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Best Wake Up Light Alarm Clocks

Corey Majeau

Waking up every morning doesn’t have to be as hard as it often is for many of us. It can be seen as a chore that can only be prompted with the help of an alarm. This leads to being woken up in the most disruptive way possible, flipping your internal sleep routine upside down, leaving you disoriented, throwing off your mood the following morning and even for the entire day.

Sunrise or wake-up light alarm clocks are the clear solution, though many don’t know what these handy devices are all about. This guide will introduce you to wake-up light alarms, explain how they help you, and recommend some of the best models to hopefully get you waking up on the right side of the bed every day.

1. Hatch Restore – Editor's Choice

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  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: Available on the app (not specified)
  • Radio: None
  • Colors: Available on the app (not specified)
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

2. Philips HF3520/60 SmartSleep Wake-up Light

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  • Light Intensity: 300 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 5
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: 1
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

3. Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 Wake-Up Light

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  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: 6
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: One
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

4. Philips SmartSleep HF3500/60 Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock

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  • Light Intensity: 200 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 1
  • Radio: None
  • Colors: 1
  • Fall-asleep function: None

5. hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock

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  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: Not specified
  • Radio: AM/FM
  • Colors: 8
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes
philips-smartsleep-sleep-and-wakeup-light-therapy-lamp

6. Philips SmartSleep Sleep & Wake-up Light Therapy Lamp

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  • Light Intensity: 310 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 3
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: 8
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

7. Winshine Store Night Light Alarm Clock

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  • Dimensions: ‎4.33 x 4.33 x 7.99 inches
  • Weight: 10.2 ounces
  • Color lights: RGB

8. JALL Store Alarm Clock

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  • Dimensions: 3.5 x 7.2 x 7.2 inches
  • Weight: 1.15 pounds
  • Color lights: 7

Best Wake Up Light Alarm Clocks

1. Hatch Restore – Editor's Choice

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: Available on the app (not specified)
  • Radio: None
  • Colors: Available on the app (not specified)
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

Pros

  • Great style and aesthetics
  • Plenty of functions
  • Vast library of content, sounds, and colors to choose from
  • Programmable alarms and bedtime routine

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Premium app features require a subscription

The Hatch Restore, like the rest of Hatch’s Rest line, is useful for helping you sleep with the help of soft-colored light and calming noise to drown out surrounding disturbances. Not only will this device help you stay sound asleep at night, but it works as an all-in-one bedside device that helps you maintain a healthier sleep routine overall.

With the help of Hatch’s companion app, most of the controls and settings are merely at the tips of your fingers. With it, you can program your sleep and wake times, access a library of sounds and ambient noise, and use guided meditation programs to de-stress after a long day. You can even control the colors of the light if you use it for late-night reading so as not to strain your eyes. The soft-touch controls on the device allow for easy brightness and volume adjustment, while you can touch the light directly to activate it before sleep and snooze in the morning. The Hatch Restore clock has a sleek and stylish visual design with a half-moon light that simulates the sunrise before your desired alarm time, easing you out of sleep. The alarm brightens anywhere between 5 to 60 minutes, depending on how you set it. If you’re not quite happy using the Restore within the first 60 nights, you can return it for your money back.

2. Runner Up – Philips HF3520/60 SmartSleep Wake-up Light

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: 300 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 5
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: 1
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

Pros

  • Stylish shape and design
  • Sounds and radio are soft and not disturbing
  • Includes a sunset mode
  • Good customizability

Cons

  • Control interface isn’t too user-friendly
  • Clock light doesn’t fully dim, maybe a disturbance for some

Philips and their SmartSleep line of wake-up lights are a favorite among customers, so it makes sense that their bestselling model is included on this list. The HF3520 SmartSleep clock has been clinically tested and proven to help users sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

The alarm gradually lights up for a set 30 minutes before your wake-up time, diffusing red through orange, and finally a bright sunny yellow to simulate a real sunrise. If you’re not quite ready to wake up yet, the snooze button is ready at a simple tap. For nighttime, the light will slowly dim to prepare you to sleep. The display itself will not fully dim, so the time is always visible. The midnight light is soft and not disruptive yet is bright enough to read by without creating any strain on your eyes. The brightness can be personalized at 20 different levels up to 300 lux. This SmartSleep model includes 5 gentle and natural ambient sounds to set your alarm to, as well as the option to connect to FM radio.

