Take, for example, blackout curtains. These thick, dark drapes do a great job at keeping light out of your bedroom while you’re trying to sleep—something that’s especially helpful if you work shifts that require you to sleep during the day, or live in a city with a lot of ambient light at night. (See also: an eye mask for sleeping). But while the darkness can help us sleep, sunlight is the key to maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm, by gently waking us up in the morning—and blackout curtains block those early rays out, too. Having access to plenty of natural sunlight in the morning would be ideal, but that’s not a reality for everyone: and that’s where sunrise alarm clocks come in. Also known as “dawn simulation,” which has been found effective in treating seasonal depression, these devices provide 30 to 40 minutes of gradually building artificial light that mimics a sunrise, and is programmable like a regular alarm clock. While most people can benefit from adding a sunrise alarm clock to their morning routine, those dealing with insomnia, jet lag, or seasonal affective disorder—or are teenagers, shift workers, or hearing impaired—may find them to be especially helpful. Sunrise alarm clocks range from basic models (a simple alarm clock with the light component) to ones with multiple features that help you not only wake up in the morning but also fall asleep at night. To help make that task easier, these are the best sunrise alarm clocks available right now. There is also an intuitive dimming function, and the ability to simply tap the light to hit snooze. The light comes with five different wake-up sounds, as well as FM radio. It can double as a reading lamp at night, so even before utilizing the sunset function, you can unwind by reading in bed without the blue light from a phone or device.
Unlike some of the other models on the list, the actual morning wake-up light only comes in one shade (white) and has just three levels of brightness. There are, however, seven other color modes: red, orange, yellow, green, neon green, blue, and pink. These may be fun for a child (or a kid at heart), but aren’t part of the wake-up experience. It might not be as intuitive as other models (meaning, you have to actually read the instructions), but that makes sense given how many features it has. Aside from the sunrise wake-up function, the Bluetooth speaker is the star of the show here. And while it doesn’t come with built-in wake-up or relaxing sounds, you control the sound. You can download your own calming sounds and choose to wake up to your favorite song or podcast. This model is also highly customizable, in case you know any little ones who are particular about their bedroom at night. Even the LED display of the time has three levels of brightness. And that’s on top of the 20 brightness settings of the light itself. Plus, it comes with a USB charger port, in case the beloved iPad needs some more juice.
The sunrise part of this alarm clock is pretty standard; however, the transitions between the different colors and brightness during the sunrise aren’t as smooth as they are with higher-end models. But, a definite plus is being able to decide how long the sunrise will last, ranging between 10 and 60 minutes (while many others on the market are set at 30 minutes and don’t come with the ability to adjust that). Where the app comes in handy, though, is by allowing users to create their own nighttime and morning routines, selecting the type and color of light, length that it’s on, and the sounds to go with it. But while the device does connect to its app, it doesn’t allow users to use voice commands or play their own music.
Light Options:
The more, the better. Pay attention to the choice of colors, levels of brightness, and the ability to control the length of time of the artificial sunrise and sunset.
Sounds:
If you only are interested in the light aspect of a sunrise alarm clock, then feel free to ignore the sound options. But if this function is important to you, the offerings can vary significantly, between natural sounds, soft music, FM radio, and the ability to use your own music via a Bluetooth connection.
Power Source:
Do you plan to keep the clock in one place on your nightstand where it can always be plugged in? Or do you want to be able to move it around and use it for traveling? Not all sunrise alarm clocks include rechargeable batteries, which makes them less than ideal for frequent travelers or those who prize portability above all else.
An App:
Some of these sunrise alarm clocks only work using an app on a smartphone. For some, this is a draw, but others may prefer to keep it simple. Pay attention to how the device is controlled before making a purchase.
Why Trust Verywell Mind
As a seasoned health writer and editor with a special focus on mental health and well-being, Elizabeth Yuko understands how powerful stress-relieving activities can be for many people—as well as the fact that they’re not one-size-fits-all. With decades of first-hand experience dealing with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, she’s always on the lookout for new (and research-backed) products, techniques, and services that can help people cope with stress and other mental health challenges. “These devices are basically alarm clocks that you set to mimic the sunrise,” according to family medicine practitioner Robert Cain, MD of the Cleveland Clinic. “They don’t emit UV rays and have equal efficacy to sun lamps. For maximum benefit, set the clock to resemble a sunrise in June or July.”
