Best sunrise alarm clocks

If you're tired of starting your day by being shocked awake with a loud, blaring alarm, it might be time to consider a sunrise alarm clock. The best sunrise alarm clocks — also known as wake-up lights — use gentle, warm light to mimic the look of dawn to gradually ease 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. In addition to my expertise, we consulted with sleep experts Dr. Alex Dimitriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, Dr. Chris Winter of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, and Kelly Waters, MD, a sleep specialist at Corewell Health.

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Our top picks for the best wake-up alarm clocks

Best overall: Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light - See at Amazon

Best smart: Hatch Restore 3 - See at Hatch

Best budget: Dekala Sunrise Alarm Clock Classic Version - See at Amazon

Best for kids: Hatch Baby - See at Amazon

Best lamp: Loftie Smart Lamp - See at Amazon

Best overall

Our top pick doesn't have smart compatibility — and that's why we like it. Despite being completely manual, the Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light stands out with impressive colorful sunrise and sunset simulations. 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 make 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.

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 Phillips 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 smart

Hatch's clock combines manual and smart controls. The Hatch Restore 3 is more than just a sleek sunrise alarm clock. It's a complete sleep system designed to transform your approach to sleep, and you can customize each step. Fully customizable through the Hatch Sleep app (iOS and Android), the Restore 3 lets you 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.

You can design your own personalized sleep routine.Picture winding down each night with calming sounds, soft amber light, and a guided meditation. 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+ ($49.99 yearly or $4.99 monthly) unlocks meditations, 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. Unfortunately, the Hatch Restore also does not offer any functionality to play your own music with Bluetooth or have a built-in radio.

Read our full Hatch Restore 3 review.

Best budget

This affordable clock is full of 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 a ton of useful features, including 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 and affordable designs with upgrades like WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth speakers, and wireless charging.

It's very easy to use. This Dekala is built with eight buttons and a dial along the top rim. A short manual was included, but I personally found the setup quick and intuitive. The brightness level is impressive for its price point, with intensely vibrant light options that can be dimmed to create a cozy ambient atmosphere.

I always woke up on time during testing. The Dekala sunrise alarm clock has a compact and 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 searching for a straightforward and 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 function, like volume control and FM radio, which makes them easier to operate.

Best for kids

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 for kids pick, the Hatch Rest+, was discontinued in favor of the new 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.

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

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 larger compared to the other sunrise alarm clocks we tested, but the design 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

When looking for a sunrise alarm clock, certain features might impact the model you buy.

• Setup and ease of use: Setting up an alarm clock should be quick and intuitive. You should also be able to change the clock easily and adjust the volume and brightness without pulling out your phone. The snooze button should be large and easy to find. Also, most people don't want to have to remember to turn on their alarm clock every day, so we don't recommend the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300, which also had many confusing buttons and was just a clunky experience, overall.
• Size: Since most people keep alarm clocks on their bedside tables, they shouldn't be overly large. But the display should still be clear and large.
• Light and sound options: Sunrise alarm clocks often use a combination of light and sound to help wake you up. There should be multiple options for sound and brightness that you can select on the device. If you use a white noise sound machine to fall asleep, you might consider an alarm with fall-asleep routines incorporating sleep sounds.
• Alarms: You should be able to set multiple alarms. Turning off the alarm should be simple, so you don't need to hunt around for a button or switch first thing in the morning. Consider our guide to the best silent alarm clocks if you don't want to disturb your partner.
• Battery backup: If your power goes out in the middle of the night, an alarm with a backup battery or the ability to stay on for a few hours without power can save you from being late.
• Smart features: Accompanying apps should enhance the alarm's use, but it should not have to rely on WiFi connectivity to work.
• Durability: Most people probably need an alarm clock to withstand the occasional knock off the nightstand.

How we tested sunrise alarm clocks

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 up, how gentle and gradual the light felt, and whether the device woke me up 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 but also turned off completely for total darkness. This is important because even the smallest amount of light can interfere with sleep quality.

Backup power: To ensure that the alarm clock would function in the event of a power outage, I checked to see which devices included backup batteries.

Meet the experts 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.

Sunrise alarm clock FAQs

Is waking up to light good for you?

According to Dr. Chris Winter, "Sudden awakenings can lead to sudden changes in cortisol and other neurotransmitters that could cause problems. Waking up with a gradual increase in wake-promoting light makes a lot of sense."

Sunrise alarm clocks may help regulate cortisol and melatonin production, two important hormones for controlling sleep and wake cycles. The "wake-up" cycles simulate a natural sunrise and encourage the production of cortisol in the morning.

Is a sunrise alarm clock worth it?

Sunrise alarm clocks may be pricey, but we think they're worth it if you usually wake up feeling groggy in the morning or need a gentle, gradual wake-up.

Is it better to wake up to sound or light?

It depends on how you sleep. If you wear a sleep mask, you'll need an alarm with sound. If your alarm sound is no longer effective, try out a sunrise alarm clock. Most of the picks on our list combine both sound and light to "help better prepare the body to wake up more gently with less startle," Dr. Alex Dimitriu said.

Do sunrise alarm clocks work?

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?

Sunrise alarm clocks are gentler than traditional alarms, since they use gradually increasing light to wake up a sleeper. The warm light is designed to mimic the look of dawn.

What is sleep inertia?

Sleep inertia refers to the drowsy or groggy feeling immediately after waking up. "Gradual alarms (sound or light) are excellent solutions to wake people gradually," said Dimitriu, since these softer alarms offer a gentler, more natural wake-up experience.

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