If you are not If you don’t feel rested when your alarm goes off, the problem might be the alarm clock itself. Waking up to a loud, sudden alarm isn’t exactly a fun way to start the day, and the disruptive jolt might not do much to tell your body it’s time to get up. I’m a chronic snooze kind of girl, and I find a sunrise alarm clock helpful, as the rising light helps tell my body it’s time to wake up — and that bright light is much, much harder to ignore.
After weeks of sleeping with a sunrise alarm clock next to me, I’ve noticed a nice improvement in my alertness in the mornings. I’m still not a person who jumps out of bed in the morning, but I find myself staying up after the alarm goes off under the soft light of these sunrise lamps instead of just going back to bed for another hour. Plus, as someone who has a hard time falling asleep at night, alarms with a sunset routine option have become a godsend in helping me fall asleep and wake up.
While you’re here, don’t miss our other sleep guides, including the best sheets, best pillows, best weighted blankets, best sound machines, and best mattresses.
Updated September 2024: We’ve updated this guide with all new picks and tests.
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How Sunrise Alarms Work
Your body is designed to Wake up naturally with the sunrise and feel sleepy when it sets. The light at both the beginning and end of the day is a warm, golden hue, as opposed to the bright, slightly blueish sunlight of midday that keeps you wide awake. A sunrise alarm clock mimics this transition from morning to bright daylight, helping to signal your body to wake up (or go to sleep, if the clock also has a sunset option).
Each of the alarms below offers a sunrise routine, meaning you can pick a time to wake up, and then the alarm clock will start to glow bright orange and transition to bright light when the alarm is set. Some offer customization, allowing you to choose how long you want that artificial sunrise to last, while others have set timers. Some also allow the reverse option with a sunset routine and can function as sound machines. Most of these alarms plug into the wall like a classic alarm clock and stay put, though sometimes there is a companion app or recharging capabilities (if it’s not mentioned, assume it isn’t).