3. Best Alarm With a Speaker – Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 Wake-Up Light

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: 6
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: One
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

Pros

  • Fully dimmable display is useful for sensitive sleepers
  • Battery backup to keep your settings saved
  • Customizable options

Cons

  • Controls might be a bit tricky to set up
  • Pricey

The Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 wake-up light is a higher-end option that not only masters simulating the dawn, but provides the best calming sounds. With this sleeping companion, you can enhance your mornings to feel alert and refreshed. The gradual sunrise period is customizable between 15 to 90 minutes, so you have a wide range of options. If you’re not ready to wake up just yet, the alarm has a snooze feature. There are 6 gentle wake-up sound effects to choose from including waves, white noise, and a rooster call.

This alarm also has a fall-asleep feature that simulates the sunset to help you doze off. Its calming sounds can also help you fall asleep by drowning out any disruptive sounds from the real world. In the middle of the night, both the light and LCD display are fully dimmable so as to not irritate sleepers who are sensitive to light. If you’re not sleeping right when you hop into bed, the alarm has a night light feature for reading to slowly help you doze off. It even works as a security device when you’re away by randomly lighting up, and this product gives you great peace of mind by offering a 1-year money-back warranty.

4. Best Entry-Level Choice – Philips SmartSleep HF3500/60 Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: 200 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 1
  • Radio: None
  • Colors: 1
  • Fall-asleep function: None

Pros

  • Bright light will likely wake you before the alarm does
  • 90-day trial for a hassle-free purchase
  • Light intensity can be personalized for preference

Cons

  • Some customers complain about the beeping

This basic model from Phillips offers everything you need in a sunrise alarm clock at the higher-end quality and a reasonable price. Like the rest of Philips’ SmartSleep line, the HF3500 has been clinically proven to improve your sleep quality and help you feel energized in the morning. Without the fancy bells and whistles that pricier models have, this sunrise alarm clock is fairly simply to set up and operate. The buttons are easily available on the front of the clock, removing the need to blindly fiddle with the device just to change the volume or brightness. There’s also a one-tap snooze feature, so getting those extra minutes of sleep you need is no challenge.

The light itself is an LED that will last you thousands of hours, removing the worry of a replacement for quite some time. The 30-minute sunrise period gradually fills the room with a white light that can be as bright as 200 lux. If you’re not quite awake yet, there’s a final backup beeper function that will slowly and gradually increase in volume over 90 seconds. At night, this wake-up light can double as an effective reading lamp. If you’re not quite satisfied with the HF3500, this product is backed up by a 90-day money-back guarantee.

5. Best Budget Choice – hOmeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: Not specified
  • Number of Sounds: Not specified
  • Radio: AM/FM
  • Colors: 8
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

Pros

  • Includes sunset feature
  • Backup battery in case of power outages
  • Easy to use touch LED interface

Cons

  • Light turns off shortly after alarm time

Finding a good wake-up clock doesn’t have to be a pricey investment. hOmeLabs proves this by offering some of the handiest features with its sunrise alarm clock that some of the higher-end models lack. This clock starts off with your standard 30-minute wake-up period that wakes you up slowly and comfortably. With three brightness settings and a snooze button for the extra five minutes, you can customize how you want to wake up, choosing between soft nature sounds or AM/FM radio.

The sunset mode has a sleep timer that helps you wind down, and the alarm clock can also act as a night light with 8 fun colors to choose from. Everything is controlled with a sleek and easy-to-use LED touch display. There’s no need to worry about losing your settings in case of a power outage either, as this alarm includes a backup battery for the occasion.

