Sunrise alarm clocks ease dark winter mornings, reviews find

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 07:13 · Archive

Sunrise alarm clocks gradually brighten before waking time to help users start their day more gently and alert.

Sunrise alarm clocks gradually brighten as your wake-up time approaches, mimicking natural sunrise and preparing the body's internal clock. Getting up in darkness decouples daily life from the circadian rhythm, leaving bodily processes like cognition and metabolism unprepared for the day ahead.

Guardian Technology tested ten models from Lumie, Beurer, Philips, Dreamegg, Blueair and Lexon, recommending eight. Some models, including certain Lumie options, are bright enough to be medically certified as light-therapy devices for seasonal affective disorder and other conditions. TechRadar tested several models and confirms they produce a gentler wake-up experience than aggressive phone alarms, leaving users more alert and better equipped to tackle the day.

Models vary widely in features and price. Basic options offer simple brightening, whilst more advanced versions allow users to choose brightening duration and select from multiple sounds, with Lumie's premium options offering rainfall, birdsong, cat purring, cafe noise and tree frogs. Many models include sunset features that dim gradually to help users wind down on dark winter evenings, plus white noise options and sometimes radio built-in. TechRadar advises avoiding sounds that naturally occur in bedrooms.

How it is being reported

• A wakeup light is my secret weapon against dark and depressing mornings — here are 9 worth picking up as we head into autumnSunrise alarm clocks will rouse you gently from you slumber, so you're alert and ready to face the day.TechRadar · 11 Oct, 07:00
• The best sunrise alarm clocks in the UK, tried and tested for gentler morningsOur reviewer sheds some light on the best dawn simulation alarms, from Lumie and Philips to Dreamegg • The best eye masks to help you sleep better To wake each day in darkness is a plight you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, yet that’s what many of us do routinely throughout winter. Getting up in the dark decouples our life from our circadian rhythm (our body clock), with bodily processes such as cognition and metabolism put to work before they’re fully prepped. Thank heavens, then, for sunrise alarm clocks. These “dawn simulation” devices glow with gradually intensifying brightness as…Guardian Technology · 9 Oct, 10:09

In this story: Lumie · Philips · Beurer · Dreamegg · Blueair · Lexon · Guardian Technology · TechRadar

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