The best wake-up light alarm clocks of 2023, to ease you awake as naturally as the sunrise
From Lumie to Philips, we tried and tested the best sunrise alarm clocks for natural waking and combating seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Long, dark nights are part and parcel of winter life in Britain. Throw in long working hours and many of us find we leave home in the morning and return in the evening without seeing daylight at all during the winter months. With around six per cent of the population suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and many more experiencing milder symptoms, wake-up light alarm clocks can be useful in overcoming seasonal depression. Lumie and Philips are the best known names. But which is the best?
If you're pressed for time, here's a quick glance at our top five. Read on for more information on how they work and how to choose the right one for you.
Which is the best wake-up light alarm clock in 2023? At a glance
- Best buy Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300
- Best quality Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750D
- Best night light Philips Smartsleep
- Most affordable Lumie Sunrise
- Best reading light Beurer WL90
Known alternatively as sunrise alarm clocks, wake up light alarm clocks, bodyclock lights and natural light alarm clocks, SAD alarm clocks provide a novel form of light therapy. It's a relatively simple concept: the clock's light gradually brightens over a set period of time (usually around 30 minutes) to simulate a natural sunrise and wake you up gently. This is designed to combat the sudden, startling awakening of a regular alarm clock, which releases cortisol and can potentially lead to bad mood and inertia.
Why is a wake-up light better than a normal alarm clock?
The difference, excuse the pun, is night and day. By the time the light reaches its full brightness, you gently realise that you are awake, rather than being wrenched out of deep sleep by a blaring alarm. Light therapy is also used to treat SAD and many of the best wake-up light alarm clocks serve that double purpose of improving mood.
Good sleep is key to overall wellbeing, so along with other non-negotiables such as finding the best mattress, pillow and duvet cover for you, an alarm clock that helps you start the day feeling well-rested is a small change to your sleep routine that can have a big impact.
There are many on the market, ranging from around £30 to £200. They all perform the function of waking you with light rather than startling sounds, but the more expensive models have better lights to more closely resemble sunrise and the ability to remove the blue wavelengths from your reading light (which has been shown to keep you awake).
Wake-up light alarm clocks are also a good choice for people who use earplugs for sleeping, since you don't need to hear them for them to wake you up.
How I tested the best wake-up light alarm clocks
I slept with each clock for at least a week during winter when I needed to be up before dawn. I judged them by how naturally and completely they woke me, preventing the 'just five more minutes' reflex punch of the snooze button. I was also looking for solid construction, ease of use, a good range and quality of sounds and a glow that genuinely approximated sunlight.
The best wake up light alarm clocks
1. Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300
Best buy 9/10
We like: as good for drifting off as it is for waking up
- 15-90 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- 15 sounds plus FM radio
- Large: 21cm wide x 18cm high x 12cm deep
- Certified medical device
- 45-day trial, three-year warranty
The Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 is a slightly more basic version of the Luxe 750 DAB Lumie alarm clock, below. While it doesn't have many of the snazzier features, the lower price will make it a better choice for many – especially if it's the first time you've tried a wake-up light.
It took me a while to choose all the settings I wanted (I don't need a seven-day alarm, for example). But I did enjoy choosing from the 15 different sounds including birds, waves, rain, frogs, crickets, purring kittens and, more surprisingly, goats, steam train, café and ping pong.
Some of these are annoying at full volume, but as they gradually fade in do a good job of waking you up. Others offer a gentler, more bucolic way to rise. They also work well when going to sleep. As with waking up, you can choose for the fade to take between 15 and 90 minutes. A white noise setting is useful, since it masks outside noise as well as relaxing you (or so many find).
The main reason to buy Lumie is the British firm's 30-year history of daylight research. The light closely simulates sunrise in both strength and hue and has been registered with the MHRA as a way to combat SAD. The light is enough on its own to wake you feeling 100 percent refreshed. Which is lucky, since it took me a few days to work out the sounds. I have genuinely never felt groggy on waking to this. It even seems to make hangovers better.
On the negative side, the sound quality when you choose FM radio is good but not amazing, and compared to other sunrise alarms it's quite big, so won't fit on everybody's bedside table. But if you want a proper sunrise alarm, this is almost as good as its bigger Luxe counterpart and over £100 cheaper.
2. Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750 DAB
Best quality 9/10
We like: excellent sound, remarkably authentic sunrise light
- 15-90 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- 33 sounds plus DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB port
- High-quality speakers
- Large: 23cm wide x 20cm high x 13cm deep
- Certified medical device
- 45-day trial, three-year warranty
Everything that I like about the Shine 300 applies to this, but it also has DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connections, giving you the possibility of nodding off to a podcast or waking to gentle music from your own collection. The sound quality was far better than any other wake-up alarm. My only criticism is the very dim clock, designed to be unobtrusive at night but hard to read in practice. There is a setting to make it brighter, but I couldn't work it out. It's also a little fiddly to set up – this wouldn't be the alarm clock to buy for an elderly relative.
There are 33 wake up sounds including two specific types of lark, various nature scenes, city hubbub and my new personal favourite, military drill. But I actually woke happily without any sound, just light, as nature intended. It's pricey, but if you can afford it, this is the best wake up light I tried.
