Review: I Tried Out A Sunrise Alarm Clock To Find Out If It'll Help Me Sleep Better. Here Are The Results

The pursuit of good sleep is a high priority right now for me, a world-class insomniac. In my research and deepdive into the topic, I’ve tried supplements, a Bluetooth eyemask-slash-headband and as of two months ago, I started using a sunrise alarm clock. 

What the heck is a sunrise alarm clock and what does it do? 

Before explaining the product, I will need to delve into the importance of sunlight in your sleep cycle. Basically, sunlight is the grand orchestrator of our circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. 

It begins with the morning sun when its gentle rays signal our bodies to awaken. Exposure to natural light prompts the suppression of melatonin, the sleep hormone, and stimulates the production of serotonin, promoting alertness and a sense of well-being. 

As the day progresses, sunlight maintains our circadian tempo, influencing cognitive functions, mood, and energy levels. The gradual descent into evening triggers a shift in the spectrum of light, signaling to our bodies that it's time to wind down which is why you get sleepier as the day progresses. This natural ballet of light and dark not only governs our daily patterns but also plays a crucial role in overall health, influencing everything from metabolism to mental well-being.

Ideally, it would be nice to sleep somewhere where you can beautiful morning light pouring into your room but let’s be real – living in Singapore means some high-rise building is probably blocking any direct sunlight or that you chose to install black-out blinds. 

Enter the sunrise alarm clock. The thing it does that sets it apart from the traditional alarm clock is to simulate the natural progression of sunlight. It’s useful to those who are seeking a more gentle and natural start to each day, instead of being jolted awake by a blaring alarm.

First impressions

Sunrise alarm clocks come in many different shapes and sizes but the one I purchased looks like a regular digital alarm clock with a ring light attached to it. It’s also bigger than most bedside alarm clocks but the interface is sleek and simple looking because most of the work is done via an app anyway.

The good bits

The ‘Sun’

The main feature is of course the orb that is programmable to mimic the sun. In the mornings, I now wake up to a soft, gradually intensifying glow that mimics the colours of a sunrise. This gradual illumination, coupled with customisable light intensity, provides a soothing and effective way to transition from slumber to wakefulness.

It’s not only for mornings and waking up though, also programmable via the app, you can schedule a sunset simulation, which I found particularly helpful for unwinding at the end of the day. The best part is that you can customise the colours yourself to mimic a proper sunset. For me it’s a mix of orangey and pinkish hues. 

The gradual dimming of light creates a serene ambience, signaling to the body that it's time to wind down and prepare for restful sleep. I’m not in the bedroom during this period though but my cats seem to enjoy this function and I often find them mellowing out on the bed around 5.30pm. 

In between and beyond the sunrise and sunset, the sunrise alarm clock also doubles as a bedside lamp, providing warm and ambient light for night reading or a soft dim light for those who don’t like to sleep in pure darkness.

Soothing Sounds

Beyond its aesthetically pleasing design, the clock offers a variety of white noise or nature-inspired sounds to accompany the light, allowing me to choose between chirping birds, ocean waves, a gentle forest breeze and more. 

My tip is to set a time for an hour of either white or green noise the moment you get into bed so you ease into sleep and the noise ceases after one hour (so you don’t have to panic when you wake up in the middle of the night thinking you’re lost in the woods). 

This machine also functions as Bluetooth speakers too. 

Customised To Perfection

With a device that is all about customisation, the app is the most important feature. It is central to all your sleep schedules and creating ‘scenes’ to help you wind down and relax. On top of that, I was able to link the device to my Google Home system as an added layer of intuitiveness. With so many settings to choose from, you can really nail down every single thing from whether you want, from having the sound of waves to wake you every morning to falling asleep to a purplish blue glow.

Bad bits

Faulty Machinery

While my clock itself worked all right, the remote control it came in did not work at all. However, it’s almost a non-issue as you can program anything from turning the ‘sunrise’ off or setting a new ambient scene to help you sleep. 

On top of that, I had programmed the clock to also have an alarm go off at a certain time on top of the sunrise simulation but that did not trigger as well. 

Too Complicated 

It’s definitely not a device you can plug and play around from the get-go. There are a lot of things to learn – the manual my alarm clock came in was thick – and even after two months of using it, I feel like I haven’t utilised all of its functions. 

Verdict:

Although I still have trouble falling asleep naturally, I do wake up feeling less groggy and ready to go with the gentle simulated sunrise. The lamp is really the nicest part of this product and I enjoyed playing with different ambient lighting to get me relaxed. 

It’s not a device that is essential to your sleep routing but my sleep schedule has been more pleasant since I started using it. For anyone seeking a gentler and more harmonious start to their mornings, this clock is a worthy investment in well-being.

Alternative sunrise alarm clocks to get: 

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