As Daylight Saving Time ends and we set our clocks back, darker mornings can throw your body’s internal clock out of sync. Using gradual light simulation helps reset your circadian rhythm and fight off dark-morning fatigue. The best sunrise alarm clocks — also known as wake-up lights — use gentle, warm light to mimic dawn,
As Daylight Saving Time ends and we set our clocks back, darker mornings can throw your body’s internal clock out of sync. Using gradual light simulation helps reset your circadian rhythm and fight off dark-morning fatigue. The best sunrise alarm clocks — also known as wake-up lights — use gentle, warm light to mimic dawn, gradually easing you out of your slumber. In addition to being a peaceful way to start the day, these devices help reduce sleep inertia — that groggy, disoriented feeling that comes with abrupt awakenings.
As a certified sleep science consultant with extensive experience in both sleep research and product testing, I conducted hands-on evaluations of over a dozen different sunrise alarm clocks. To ensure our recommendations align with clinical sleep medicine and pediatric sleep hygiene, we also collaborated with four leading sleep specialists and medical advisors.
Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.
Our top picks for the best wake-up alarm clocks
Best overall sunrise alarm clock: Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light – See at Amazon
Best sound machine and sunrise alarm clock: Hatch Restore 3 – See at Hatch
Best budget sunrise alarm clock: Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock Classic Version – See at Amazon
Best sunrise alarm clock for kids: Hatch Baby – See at Amazon
Best sunrise alarm clock lamp: Loftie Smart Lamp – See at Amazon
Best overall
Our top pick doesn’t have smart compatibility — and that’s why we like it. The Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light stands out with impressive colorful sunrise and sunset simulations with no apps or complicated features to tinker with. With 20 adjustable light intensities and a selection of five natural wake-up sounds, including “Nepal bowls,” “birds,” and “ocean waves,” it offers a customizable wake-up experience. You can even opt for your favorite FM radio station for a more personalized start to the day. Its combination of bright light and wake-up sound options also makes it the best sunrise alarm clock for heavy sleepers.
The sunset display is gorgeous. One of my favorite features is the automatic dimming display, which adjusts as the room gets darker — great for cocooning yourself in total darkness. The gradual sunrise simulation transformed my mornings, brightening over 30 minutes until it completely flooded the room with beautiful, warm, rich orange and yellow hues. The snooze function is particularly convenient — just a light tap anywhere on the device gives you an extra nine minutes of rest.
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
I was happy to wake up to this clock every morning. During testing, I woke up on time and felt refreshed every morning. This device is not only an effective sunrise alarm clock but also a great bedside lamp, with a great FM radio and sound quality. Overall, the Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light has earned its place as our top pick with its smooth, spherical shape that beautifully mimics a natural sunrise. Its simplicity, functionality, and high-quality build make it ideal for anyone seeking a more natural and enjoyable wake-up experience.
Read our full Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light review.
Best sound machine and sunrise alarm clock
Hatch Restore 3
The Hatch Restore 3 now features phone-free controls and enhanced sound quality, offering you even more ways to personalize your sleep routine with over 50 sounds and 18 light colors, while minimizing screen time for a better night’s rest.
More than just a sunrise alarm clock, but a sleep ecosystem. The Hatch Restore 3 transforms your approach to sleep by emphasizing a wind-down and wake-up routine, and you can customize each step through the Hatch Sleep app (iOS and Android). Tailor sleep and wake routines with over 50 soothing sounds and 18 adjustable lighting colors. A major upgrade to the Restore 3 is the phone-free controls, featuring five buttons that let you start or stop routines, adjust volume, pause, and disable alarms all without reaching for your phone. Plus, a dedicated bedside light button offers instant illumination with a simple press. The device also boasts improved sound quality, delivering richer audio with enhanced bass. It’s a nice set-it-and-forget-it approach once you get the details just right.
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
Design your own personalized sleep routine. Picture winding down each night with calming sounds, soft amber light, and a guided meditation as white noise echoes in the background of your slumber. In the morning, a gradual sunrise glow paired with energizing tones gently eases you into the day, free from the shock of a traditional alarm. Its elegant half-moon design makes it a stylish addition to any bedside table. It’s available in three colors, with a coordinating linen fabric stretched across the front to softly diffuse light.
Some features are locked behind a subscription. While the device offers a fair amount of functionality as an alarm clock without a subscription, Hatch+ ($59.99 yearly or $5.99 monthly) unlocks meditations, podcasts, bedtime stories, and more to create a full sleep routine. It’s an added cost you’ll want to consider to have the full, immersive sleep experience, but honestly, it’s worth it, as new content is constantly added. Unfortunately, the Hatch Restore also does not offer any way to play your own music via Bluetooth or a built-in radio.
Read our full Hatch Restore 3 review.
Also consider:
This fall, Hatch launched the Hatch Sleep Clock, which adds contactless tracking to its signature sunrise alarm setup. It’s $80 more expensive than the original Restore 3, but we found the tracking accurate, and it skips daily device charging and subscription-gated sleep scores in favor of actionable environmental insights, if you’re looking for more data into your sleep.
Read our experience with the Hatch Sleep Clock Review.