3. Philips Smartsleep
£144.99, Philips (also available at Amazon for £139.99)
Best night light 8/10
We like: high quality light and good night-time features
- 20-40 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- Seven natural sounds and FM radio
- Auto-dimming display and midnight light function
- Large: 19cm high x 20cm wide x 15cm deep
Philips have been making lightbulbs for over a century and in recent years have pivoted towards health tech, this wake-up light being where the two overlap. It's one of the few sunrise alarms apart from Lumie to have been scientifically tested and proven to work: 92 percent of users in their study found it made getting out of bed easier.
The first thing that strikes you is its resemblance to an old Apple Mac; it is smaller than the Lumies but still fairly chunky, at 15cm deep and 20cm wide. Philips' version of wake-up light begins red and over the course of 40 minutes turns bright yellow, rising through 20 levels of brightness (most sunrise alarms only have 10). At it's brightest, it's slightly less convincing as 'daylight' than the Lumie, but it did wake me up in a good mood.
It has half as many wake-up sounds as the Lumies, but they're all pleasant, and I liked the two night-time features: the clock automatically dims when the room is dark, and you can tap the unit twice on the top for a dim 'midnight light' to help you move around at night without disturbing your other half. Not that Telegraph readers would ever have to do that.
4. Lumie Sunrise
Best budget wake-up light alarm clock, 8/10
We like: the original dawn simulator that everyone copied
- 30 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- Five natural sounds plus alarm beep
- 10 levels of brightness and six light colours
- Small: 18cm high x 17cm wide x 9cm deep
- 45-day trial, three-year warranty
It seems unfair to pick Lumie again, but both the Bodyclocks above are fairly costly. If £40 is more your price point, again it's Lumie who lead the field. This is their original wake-up light clock.
Like other budget alarms, it brightens in ten gradual stages over half an hour, but the Lumie Sunrise also offers coloured mood lighting, which I tend to put on as soon as I get home to make the bedroom feel cosier. I like the small choice of wake-up sounds, my favourite being birdsong. You can also choose purring kittens or a classic alarm beep.
Also in its favour are its small size, stable base and easily-found snooze button. Some competitors require finger-taps on areas that are hard to find at 6am. There's no radio or Bluetooth, but this is a far gentler way to wake up than an old-fashioned alarm clock and, at this price, well worth a punt if you're sunrise-curious.
5. Beurer WL 90 four-in-one
Best reading light 7/10
We like: doubles as a bluetooth speaker and can be controlled from your phone
- 10-60 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- 10 melodies plus FM radio, Bluetooth and aux in
- 256 possible light hues
- Medium size: 17cm high x 18cm wide x 16cm deep
- Three year warranty
Venerable German electrical manufacturer Beurer's four-in-one sunrise alarm clock has a host of attributes, almost to the point of attempting too much. As an SAD wake-up light it does the trick, and can be used as an ambient mood lamp too. With 256 different lighting options, including shades of red, blue and green, you can fine-tune it to your taste. As such it works well as a reading light, as daylight therapy or even as a main bedroom light source (it reaches 580 lumens).
All of this can be controlled from an Apple or Android phone. You can also stream music via Bluetooth, if you prefer that to one of its 10 wake-up melodies. It is on the expensive side and some people have had problems installing the app, so it's not at the top of our list, but the Beurer light alarm clock ticks most of the important boxes.
6. Groove-e Light Curve Touch Control
Best wake-up light radio alarm clock, 7/10
We like: The low price point without compromise on features
- 10-30 minute sunrise or sunset simulation
- Eight alarm sounds including FM radio
- 10 different levels of brightness and seven colour options
- Medium size: 40cm high x 20cm wide x 20cm deep
Reviewed by Rebecca Astill
The best part about this wake-up light alarm by far is the FM radio setting. I hate waking up to harsh alarm sounds (I'm looking at you, iPhone), so the option of waking up to a steady 'sunrise', combined with the radio is an attractive one. There are also seven calming alarm sounds if you'd prefer that.
I found the Groov-e alarm clock fiddly to set up, it's not particularly intuitive and it's difficult to figure out which button controls what, but you do get the hang of it. Unlike Lumie clocks, the light from the actual digital clock does stay on overnight, which I like. But it does create some glow in the room, and might put off anyone who prefers sleeping in pitch black. For a budget option, it does everything you need it to and has certainly made my mornings a little less groggy.
FAQ
Why buy an SAD alarm clock?
To recap, the premium models are clinically proven to help treat SAD and they make waking up more manageable. Many can provide soothing lighting and sound functions and some have a 'sunset' setting, which can help you nod off to a better night's sleep.
Do light alarm clocks work for heavy sleepers?
Yes. These devices simulate gradually strengthening sunlight, which you can sense through closed eyelids. Your brain begins to get ready for waking before it hears the alarm and, when it goes off, you are much less likely to go straight back to sleep.
Is it better to wake up to light or sound?
We evolved to be woken by daylight, so it is a far more natural way to wake up. In modern homes we have got used to sleeping with a certain amount of light pollution through curtains and from devices, so it needs to be something closely approximating real sunlight to fully work.
Loud sounds obviously wake us up too, but unless your brain is ready to wake, your instinct will be to turn the sound off and immediately go back to sleep. To avoid triggering this response, many wake-up light alarms use gently increasing nature sounds, like birdsong, rain or waves.
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