Best sunrise alarm clocks that help you wake up naturally, tried and tested

With darker mornings approaching, Ellis Cochrane sees just how big of a difference wake-up alarm clocks can make

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These alarm clocks will help you beat darker mornings this winter

Ellis Cochrane/The Standard

Even if we’d prefer to wake up naturally, many of us will rely on an alarm – or several – to get up each morning. But if you struggle to get yourself out of bed, especially during the winter months, the best sunrise alarm clocks might just be the solution.

Not only do they provide a gentler start to your day compared to your phone or a traditional alarm clock, but “waking up to light is typically better for alertness than waking up to a sudden, loud sound,” explains Dr. Hana Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep.

“This is because gradual light modulates cortisol and avoids the acute stress response sometimes caused by sudden alarms.

“Gradual light can also help to clear sleep inertia (morning grogginess), and prepare your body for active energy. A loud audio alarm could shock you awake during deep sleep, which can cause severe grogginess and trigger a burst of cortisol and adrenaline.”

Best sunrise alarm clocks at a glance

Best overall – Dreamegg Sunrise 1 Sound Machine: £45, Amazon.co.uk

Best budget buy – Groov-e Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock: £33.49, Amazon.co.uk

Best for multi-functionality – Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB: £229, Lumie.com

Best sunset alarm clock – Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light: £199.99, Boots.co.uk

Best for mood lighting – Hatch Restore 3: £149.99, Healf.com

If you’re a heavy sleeper or need extra encouragement to wake each day, it could be well worth switching to this type of morning alarm, which allows you to set a gentle alarm sound or tone.

Finding one which combines sound and light is also important, admits Rosie Scott, osteopath, founder of Erin Health and specialist in headache disorders. “In truth, it is better to wake up to both,” she admits.

“Light to begin the process and a low sound as a backstop. Light alone is unreliable, while a sudden noise on its own is a startle response, which is a poor way to start any day,” and a particularly poor one if you’re prone to migraines or grogginess.

How I tested

I swapped my phone alarm for these wake-up alarm clocks

Ellis Cochrane/The Standard

I put each of the sunrise alarm clocks to the test for at least a week, with one even becoming a permanent fixture in my bedtime routine.

To gauge how well each of the sunrise alarm clocks woke me up, and how I felt in the moments and hours thereafter, I compared how I woke using the sunrise alarm clocks, compared to my usual phone alarm, as well as a week of using no alarm at all.

In testing each one, I focused on how easy they were to set up and use, how many features they had, whether or not they were good value for money, as well as how the light and sound settings worked when waking up or falling asleep. Lastly, I assessed how much space they took up on my bedside table and how easy they were to charge or power.

Dreamegg Sunrise 1 Sound Machine

Ellis Cochrane/The Standard

★★★★★

Best: Overall sunrise alarm clock

What we love: Easy to use, excellent sounds and light settings, dinky size, no need for an app

Take note: No sunset timer

With its dinky size, elegant linen finish, and impressive array of sleep-aid sounds, mood lighting, and adjustable sunlight settings, Dreamegg’s Sunrise 1 was an immediate favourite of mine. In fact, it is the one I still have on my bedside table to this day.

Helping me wake up gently and gradually, it includes nature sounds – gentle birdsong became my go-to each morning – while the sunlight mimicked a natural sunrise in a way that wasn’t too bright or jarring as I started to wake and open my eyes. Being able to dim or completely switch off the clock face also came in handy, especially if, like me, you prefer to sleep in as dark a room as possible.

It replaces often cumbersome apps with simple-to-follow buttons. While it doesn’t have a sunset timer, which dims as you start to drift off, it does have a general multi-timer, which can be used either before bed or to give yourself a few extra minutes in the mornings.

• Light settings: 9 colour settings
• Sound settings: 29 sleep-aid sounds
• Dimensions: 15 × 15 × 7.3cm

Groov-e Light Curve Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with FM Radio

Ellis Cochrane/Groov-e

★★★★☆

Best: Budget sunrise alarm clock

What we love: Incredibly affordable, has an FM radio built in, nice selection of colours, sounds and brightness levels

Take note: Doesn’t come with a plug, feels quite plasticky, not as user-friendly

Just shy of £30, Groov-e’s Light Curve Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with FM Radio is one of the most affordable sunrise alarm clocks. But it doesn’t scrimp on its settings. With 10 brightness levels, seven coloured LED options, an array of alarm tones and sound options, and FM radio, it packs a lot into a small package.

