‘It was traumatic’: We swapped our regular alarms for sunrise alarm clocks and the results were mixed
Most of us can agree that phone alarms can be very jarring. Not to mention triggering when you suddenly hear that very alarm sound blaring from someone else’s phone in public (because of course they have it as their ring tone).
And even if you don’t get your wakeup call from your phone, the loud, persistent beep of a clock isn’t exactly pleasant, either.
There are alternatives out there, though. Namely, sunrise alarm clocks that aim to wake you gradually and gently from slumber by mimicking a natural sunrise. You can even add soothing sounds like birdsong, waves and, um, goat noises. Some also offer a sunset simulation too, where the light gently fades, helping you wind down and creating a relaxing environment that’s primed for sleep.
Sounds dreamy, right? Our homes team tried them out to see if it transformed our wake-up routine. Spoiler: results were, well, mixed.
What are the benefits of a sunrise alarm clock?
If you often wake up stressed and groggy, a sunrise alarm clock could be for you. “Getting sunlight into the eyes first thing in the morning signals the body’s circadian rhythm,” says Malminder Gill, a clinical hypnotherapist, life coach, and sleep expert. “This tells the body to wake up and helps create better sleep in the evenings.”
“A sunrise clock can help mimic the natural sunlight, making these alarms a great choice during winter when the sky is typically dark early in the morning.”
“As the light gets brighter gradually and the sounds are often gentler than standard alarms, the body can wake up more naturally and less abruptly,” Gill adds. “This helps the nervous system stay calm and regulated as you start your day, thus, moods are generally lifted.”
How we tested
To find out whether sunrise alarm clocks are worth investing in, we turned to one of the market leaders: Lumie.
Megan, our homes writer, tried out the Bodyclock Glow 150, an alarm clock with sunrise and sunset simulations as well as ten different sounds. Alison, our head of content, tried out the GHI Approved Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300, which is the mid-tier version that comes with FM radio, 15 wake/sleep sounds and a 15-90-minute sunrise and sunset duration.
Hannah, our homes editor, trialled the more premium Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB, which has a wider selection of sunrise and sunset durations, more sounds, a blue light and a DAB radio.
We all woke up with them for several months before giving our honest verdicts on ease of set-up, design, and whether they improved our pre-bed and wake-up routines.
‘It worked as a signal to my partner – once the light's out, he's got to stop chatting!’
Bodyclock Glow 150
“I couldn’t wait to get my Bodyclock Glow 150 set up and, thankfully, the instructions were super detailed, which meant it was ready to use in no time.
The light was impressively bright on its highest setting and both the sunrise and sunset simulations were easy to programme and adjust.
After cycling through all ten sounds, I opted for a tweeting bird to wake up to. Some of the other sounds were hard to differentiate between – there wasn’t much difference between crashing waves and the white noise setting for example. I found the highest volume wasn’t overly loud, either, so while it still woke me up, it might not do the job if you’re a heavy sleeper.
The light alone didn't wake me up in the morning either – the sunrise is very gentle even on the shortest simulation. But I enjoyed the less jolting wake-up call from the birds. It’s much nicer than a blaring alarm and left me feeling less groggy!
At night, I’ve found the sunset simulation provides a calming wind-down. I like to go to bed quite early (unlike my partner) so I used the 20-minute sunset as a handy signal – once the light is out, he’s got to stop chatting and let me fall asleep!
The overall design is sleek and didn’t take up too much space on my bedside table. In fact, I’m still using it months later. I think it has earned a permanent spot there and I can’t see myself ever resorting back to my iPhone alarm.” Megan Geall, GHI Homes Writer
‘I woke up to bright light at 5.30am – it was traumatic’
Bodyclock Shine 300 Wake up to Daylight SAD Light
“I'm not a morning person so I have a hate-hate relationship with my alarm. I use the bog-standard iPhone one and every time I hear it out of context, I physically recoil. So, anything that can reduce that fear factor is a win with me. I tried the mid-range Lumie and I'd say I've got a love-hate relationship with it, which is progress, I guess.
It's not the easiest to set up, but I would urge you to persevere as there are lots of potential upsides. I wanted a different wake-up time for days I was in the office, days I was working from home and weekends. The good news is that it lets you customise them; the bad news is that it's quite complicated. It probably took me an hour to sort that, plus choose my wake-up sounds and my preferred sunrise simulation timespan.