Hatch Sleep Clock
The Hatch Sleep Clock adds contactless sleep tracking to its viral sunrise alarm clock. It skips scoring your sleep quality in favor of insights and actionable advice for the metrics you can control.
Best budget
Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock – Standard Version
The Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock is a budget-friendly option that offers all the essential features of a sunrise alarm, with customizable settings in a compact design that fits neatly on a bedside table.
An affordable clock packed with features. For those looking for a budget-friendly option that still delivers a gentle and gradual wake-up experience, we recommend the Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock. The no-WiFi classic model may be the simplest version available, but it has eight wake-up sounds, multiple light colors and dimming options, a USB port for charging your phone, a snooze button, an FM radio, and dual-alarm functionality. Dekala also offers more sophisticated designs with upgrades like WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth speakers, and wireless charging for a little bit more, but still less than others on this list.
It’s very easy to use. A short manual was included, but I personally found the setup quick and intuitive. It has eight buttons and a dial along the top rim. The brightness level is impressive for its price point, with intensely vibrant light options that can be dimmed to create a cozy ambient atmosphere simulating a sunrise or sunset.
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
I always woke up on time during testing. The Dekala sunrise alarm clock has a compact, sleek design that fits perfectly on my bedside table without taking up too much space—plus, it looks great. During testing, it reliably woke me up on time. Despite its basic features, the Dekala offers great value for anyone seeking a straightforward, effective sunrise alarm clock without spending a fortune.
But it has its flaws. Although the sound quality isn’t perfect on this device, as it is a more basic model, this sunrise alarm clock is highly customizable. Some users may find the number of buttons overwhelming; however, the buttons are labeled with intuitive icons that indicate their functions, such as volume control and FM radio, making them easier to operate.
Best for kids
Hatch Baby
The Hatch Baby is specifically designed for babies, toddlers, and kids. It’s easy to set a personalized sleep schedule, including a ready-to-wake light.
This pick features customizable schedules that grow with your child. While sunrise alarms help adults wake gently, okay-to-wake lights teach kids when it’s time to get up with changing light colors. “Okay-to-wake lights are very effective because children learn by association. It gives them an indication of time long before they can understand numbers on a clock,” says Jennifer Walker, RN, BSN, pediatric nurse and co-founder of Moms on Call. Our previous best pick for kids, the Hatch Rest+, was discontinued in favor of the Hatch Baby. I’ve tested both, and the Hatch Baby stood out for its intuitive routine-building and sheer number of features that support better sleep from baby’s first night home and beyond.
Janelle Leeson/Business Insider
I built multi-step wake-up and wind-down sequences in minutes. An okay-to-wake sequence might look like 15 minutes of yellow light for quiet play, transitioning to green when it’s okay to get out of bed. My bedtime sequence opens with a story under soft blue light, shifts to music with a warm red glow, and fades into brown noise for the night. Without a subscription, you can build your custom routine using the library of 11 to 24 sounds and 18 to 24 colors. According to Walker, these cues and routines directly translate to better sleep hygiene for little ones. “We may not be able to make a child sleep, but we can help send consistent messages through the sleep environment that will make it easier,” she says.
Like the Restore, some features require the subscription. From the other side of the country, my mom recorded custom good morning and goodnight messages for my daughter, and it has become an unexpected obsession — I can never cancel my subscription. You also get 1:1 chat access to a sleep consultant, which I tested with my daughter’s real sleep issue. While the advice was reasonable, the multi-hour response time (5 hours for three messages) means this isn’t a service I’d rely on in the middle of the night. For non-urgent troubleshooting during daytime hours, however, it’s helpful. Note that 1:1 sleep consultant chat is only available on the Hatch Baby, which, unlike the Hatch Rest+ 2nd Gen, does not include a built-in battery for portability. — Janelle Leeson, freelancer contributor
Best lamp
Loftie Smart Lamp
Loftie’s sunrise lamp uses gradual light without sound for a truly gentle morning. It also creates a calming bedroom aesthetic at night.
This solely light-based option doubles as a chic lamp. Unlike traditional alarm clocks, the Loftie Smart Lamp is designed primarily as a lamp, with built-in sunrise and sunset features that support a sleep routine in a more natural, light-focused way. The light quality feels more refined than budget options, with smooth dimming and a wide range of color customization. It’s sized like a lamp, with a design that makes it feel more like decor than a device.
Setup is easy with the app. Through the Loftie app, you can adjust brightness, colors, and timing, or choose from preset modes like reading, day, and night. There are also more playful gradient options, like “French Riviera” and “fireplace” that add a more ambient, cozy feel. The sunrise feature gradually brightens in the morning, while the sunset mode dims the light in the evening. During testing, waking up to the light felt gentle and less abrupt than a traditional alarm. The red light setting is useful at night, since it’s meant to help you wind down.
It uses only light as an alarm. There are some downsides, since it doesn’t include any built-in wake-up sounds like most of the other devices we tested. Heavy sleepers may want to opt for another option, especially if you don’t think you’ll wake up with just light alone. It’s also the most expensive option on our list. Overall, though, the Loftie Smart Lamp stands out because of its high-quality lighting, thoughtful design, and customizable routines. It’s a great choice if you want a device that functions as a bedside lamp, supports your sleep routine, and offers a gentler way to wake up.