It does have a plasticky look and feel to it, particularly when it isn’t lit up. But as soon as you switch on one of the different light settings, it’s more aesthetically pleasing. It takes a little trial and error to get to grips with the exact buttons and settings, and I was also disappointed that it doesn’t come with a standard plug (it does come with a USB charging cable). I know most of us will have an adapter or USB converter plug to hand, but if you don’t, you will need to factor this and the additional cost in. The clock face remains illuminated, but it wasn’t bright enough to bother me.

• Light settings: 7 LED colour options, 10 brightness levels
• Sound settings: 7 sound options, standard alarm tones, FM radio
• Dimensions: 18 x 20.4cm

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB

Ellis Cochrane/Lumie

★★★★★

Best: Multi-functional sunrise alarm clock

What we love: Great for using during the day as well as at night, available in different colourways

Take note: One of the most expensive options, slightly bulky

Lumie is synonymous with sunrise alarm clocks. It has plenty of options to choose from, but the Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB most impressed me. Though expensive, it’s packed full of features and settings.

With DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, you can use built-in alarm sounds or connect to your own sleep or relaxing playlists (think Spotify or Calm), with the speakers providing clear and undisturbed sound. This meant that I didn’t need to keep picking up my phone and looking at a screen, which has become a bit of a bedtime habit for me and prolonged how long it takes for me to fall asleep.

With its 15–90 minute sunrise/sunset duration, the clock is ideal for waking me up gradually, but it’s quickly become my go-to for listening to playlists, radio and even audiobooks.

I loved that you could choose from a few different colourways to match your existing interiors or style. The only negative, other than it being rather pricey, is that it did take some time to get used to all the buttons and settings, with some of them initially being a bit fiddly to use. But after a few times, this became second nature.

• Light settings: Adjustable
• Sound settings: 34 sleep/wake sounds, DAB/DAB+ radio
• Dimensions: 20 x 23 x 13cm

Philips HF3531/01 SmartSleep Wake-up Light

Ellis Cochrane/Philips

★★★★☆

Best: Sunrise and sunset alarm clock

What we love: 20 light intensities, fading sunset timer, spa-like sounds, FM radio

Take note: No coloured mood lighting, radio can sound a bit muffled

The Philips HF3531/01 SmartSleep Wake-up Light truly mimics the appearance of sunrise, taking you from a warmish red through to a bright yellowish white hue, with the ability to adjust it depending on your individual preference.

The fading sunset simulation and accompanying sounds – the majority of which made me feel like I was in a spa – were just as impressive and helped me get ready to relax and unwind each night. If you’re prone to getting up in the middle of the night but don’t want to switch on a light or your phone’s torch, the Midnight Light function comes in handy. Just tap the top of the device, and it emits a dim orange-ish light that didn’t wake me up fully.

But even though it uses orange light, unfortunately there is no coloured mood lighting. I also found that even though the radio connected with no issues and could be operated with ease, on occasion the sound did get a bit muffled. Given the price, this was a bit disappointing.

• Light settings: 20 light intensity levels
• Sound settings: 7 sound options, FM radio
• Dimensions: 25.5 x 16 x 25.5cm

Hatch Restore 3

Ellis Cochrane/Hatch

★★★★☆

Best: Sunrise alarm clock with mood lighting

What we love: Attractive design, great app, relaxing Unwind Routines

Take note: Subscription required to access extra features

With a stylish grosgrain-style finish, Hatch’s Restore 3 quickly became a firm favourite of mine. From the gentle yet rousing sunrise alarm to the fantastic range of colours and wakeup and sleep sounds, I also appreciated the dimmable clock face and the button on the side, which switches the main light on and off as needed.

But its Unwind Routines are what truly made it stand out from the rest. Operable via the free app, I particularly liked the relaxing and calming words of affirmation.

