
That said, this alarm clock is a great device even without those sounds included.
SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK TRIAL
You'll receive a free one-month membership trial with your purchase, but you will need to pay $10 per month once the trial ends if you want to have access to the exclusive sounds (music, dreamscapes, rest exercises, and sleep stories). At bedtime, sleep stories, guided rest exercises, and light rain sounds block out city sirens and other nightly distractions. Imagine if your favorite meditation app and alarm clock had a baby–that's what you get with this app's sound library. Perfect for people who are looking to invest in their overall sleep hygiene, the app comes equipped with all the dreamy content you could want.
SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK FULL
This device's gradual sunlight display coupled with the brand's Sleep Membership makes a full sleep system. Some sunrise alarm clocks also provide mellow sounds, which typically play after the lights have progressed, as well as nighttime features like sleep stories or calming light to help ease you to sleep. "When your body senses the light, it halts the production of melatonin-which helps you wake up-and increases the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine to help you wake up."
SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK SERIES
"When light travels from the eyes via the optic nerves to the SCN, it suppresses melatonin and creates a waking effect on the brain and body, initiating the awake phase of the 24-hour circadian rhythm and waking you up," Bonney elaborates.Įach wake-up device has different features and settings, but the best sunrise alarm clocks operate with a series of lights that progress from red to orange to white, to most-closely match a natural sunrise.īonney says this light simulation can also help make you feel more alert. "Without this, the patterns of sleep and wakefulness as well as metabolism, hormone release, body temperatures would be dysregulated," she says. Bonney explains that our circadian rhythm is regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which she refers to as the "master clock" for our brain and body. Sunrise alarm clocks take an even more specific approach to light therapy by using sunrise-mimicking light progressions to wake you up gradually from your sleep and help reset your circadian rhythm 3. As Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., previously told mindbodygreen, "Light therapy is not new, and doctors have long been recommending this therapy for many different ailments." Many of these sunrise alarm clocks have features similar to those of sun lamps, which aim to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and ease depression, lethargy, insomnia, and morning blues. Sunrise alarm clocks can reduce that stressful wake-up experience." Bonney explains this further: "When we're sleeping, our blood pressure is lower, but when we open our eyes, cortisol kicks in, and the brain adapts by constricting blood vessels, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. "These sunrise alarm clocks can also reduce the effects of sleep inertia-a drowsy, disorienting feeling that many of us (especially teenagers) experience after a sudden awakening."Īs we said, waking up can be stressful. "Light helps to wake us up more gently and gradually," Bonney confirms.

Another study suggests that sunrise simulation could improve the quality of sleep 1.

Research shows that exposure to sunlight, artificial or otherwise, can make you feel more awake 2.

These clocks use advanced LED technology and customizable brightness settings, so you can take your sleep into your own hands and start your day on a lighter note than the loud (often stress-inducing) sound of your phone's alarm.īelow, we've carefully selected the best sunrise alarm clocks to help give you more mellow, mindful mornings. Sunrise alarm clocks, otherwise known as wake-up lamps or dawn simulation clocks, help you wake up gradually, with warm, natural light instead of sound. Unfortunately, this kind of natural wake-up call isn't always possible, especially if you have blackout curtains or a windowless bedroom (hello, city apartments). Studies have shown that waking up naturally with the sunrise can regulate your circadian rhythm and improve the quality of your sleep 1. In fact, sleep is an essential contributor to our overall health and well-being and affects our body's immune response, our mental health and cognition, and many other aspects of our lives.Īll that considered, the way we wake up is just as important as the hours of sleep we're getting. We're big believers in the power of a good night's rest to keep us feeling our best.
