Sunrise alarm clocks compared: three wake-up lights

The 3 side by side

Published specs from each maker's listing, read October 2026.

What dawn simulation does

Waking from a dark room to a loud alarm often leaves you groggy for a while — sleep inertia. Sunrise lamps try to soften that by brightening slowly before the alarm, the way the sky would. Two small studies support the idea. In the Netherlands, people who woke with an artificial dawn reported less sleep inertia, and the benefit wasn’t explained by a shift in their body clock. In a UK trial, light rising over the last 30 minutes of sleep to about 300 lux improved alertness and performance on tests after waking. Both studies were small and short, so expect a nicer morning, not a fix for too little sleep.

A sunrise lamp pairs naturally with a dark bedroom. Blackout keeps out the 5 am summer sun; the lamp gives you a sunrise at the time you choose. Our guide to how dark your bedroom should be explains why you want both.

The three options

Philips SmartSleep HF3520. The long-running reference model. It simulates sunrise with coloured light and also runs a sunset that dims down at night. There are 20 brightness steps, five natural wake-up sounds, an FM radio and tap snooze, and it doubles as a reading lamp. Everything is set from buttons on the unit, with no app or account needed. It suits people who want a dependable bedside device.

Hatch Restore 3. A sunrise alarm, sound machine and reading light in one, set up and scheduled from the Hatch phone app. If you would otherwise buy a sound machine too, this replaces two devices with one bedtime-to-morning routine. The trade-offs are dependence on the app and a paid membership for some of its sound content; check what’s included in the free tier before deciding.

JALL wake-up light. A low-cost lamp with sunrise simulation, dual alarms, FM radio, a night light and seven colours and sounds. It’s the low-risk way to find out whether waking to light works for you before paying for a premium model. Check how dim the clock display goes: a bright digit in a dark room works against the blackout you set up.

Who should choose what

If you want something that works like a normal alarm clock, choose the Philips. If you like routines on your phone and also want masking sound at night, choose the Hatch. If you’re curious but unconvinced, start with the JALL.

Getting the most from any of them

Put the lamp on your side, at eye level and a short distance from your face, so the light reaches your eyelids. Set the sunrise to finish at your alarm time and keep a sound as backup for the first week. Keep the wake time steady, weekends included, so your body learns when morning is.

If you share the bed with someone on a different schedule, remember the lamp lights the room, not just you. In that case, a lower setting or a sleep mask for the later sleeper keeps both of you happy.

Light-waking helps grogginess; it can’t replace missing sleep. If you’re still exhausted on enough hours, the sleep cycle tools and a talk with a doctor are the better next steps.

Questions people ask

Do sunrise alarm clocks really work?

Small studies found people rated themselves less groggy and, in one trial, performed better after waking with simulated dawn. The studies are short and small, so expect a nicer wake-up rather than a fix for poor sleep.

How long should the sunrise be?

The trials used light rising over roughly the last 30 minutes of sleep. Most lamps let you choose; 20 to 40 minutes is a sensible starting point.

Will a sunrise lamp wake my partner?

Yes, if you're both facing it. Put it on your side, aimed toward you, or keep a sound alarm if your schedules differ.

Does it work in a room with blackout curtains?

That's where it helps most: the curtains keep out early light, and the lamp gives you a controlled sunrise at the time you choose.