Waking up to the sound of a blaring alarm has become a habit for many years. However, there are alternatives. Natural alarm clocks and alarm lights can mimic the natural rhythms of the sun. The soft, simulated morning light gradually helps you wake up. Learn how these devices can help you start your day more balanced and refreshed.
Disadvantages of traditional alarms
People have relied on loud, traditional alarm clocks for decades. While these alarm clocks may be effective at waking up your family, they also have some potential downsides. for example:
table of contents[Hide][Show]
- sudden awakening: The sudden loud sound of a traditional alarm clock can startle a person and wake them up. This sudden jolt causes a surge of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can leave you feeling groggy and lingering for some time after you wake up.
- Increased stress and anxiety: Waking up to a loud alarm can cause stress and anxiety, especially if the sound is unpleasant. Association with stressful situations (such as rushing to work or school) can also cause feelings of anxiety.
- Disturbed sleep patterns: Waking up suddenly from a deep sleep stage can disrupt our natural sleep cycle, our circadian rhythm. This can disrupt your sleep patterns and leave you feeling tired throughout the day.
- negative mood: Starting your day with loud, unpleasant noises can set your morning mood in the negative and affect your mood and overall health. Starting your day on a negative note is not the secret to having a good day at work or with your family.
- physical effects: For some people, the sudden shock of a loud alarm clock can even increase heart rate and blood pressure. Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Some people choose alternative wake-up methods to avoid these potential drawbacks. They may want a wake-up light or alarm with soothing music or nature sounds. These create a smoother transition from sleep to wakefulness and a better morning experience.
What is a wake-up light?
A wake-up light, also known as a sunrise alarm clock or dawn simulator, is a type of alarm clock that artificially creates dawn. Designed to wake you up more gently and naturally by mimicking the sunrise. Wake-up lights use light that mimics a natural sunrise instead of sudden sounds. The brightness will gradually increase 15 to 40 minutes before the alarm time.
The idea behind alarm lights is to simulate a natural sunrise. When the sun rises, your body gradually reduces the production of melatonin and increases the production of cortisol. Although many people emphasize cortisol as a “stress hormone,” it also helps keep you awake and alert.
This gradual increase in light helps regulate your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. The potential result is that you wake up each morning feeling better and more energized.
What are the benefits?
If you have trouble getting up in the morning or live in an area with little natural light, you may benefit from using a wake-up light. There are several potential benefits.
- natural awakening experience: The wake-up light mimics sunrise and gradually increases in brightness until the alarm time. This gradual exposure to light mimics the natural wake-up process and signals the body to reduce production of sleep hormones such as melatonin and increase production of cortisol. This way, it will help you wake up more naturally.
- Decreased sleep inertia: Wake-up lights reduce something called sleep inertia by gently waking you up with a light rather than a sudden loud sound. Sleep inertia is the feeling of lightheadedness and disorientation that accompanies awakening from deep sleep. Ultimately, it will help you wake up better in the morning and feel less sluggish.
- Improved mood and energy: Waking up to gradually increasing light can have a positive impact on your mood and energy levels. In a 1993 trial, the use of a light alarm improved depression in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A 2005 meta-analysis confirmed that bright light therapy improves feelings of depression.
- Regulation of circadian rhythms: Continuous use of wake-up light helps regulate your body clock and circadian rhythm. This may improve your sleep quality and make your sleep-wake cycle more stable over time.
- personalized settings: Many wake-up lights come with customizable features such as light intensity, color, and nature sounds, allowing users to customize their wake-up experience based on their preferences.
- Convenient for dark mornings and shift work: Wake-up lights are especially useful for people who work unusual hours. It provides a sunrise-like experience and helps your body get used to waking up in the dark.
Overall, wake-up lights provide a gentler, more natural way to wake up and may improve your overall health. However, some people may still prefer traditional alarm clocks or other ways to wake up.
What to look for in a sunrise alarm clock
Sunrise alarm clocks vary widely in price and functionality. You can buy one for as little as $30, or you can spend up to $200 for a luxurious touch. Some of the best alarm clock options/features that mimic the sun are listed below.
- sunrise simulation
- sunset simulation
- Soothing sounds/nature sounds when waking up or relaxing
- Noise machine to improve your night’s sleep
- FM radio options
- Customizable brightness settings
- bright color options
- Optionally can be used as a bedside lamp or reading light
- Works independently of WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity
Some alarms are smart alarm clocks that are compatible with Google or Alexa devices. However, wireless or smart alarms also have high electromagnetic radiation, so you won’t be able to sleep comfortably next to them at night.
best sunrise alarm clock
Sunrise alarms have a lot of features, but they don’t have to cost a lot of money. Here are some of the most popular sunrise alarm clocks and my thoughts about them.
Homelabs sunrise alarm clock
Homelabs Sunrise Alarm Clock is an affordable sunrise simulation alarm at $30. (I’ve even seen it on sale for $20). Homelabs alarms are inexpensive but have many customizable options. There are pros and cons regarding the quality, but it has received a fair amount of praise.
