Do sunrise alarm clocks work? A brighter start to dark mornings

When the alarm goes off and it’s still dark outside, morning can feel a little premature. The curtains are closed, the room looks much as it did at bedtime, and the duvet is difficult to leave.

Through autumn and winter, many of us get up for work before daylight reaches the bedroom. You can’t move the sunrise to fit your schedule, but you can change the room you wake up in.

A sunrise alarm clock gradually brightens before your chosen waking time, bringing light into the bedroom before the alarm sounds. On those dark mornings, it offers a more inviting start: a room you can see and a little brightness before you open the curtains.

But does it make waking easier? Small studies suggest that simulated dawn can help some people feel more alert after waking. Alongside that encouraging research, there is a straightforward appeal to having a bedroom that becomes lighter as your morning approaches. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why waking to light feels different

Light helps your body keep track of time. Your internal clock responds to light and darkness, using these signals to help regulate when you feel awake and when you become sleepy. www.nhlbi.nih.gov

During brighter months, daylight may already be coming around the curtains when your alarm goes off. In winter, you might be showered, dressed and halfway to work before the sun appears.

A sunrise alarm introduces a gradual change in brightness at a time you choose. Often called a wake-up light or dawn simulator, it gives your bedside a morning light sequence even when the window is still dark.

That can be an appealing change if you dislike switching on a bright overhead light as soon as you open your eyes. The room is already becoming lighter, giving you a different setting for those first few minutes of the day.

What the research says

Researchers have investigated whether simulated dawn can ease sleep inertia — the sleepy, sluggish feeling that can linger after waking.

In a 2010 study, 16 people who reported difficulty waking tried both an artificial dawn and a comparison condition. After artificial dawn, they reported less sleepiness and felt more activated, although there was no significant improvement on the performance tasks measured. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A separate study published in 2014 involved eight participants who also found morning waking difficult. Light increased during the final 30 minutes before waking. Participants reported greater alertness and performed better on addition and reaction-time tasks than in the control condition. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

These were small studies, so experiences will vary. Together, they offer encouraging support for gradual morning light as a way to make the transition from sleep to waking feel easier.

For everyday use, that is a sensible expectation: a sunrise alarm may help you feel more ready to get going, while giving you a waking environment you enjoy. Enough time for sleep remains the foundation.

Make it work for your morning

Start with the time you need to get up, then choose how gradually you would like the light to build beforehand. Follow the clock’s setup instructions and experiment with a brightness that feels comfortable in your room.

Think about sound too. You might prefer birdsong, quiet music or another alarm tone alongside the increasing light. Keep an audible alarm enabled when you need to wake at a particular time, especially while getting used to your new setup.

Position the clock according to its instructions, with the light unobstructed. If you share a bedroom with someone who gets up later, consider how the light and sound will work for both of you.

A sleep mask is worth factoring in. If you wear a light-blocking mask through to your waking time, it can also block the sunrise alarm’s light. You can still use the sound alarm and remove your mask to a brighter room; it simply changes how you experience the wake-up.

Once daylight arrives, try to spend a little time outside. NHS inform recommends getting natural light in the morning and notes that cloudy or rainy days still count. Walking part of your commute or taking a short break outdoors can make this easier to fit around work. www.nhsinform.scot

A brighter start with OruSleep

OruSleep’s Sunrise Alarm Clock lets you choose a gradual sunrise over 10, 20 or 30 minutes, with adjustable brightness and a choice of alarm sounds. You can set the light sequence around your waking time and adjust it to suit your bedroom. orusleep.com

Perhaps you want the room gently brightening before birdsong begins. Perhaps you simply want to sit up and find your slippers without immediately reaching for the main light.

Those are small comforts, but they belong in an ordinary weekday as much as a slow Sunday morning. When the view outside is still dark, having some light beside the bed can make getting started feel more inviting.

Explore the OruSleep Sunrise Alarm Clock.

If unexplained tiredness lasts for several weeks or affects your daily life, speak to your GP. www.nhs.uk