Our top picks compared
What to look for in sunrise alarm clocks
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
Light and sound customization
- Brightness Levels & Color Gradients: Look for clocks with multiple adjustable brightness settings and warm orange-to-yellow color transitions that mimic a natural dawn. This lets you tailor the light intensity so it’s strong enough to wake you without being jarring.
- Bedtime & Wake-Up Audio: Choose models offering soothing nature sounds, white noise, or FM radio. If you use background noise to fall asleep, prioritize clocks with multi-step evening wind-down routines that combine sleep sounds with fading light, which could also reduce the need for a separate white noise sound machine. If you share a bed and want a wake-up routine that won’t disturb your partner — or if you prefer vibration and light over sound entirely — check out our guide to the best silent alarm clocks.
Ease of use and controls
- Phone-Free physical buttons: Key functions like volume, brightness, and alarm toggles should be controllable directly on the device so you aren’t forced to look at a smartphone screen at night. They should also be intuitive to use.
- Auto-dimming & total dark mode: Ensure the clock display automatically dims in dark rooms or can be turned off completely so ambient LED light doesn’t disrupt your sleep.
- Snooze Access & recurring schedules: Look for a large, easily accessible snooze button. Make sure the clock supports recurring weekly schedules so you don’t have to re-arm the alarm every night (a key reason we don’t recommend the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300)
Tech and reliability
- Offline functionality and subscriptions: Accompanying smartphone apps should enhance the clock, not restrict basic alarm features to a WiFi connection or a mandatory monthly subscription fee.
- Compact footprint: Choose a design with a small base that fits on a nightstand without cluttering bedside space.
- Power Outage Protection & Memory: True cord-free battery operation is rare in sunrise alarm clocks. Instead of emphasizing a battery backup, look for models with internal memory retention, which saves your time, alarms, and custom settings during brief power flickers so you don’t have to reprogram the clock in the dark.
How we tested sunrise alarm clocks
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
Our testing procedures
I thoroughly assessed each sunrise alarm clock on the following key factors:
Sleep quality testing: I personally slept with each device for five consecutive nights, noting factors such as how smoothly the sunrise alarm clock woke me, how gentle and gradual the light felt, and whether the device woke me on time. I also noted whether I experienced any sleep inertia and how refreshed I felt in the morning with each device.
User-friendliness: I took notes on how easy or difficult the setup was, how intuitive the device was to use, whether it worked with an app or manually, and which devices included easy-to-follow instructions.
Brightness options: I tested the range of brightness settings on each device, noting light intensity and brightness levels, as well as how well the gradual lights performed.
Sound options: I evaluated the sound quality based on how soothing or jarring it was, noted the available sound options, and evaluated whether they were gentle enough to avoid abrupt awakenings.
Dimmable display: I checked whether the clock’s display could be dimmed or turned off entirely to achieve total darkness. This is important because even the smallest amount of light can interfere with sleep quality.
Backup power: To ensure the alarm clock would function during a power outage, I checked which devices included backup batteries.
Meet the expert behind the guide
Suzy Hernandez, freelance contributor: I’m a certified sleep science consultant with years of experience in researching and testing sleep products. I frequently write about sleep, sleep products, and alarm clocks. I’ve tested over a dozen sunrise alarm clocks for this guide, and I continue to test new products for consideration.
In addition to my expertise, we consulted medical specialists to inform our testing criteria and advice:
Sunrise alarm clock FAQs
Suzy Hernandez/Business Insider
Is it better to wake up to sound or light?
A combination of both is ideal. Gradual light exposure is much better for your body than abrupt audio because it naturally stimulates morning cortisol without triggering a stress response. Dr. Chris Winter explains that “waking up with a gradual increase in wake-promoting light makes a lot of sense” compared to noisy, sudden awakenings.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu highlights that combining light and sound “prepares the body to wake up more gently with less startle.”
However, if you wear a thick blackout sleep mask, you’ll need to rely primarily on audio alarms.
Do sunrise alarm clocks work for heavy sleepers?
Dr. Kelly Waters said that light-based alarms might not work for everyone. “If someone is sleep-deprived or catching up on sleep or a deep sleeper, this may not be sufficient to wake them,” she said.
How does a sunrise alarm clock compare to a traditional alarm?
Standard models (like in our guide to the best alarm clocks) rely on sudden, loud noise that triggers a spike in stress hormones to wake you. Sunrise alarm clocks gradually increase warm, amber-to-yellow light over 15 to 30 minutes to mimic dawn, signaling to your brain that it is time to wake up naturally before the audio alarm ever sounds.
Do sunrise alarm clocks work for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
They help with morning sluggishness, but they aren’t a direct replacement for medical SAD lamps. Clinical SAD light therapy requires 10,000 Lux intensity positioned close to your face for 20—30 minutes. Sunrise clocks generally emit 200 to 300 Lux and are designed specifically for gentle circadian wake-ups rather than high-intensity light therapy.
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