The only real negative is that to get access to all of the available settings and more premium features – additional sleep sounds, routines, podcasts, sound baths, meditations and more – you’ll need to sign up for a rolling subscription to Hatch+ – at £4.99 a month or £49.99 for a year.

If you were to find a premium routine or setup that you liked, you’d be tied in to keep paying for it, which isn’t ideal. And while my Restore 3 included a UK plug, those sold through Healf will have a US power cord and adapter. So, this is worth bearing in mind if you choose this retailer.

• Light settings: 190 colours, adjustable brightness
• Sound settings: 55 free sleep sounds (an additional 40+ with Hatch+), 22 free alarms (more than 130 with Hatch+)
• Dimensions: 18.38 x 13.48 x 6.17cm

Beurer Wake Up and Charge Alarm Clock

Ellis Cochrane/Beurer

★★★★☆

Best: Sunrise alarm clock with phone charger

What we love: Unobtrusive design, fun mood lighting, decent wireless charger, also works as a reading light

Take note: The display numbers are a bit bright; it might have been nice to have a radio function

The Beurer Wake Up and Charge Alarm Clock boasts a wireless phone charger and reading light – perfect if you’re short on space, or your bedside table is cluttered. At the same time, the ring light-style design also makes it much less obtrusive and sleeker than some of the bulkier models.

Easy to set up, I liked how adjustable everything was. All you need to do is give it a tap on the edge of the ring to switch between mood lighting colours, or to dim or increase the intensity of the light. It’s fun moving between the colours of the rainbow each night, while at the same time the bright white light is ideal for reading before bed.

The soothing sleep sounds gave my mind something else to focus on, instead of having to rely on my usual playlists. Waking up was also gentle, thanks to the pre-programmed wake-up melodies and gradual increase in light, helping me to rise in a calmer and less hurried way.

My only bugbears are the time display numbers, which are especially bright – so bright that I ended up having to cover it with a piece of fabric to maintain the dark environment that I’m used to at bedtime – and it would also have been nice to have a radio function.

• Light settings: Adjustable mood lighting
• Sound settings: 6 wake up sounds, 5 sleep sounds
• Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 14cm

Blueair Mini Restful Sunrise Clock Air Purifier

Ellis Cochrane/Blueair

★★★★☆

Best: Sunrise alarm clock with air purifier

What we love: The built-in USB charger, controllable with an easy-to-follow app

Take note: App required to access all the settings, not as easy to read the time

The Blueair Mini Restful Sunrise Clock Air Purifier helps to remove dust, allergens and other fine particles from the air. This can be especially helpful in the bedroom, where we not only spend a significant chunk of our time, but also rest. And this one was quiet enough not to be distracting when trying to drift off.

The actual sunrise alarm clock works well too, with a number of adjustable light settings, as well as a brilliant range of sounds. You can control some of the simpler settings simply by touching the top of the device, but you will need the accompanying app to access everything.

The clock is complete with a built-in USB charger that kept my bedside table a bit tidier. However, the time is displayed on the top rather than the side. This makes it tricky to catch a glimpse of the clock throughout the night, so it almost didn’t function as a traditional clock, which was a shame.

• Light settings: Adjustable brightness levels
• Sound settings: 11 soundscapes
• Dimensions: 30 x 17 x 17cm

What are the best sunrise alarm clocks?

Choosing the best sunrise alarm clock for you will likely depend on a few different factors. If all you’re concerned with is waking up gradually and on time each morning, you might not need one which has additional functions, like a radio or built-in wireless charger. Others might prefer to combine several devices into one with theirs.

Taking all of this into consideration, the Dreamegg Sunrise 1 Sound Machine was my top pick thanks to its simple yet effective design and impressive assortment of light and sound settings. However, I have included a wide range of options above, with something for every need and budget.

Why trust me?

With over six years of experience putting all manner of appliances and products to the test, from the best coffee machines and multi-cookers to pan sets and steam cleaners, I’ve written for a number of homes and interiors titles, including Ideal Home, House Beautiful, Country Living, Livingetc, IndyBest, Expert Reviews and more.