The warm LED lights come in eight color options, including sunshine yellow, neon, green, and magenta. The light gradually gets brighter over the next 30 minutes until it’s time to wake up. You can also use it as a reading light while relaxing at night. There are some soothing sounds that are perfect for waking up, and you can also choose FM radio. This watch has a lot of options for $30.
casper glow light
Casper Glow Light is a popular sunrise clock that gently wakes you up. Brightness settings allow you to adjust the warmth and brightness according to your preferences and needs. However, it may not be the best alarm for people who are good sleepers as it doesn’t have a sound option.
However, this alarm has some significant drawbacks. Casper retails for around $130, making it significantly more expensive than other options. It also comes with a wireless charger, and because the timer uses Bluetooth connected through an app on your phone, it emits high levels of his EMF radiation.
Philips SmartSleep wake-up light
of SmartSleep wake-up light The brightness increases gradually, simulating sunrise before the alarm time. He also features 5 natural wake-up sounds that can be combined with the sunrise simulator. If you want to wake up to your favorite station, you can choose FM radio.
SmartSleep has a snooze button that lets you relax for a few more minutes before the alarm goes off again. It looks like a giant sun rising in the morning, but it can also be used as a reading light or as ambient lighting in your bedroom. There is also a midnight light option that acts as a night light. SmartSleep Wake-Up retails for $110.
This model does not have Bluetooth functionality, so it emits lower EMF emissions.
Philips SmartSleep Connected Sleep is also a wake-up light from the same brand, but with Wi-Fi. It offers more features (and a higher price!), but only works when connected to your phone’s WiFi. Therefore, it is not recommended.
Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock
Hatch Restore 2 is another popular light alarm clock. It combines several sleep products, including a sunset simulator, noise machine, night light, and solar alarm clock. Noise machines also have white noise, pink noise, or brown noise options.
There are many lightweight options, but they are also expensive ($200). Another big drawback is that, like Philips SmartSleep Connected Sleep, it only runs when connected to an app on your phone. Again, not something I would recommend.
What I use: JALL wake up light
of JAL wake up light This is my top choice and the one I bought for myself. At around $40, it’s an affordable way to experience a peaceful awakening each morning. This clock looks like a giant sun and has several sound options to wake you up. For example, wake up to the sound of birds chirping, ocean waves, or wind chimes.
There is a 30-minute gradual wake-up period. However, you can also shorten it to 20 or 10 minutes. Another great feature is that you can program it by day of the week. For example, you can set different wake-up times for weekdays and weekends. You can also turn it off twice for you and your spouse.
At night, it can also be used as a bedside lamp depending on the brightness. Again, this watch is an excellent value in all its features.
Other elements of a healthy sleep environment
Waking up naturally each morning is just part of a healthy sleep experience. It all starts in the evening, before your head hits the pillow. Important elements of a healthy sleep environment include:
- No artificial blue light after sunset: Avoid exposure to computers, smartphones, iPads, and television for at least 90 minutes before bed. If you need to use them, you can download a program like f.lux to your computer or wear orange glasses To block blue light.
- keep calm: Keeping your bedroom cool for better sleep is always standard advice. However, due to the influence of hormones, your body temperature may rise too much. I try to keep the room around 65 degrees at night.
- Darken the room: Cover your windows with blackout curtains or wear a sleep mask to block out light that can interfere with melatonin production. My family and I don’t use night lights in our bedrooms at night (and neither do our kids!).
- Block out disturbing sounds: Some wake-up lights have white noise or another sound machine built into the device. White noise, brown noise, and even pink noise can help block out sounds from outside or the next room and help you get a restful sleep.
- Keep EMF away: Electromagnetic fields (EMF) from WIFI and cell phone towers are known to disrupt sleep. Please turn off WIFI manually or manually at night. emf safety switch. Anything plugged into an electrical outlet emits low levels of EMF. An easy way to reduce these levels is to keep plugged-in items away from your head at night.
- Switch to organic bedding: Many sheets and blankets are treated with chemicals during manufacturing. The idea is to make it stain resistant, water resistant, and flame retardant. But what about inhaling chemicals? Your entire life is not a path to health. Click here to learn more about natural/organic bedding.
- Try buckwheat pillows: Buckwheat hulls are a pillow filling with excellent air circulation. Therefore, you can cool your head and get a better night’s sleep. It’s also comfortable for your neck and spine. You can make your own or find it on Amazon.
Creating a healthy sleep environment and habits takes time and a little effort. I did it little by little.
what i do
What I purchased was JAL wake up light A sunrise alarm clock sold on Amazon a few years ago. This sits on my nightstand along with my other favorite sleep products. You can read about it here. I also keep my bedroom fairly dark so as not to interfere with melatonin production at night.
Another big change I’ve made for my health is to wake up every morning and get outside as soon as possible. Even on cloudy days, a wide spectrum of light from outside enters. I also avoid artificial light after sunset and do the same things I recommend to other mothers.
Do you use a natural alarm clock or alarm light? Have you noticed a positive difference? Share below!