6. Best Variety of Smart Features – Philips SmartSleep Sleep & Wake-up Light Therapy Lamp

philips-smartsleep-sleep-and-wakeup-light-therapy-lamp

Highlights

  • Light Intensity: 310 lux
  • Number of Sounds: 3
  • Radio: FM
  • Colors: 8
  • Fall-asleep function: Yes

Pros

  • Wake-up light is physician-recommended
  • Customize your settings for sunset and sunrise
  • 25 personalized brightness settings

Cons

  • More expensive than others on the market

Although slightly more expensive than our other Philips recommendations, it’s easy to see why this light therapy lamp is so popular among consumers today. With a variety of 25 brightness settings to customize to your sleeping needs, this alarm also has smart features such as a midnight lamp, FM radio, phone charging dock, speaker, power backup, an auto-dimming display and smart snooze function. Unlike traditional alarm clocks that simply beep to force you out of bed, this alarm will ease you out of bed in a more natural, comforting way by using a soothing combination of light and sound. It’s physician-recommended for problem sleepers and comes from the trusted Philips brand, a leader in electronics, which boasts over 20 years of experience in developing these sunrise alarms.

7. Honorable Mention – Winshine Store Night Light Alarm Clock

Highlights

  • Dimensions: ‎4.33 x 4.33 x 7.99 inches
  • Weight: 10.2 ounces
  • Color lights: RGB

Pros

  • 6 lights
  • LED energy-saving bulb
  • Dimmable brightness

Cons

  • Instructions are poorly written

Light alarm clocks are such a great invention because they fulfill two main purposes without crowding your nightstand with two different products. Equipped with an energy-saving LED bulb, this alarm clock features 7 different modes to wake you up. It’s a great product for parents looking for a pleasant nightlight for their children.

You also can select between 6 different colors. The light can be adjusted to diminish its brightness before bed and changes to a sunrise-like color 30 minutes before you have to wake up. The alarm clock features a snooze mode and has 5 different soothing nature sounds. It’s a nightlight, an alarm clock, and a soothing device in a single product.

8. Also Consider – JALL Store Alarm Clock

Highlights

  • Dimensions: 3.5 x 7.2 x 7.2 inches
  • Weight: 1.15 pounds
  • Color lights: 7

Pros

  • 7 color light options
  • Built-in FM radio
  • 20 brightness levels

Cons

  • Not very intuitive to figure out

Another cool-looking sun-shaped alarm clock that makes for one awesome night light as well as this one right here. You can change the color of the light and pick between 7 different options, including green, indigo, and red. There are 20 different brightness levels to choose from so you can adjust it to the level of light that feels more comfortable for you or your child.

It features the sunrise stimulation feature and gives the user the possibility to press that snooze button if they want to get in 9 more minutes of sleep. It has a built-in FM radio and 7 different alarm sounds to choose from. There are 16 volume levels for people who want to fine-tune the loudness of their morning alarm.

— What is a Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock?

Also known as the sunrise alarm clock, this product is made to wake you up in a much more subtle and gradual way than your conventional alarm clock. These “wake-up lights” use light instead of sounds to prompt you into getting up in the morning.

— How Does a Wake-Up Light Work?

Light affects your circadian rhythm (also known as your day-to-day sleep cycle) more than you think. We’ve been naturally programmed to respond to natural light by staying up while it’s available and feeling tired when it gets dark.

Artificial light comes from everywhere nowadays. The major source is from screens emitting blue light, which works like the natural ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun that keeps us awake. Though it’s to a lesser degree, the blue light from screens is still enough to throw off our circadian rhythms and keep us up well into the night, even if we feel tired.

Wake-up lights serve as a light source that will keep you up when programmed as necessary, then gradually dim to drift you off to sleep. When the time comes to awake again, the light will get brighter over a fixed period of time to ease you out of your slumber, and they’ll only use sound as a last resort.

