consider a reasonable budget. For a child’s room where you are able to help them wake up on time, one of the budget sunrise alarm clock models might do the trick. However, if you live in an area with limited lighting and frequent power outages, you may want to budget in an option with a power bank.

Which factors matter most will largely depend on your preference, but sacrificing some choices could save you money, while splurging a little could make your life a little easier.

Sunrise Simulation

This is the main reason most people buy a light alarm; however, they aren’t all created equally. While one sunrise alarm clock might cycle through a hundred light phases, another could cycle through a million for a higher price. Whether the number of phases makes a noticeable difference is to be determined by user preference, but to some people, the assurance is worth a few extra dollars.

Some people don’t care as much about the sunrise effect as much as the burst of bright light that helps wake them from their stupor. Some don’t mind if it’s gradual or a flood-light, while others prefer the soothing gradual awakening that feels a little cinematic. Whichever category you fall into, just be sure that before you order, you know what to expect in terms of brightness and how gradual the transition is.

Sunset Simulation

If you struggle to fall asleep and find yourself tossing and turning, you might want to consider a model with a sunset-simulation feature. These generally work on a timer and slowly dim into darkness to help your body prepare for sleep.

Colors

For those who like to customize their colorful awakening, some have a variety of choices from a calming blue to bright orange.

Adjustable Brightness

Some with sensitive eyes may prefer a dimmer wake up experience. If that’s you, be sure to check the preferences before ordering.

Size

If you can’t put the clock near your face, you might want to consider a larger size to be sure it can wake you up from where it stands.

Sounds and Radio

Those who are sensitive to loud noises may want to consider a sunrise alarm clock with an AM/FM radio choice or calming nature sounds.

Alarm

Before purchasing, you’ll want to make sure the device is easy to program to avoid forgetting to turn it on before bed.

Volume

For noise-sensitive folks, make sure you are able to adjust the volume easily so you don’t accidentally destroy the soft light effect with blaring music.

Snooze Function

While many options have a snooze feature, we don’t recommend using them often. Some products even have settings to help stop the snooze epidemic.

Mobile App Integration

For those who like to control everything from their phones, some options come with a downloadable app. Just make sure it works with your operating system.

Wireless and Portable Capabilities

If you frequently lose power or don’t have an outlet near your bed, it might be a good idea to buy a battery-powered alarm clock.

Ease of Use

When buying for a child or those on the older side, it’s not a bad idea to find a product with a simple interface and large buttons to avoid confusion.

Trial and Warranty

If you aren’t sure these alarms will work for you, check the warranty and trial period information before buying so you don’t get stuck with a product you don’t like. While they tend to vary from product to product, you might find an option you could test before making a decision.

Additional Features

If you just want the basics, there are plenty of options out there for a reasonable price point, but many people want to get more out of their alarm clock. There are a variety of other features that could make a big difference in convenience. Some options use charging ports to ensure they never die when you need them, eliminating the need for replaceable batteries and allowing portability.

If you’re buying for your kids, night-light settings could help soothe your child in the night without keeping them up or creating a fire hazard. They could also help your child go to sleep rather than playing or reading until late at night. Many have digital displays to help children who don’t know how to read an analog clock quite yet.

The right option for you may vary, so before buying a product you aren’t fully satisfied with, it’s a good idea to know what’s out there.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunrise Alarm Clocks

Do dawn-simulation alarm clocks really work?

While we can’t say what will work best for you, research supports the idea that simulating a sunrise could help stimulate our brains in a way that wakes us up more effectively than just sounds. This is because our brains trigger certain hormone phases based on our brain’s perception of light.

When we tell our brains it’s morning with a bright light, it kickstarts the wake-up hormones rather than just startling us like regular alarms.

Is it effective for light therapy?

Some alarms may be used for light therapy during the day as well to help reprogram the circadian rhythm in those suffering jet lag or a circadian rhythm disorder. Depending on how powerful your light alarm is, they could be up to 10 times brighter than regular indoor lighting. So as long as working with one in front of your face isn’t bothersome to your eyes, it could help keep you awake at the right time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, they could also help treat seasonal affective disorder, or depression brought on by a lack of sunlight in the winter.