Speaking of which...I thought I'd set the simulation to start at 6am (I get up at 6.30am) and I looked forward to waking up gently with the rising sun. Instead, I woke in a start and sat bolt upright at 5.30am. Why was it daylight in my bedroom? Had I slept through my alarm?? Apparently, I can't cope with my room being anything but pitch black until bang on 6.30am. It was all pretty traumatic. I think that probably says more about me than the light though. I changed the simulation to 15 minutes and it was better, although still unnerved me.
My highlight? The mood light and soothing sounds for bedtime. It's a lovely way to prepare for sleep. My favourite noise was the thunderstorm. I did experiment with goat sounds, but, turns out, they're not that relaxing. Overall, I think sunrise alarms just probably aren't for me; I found the gradual light woke me up sooner than I wanted and still slightly freaked me out. And I ended up setting my iPhone alarm anyway because I have trust issues, which sort of negated the benefits. However, I can see how it would be a great solution for people who are less highly strung in the mornings, and the mood lighting at night is rather lovely.” Alison Lynch, GHI Head of Content
‘I use the sunset mode every day as it lulls me to sleep’
Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB
“I’ve seen lots of people gushing about how helpful sunrise alarm clocks are, and I was hoping it would be the answer to my generally sluggish mornings.
If anything, I think my expectations were a little too high. Because it definitely wasn’t a silver bullet. I still woke up feeling tired in the mornings, but the gentle light was certainly much nicer than my alarm.
I’m quite sensitive to the light, so it generally woke me up about 15 to 20 minutes before the bird song that I’d selected as its noise starts to sound. But I’ve always dozed my alarm anyway, so I liked that this clock gave me genuine license to carry on sleeping.
The radio was a bit confusing to set up, but the clock was easy to use overall once I got used to it. And perhaps my favourite feature is the sunset mode – it’s the one I still use daily (I often forget to turn the alarm on, oops). While the clock isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as my old bedside lamp, the light is bright enough for me to read, and the gradual dimming lulls me to sleep, stopping me from staying up late if I’m particularly gripped by my book.” Hannah Mendelsohn, GHI Homes Editor
The verdict on sunrise alarm clocks vs. regular alarms
Opinions were split on the effectiveness of our sunrise alarm clocks. Like most solutions, what worked for one of us didn’t necessarily work for all.
But they're certainly not a gimmick. The light simulation can boost your mood while having an auto-dimming light can create a better wind-down routine that maximises the chances of a restful night’s sleep.
If you struggle with either, we recommend giving one a go – while not all the settings might work for you, there are plenty to choose from – the sounds are soothing, the nightlight is good for reading, the displays are easy to read in the dark and it can reduce your reliance on your smartphone.
Plus, Lumie offers a 45-day trial so you can see if it genuinely works for you.
Shop more GHI Approved sunrise alarm clocks
Want the expert verdict? The Good Housekeeping Institute recruited a panel of 21 testers to trial each of the leading alarms over a two-week period. They gave us detailed feedback on design, ease of use, range of light settings and sounds, as well as any extra features. They also told us how the alarm impacted their overall sleep routine.
Our experts in the lab also scored the sunrise alarm clocks, rating them on reliability, ease of use, design and quality of instructions, before combining everything into a final score. These are the ones that topped our list.
SmartSleep Wake-up Light
Score: 92/100
With 20 different levels of light intensity and volumes, our winning alarm clock provided the ultimate wind-down and wake-up routine. Our experts were big fans of the ‘midnight function’ too, which offers just enough light to move around in the dark without disturbing your partner.
Bodyclock Shine 300
Score: 91/100
The Bodyclock Shine 300 is a good mid-range option, and while it may not have been a resounding hit with Alison, it was popular with our panel. It’s super versatile, with a traditional FM radio, 15 wake-up sounds, and the option to set and save different alarms for every day of the week.
Sunrise Alarm
Score: 70/100
This is the simplest sunrise alarm available from market-leaders, Lumie, and it's a great budget option if you fancy dipping your toes in without spending a hefty amount. It simulates a 30-minute sunrise and sunset with 10 levels of light intensity. There are also five natural sounds to choose from, so you can create a personalised morning routine.
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