The time frame in which the light is activated is often around half an hour, so the change from dim to wake-up time is subtle and gradual. The maximum brightness will depend on the model you get, varying from settings at 200 lux to 10,000 lux. The lowest is about as bright as a dimly lit room, whereas the latter compares to a bright sunny day.

What Sort of Features Should You Expect in a Wake-Up Light?

Wake-up or sunrise alarm clocks can have various features that will often determine the price of the model in question.

Light Colors: While the usual light option is just white or yellow, some will offer a wider array of colors to ease you out of bed.This offers a level of customizability to your alarm, but it will wake you up just the same – regardless of the hue.

Sound Alarm Options: No need to fret! These alarm sounds are much more subtle than traditional alarms. Because of the light, you should already be easing out of sleep so there’s no need for an ear-piercing tone to get you out of bed. In many cases, you can choose between sounds, but some offer only one alarm tone.

Snooze: This is available for those not quite ready to get up, though some alarms don’t offer a snooze option at all.

Sunset settings: Various wake-up alarms have the option to dim themselves subtly to a set sleeping time to assist you in dozing off with ease. This is especially helpful for those looking to reset their sleep to the standard recommended number of hours per night.

Why Should You Use One?

The more conventional sound-based alarm clocks have been the only available way to wake you up for a long time. While they do work, these loud alarms are more jarring and harmful to your sleep rhythms. The result is feeling more disoriented in the morning than waking up on a good note.

In an attempt to find an alternative to this problematic method, wake-up lights were introduced to the market. They simulate natural light that your body responds to much better than grating noise. By working with your circadian rhythm instead of against it, these alarm clocks make drifting off to sleep and waking up feeling just about seamless.

Sunrise alarm clocks are a simple and often affordable way to encourage better sleeping habits, and you should end up sleeping better as a result. Using the wake-up light regularly will allow you to develop the habit of sleeping on time, ensuring you get the right amount of sleep.

Wake-up lights are also handy at providing a nice night light for those who need it, be it for reading or if you just need that added comfort while you sleep.

Some Things You Should Consider

Your budget: The relatively inexpensive models will be worth around $20 to $30, and these will be of good quality with the basic features. Higher-end models can reach well above $100 dollars, providing good quality and plenty of features with them for a worthwhile investment (though at the sacrifice of your wallet).

Aesthetics: This is by no means a necessity, but it’s nice to have a visually appealing device that looks like it fits in with your bedroom decor.

The number of alarms: If you feel you need a backup alarm for times when one just won’t cut it, look for a model that offers this feature.

Adjustability: Consider whether or not you want the freedom to adjust the volume of your sound alarm. If this is important to you, be sure to take note when researching models, as some may not offer this capability.

Warranty and trials: The warranty is important for any product, but some wake-up light alarms don’t have replaceable bulbs. It’s recommended you get one that will cover you should anything happen to the product. Luckily, some models come with free sleep trials in which you can test the product to see if you’d be satisfied using it in the long run. If you’re not, your purchase can be fully refunded.

Conclusion

If you’re a heavy sleeper, have poor sleep hygiene, or just hate the shrill noise of traditional alarms, you’ll definitely find use in the wake-up light or sunrise alarm clock. No matter which one you choose, you’ll be sure to wake up easier and on a better note thanks to the power of simulating natural light on your side. For our Editor’s Choice, The Hatch Restore wake-up light is our pick for the best currently on the market. While somewhat costly in comparison to the other recommendations, it has a variety of smart functions, programmable alarms (for those who struggle to wake up with just one) and a bedtime routine, making this an all-round great buy with a stylish aesthetic to go with it. Share our top picks with other heavy sleepers and feel free to comment below if you’ve tried out any of our recommendations!

Recent Updates

June 28, 2021: A sixth product has been added from the Philips brand, the Philips SmartSleep Sleep & Wake-up Light Therapy Lamp, due to popular demand among consumers.