If you’re not a big fan of the clunky-shaped, screeching, flashing alarm clocks that don’t go off after hitting snooze, consider investing in a sunrise alarm clock. Designed to simulate the sunrise to make waking up a gentler and more refreshing experience, it’s a great way to ease yourself into the day. The only thing you have to consider is your lifestyle, cost, waking by light, and additional features.

The Phillips Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light is rated one of the best sunrise alarm clocks, with benefits of a simple interface, successful sunrise, and bonus additional features. The only con of this highly-rated alarm clock is the cost—a hefty $200 for something that’s been “clinically proved to boost energy and well-being.” Although it takes up some space, in a study of 100 Somneo users, 90% reported that it helped them wake up more naturally and helped them feel more relaxed before falling asleep. 

On the other hand, there are cheaper options with the same function. The HomeLabs Sunrise Alarm Clock is sold for $20, with a variety of the same presets as the Somneo. While it might not have the sunrise for morning and sunset for night option, a difference of $180 is enough to make users give in. Overall, the Somneo is a worthwhile investment for those who are adamant about using a sunrise alarm clock, but if you’re more casually curious about the idea, a cheaper model from Amazon will do. 

For those who are technology-savvy, the iHome Zenergy Bedside Sleep Therapy Machine has a feature-packed mobile app that can be controlled directly from your phone. Unlike any other typical sunrise alarm clock, a collection of color options are available. From the app, you can choose from ten presets, such as “Aurora”, which features a soft changing rainbow resembling the Northern Lights, or “Energy”, which is full of swirling blue tones to inhibit melatonin. Since the iHome app does so much, it contains a total of 27 buttons. With the price coming down to $83.99, this isn’t recommended to users who prefer the sunrise rather than the technology. 

Known for sleep ambiance and aesthetic, the Casper Glow Light is completely centered around sleep, simple yet sophisticated for easy everyday use, and syncs to multiple units. Everything about this alarm clock is based on creating a cozy sleep environment. Its shape is designed to blend in with the bedroom, along with a soft rounded edge to remind users of a cloud. For deep sleepers, other users recommended budgeting about 40 minutes until their bodies became accustomed to the light. Similar to the Somneo, the price range started out at $129, a little too much for those who are merely just interested in this new alarm clock. 

As a whole, these alarm clocks have one main purpose: to allow users to wake up better and more energized than those using a normal alarm clock. With light therapy and gentle, relaxing noises, it gently wakes up the body and the mind. However, no matter how fancy these alarm clocks get, it’s important that you take some initiative to give your body and mind room to wake up peacefully. 

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