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Alarm clocks can be a terribly jarring way to wake up in the morning. The digital blaring is effective, but harsh. Waking up to a sunrise alarm is, by stark contrast, downright pleasant, and falling asleep to one of its artificial sunsets (if your model is capable of it) is a far gentler way to slumber. And if you’re like most of us, you need more sleep.
Sunrise alarms simulate gradual sunsets at night and gradual sunrises in the morning to help you fall asleep and wake up more naturally by tricking your biological hardware. I’ve tested the best sunrise alarm clocks, and a few of the worst. These are my favorites.
Check out our many other sleep-related buying guides, such as the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers, Best Organic Mattresses, Best Bed Sheets, Best Bed Frames, Best Mattresses on Amazon, Best Sleep Gadgets, Best Weighted Blankets, Best Pillows, and Best Sleep Trackers.
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Why You’d Want a Sunrise Alarm
Your body is built to wake naturally with the sunrise and feel sleepy as it sets. The sun rises at a deeply orange 2,000 kelvin and transitions to a rich, golden 4,000 K on its way to a bluer midday sun around 5,600 K. Sunsets do the reverse. My apartment was the perfect lab for testing these alarms. In my bedroom, I hang blackout curtains because I live on a busy city street that’s almost as bright at night as it is during the day.
I’m a heavy sleeper who doesn’t have a problem waking up, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it. When I woke up with (most of) these sunrise alarms, I had an easier transition into consciousness. If you don’t have access to a window in your bedroom, or maybe you use blackout curtains like me, a sunrise alarm could make your mornings or nights a little easier.