Light alarm clocks create an artificial sunrise to help us get up. Here’s how effective these devices are. Including helpful recommendations.
You surely know from your vacation how nice it is when you gently wake up the morning sunlight.
- But in most bedrooms in Germany an alarm clock usually rings and rudely tears you out of your dreams.
- Light alarm clocks are an alternative worth considering here. Let yourself be gently awakened by bright daylight.
Regardless of whether you want to find out more about light alarm clocks in general or are looking for a suitable model and manufacturer, you will find many answers and tips in the following text:
You can already see from this table of contents that there is a lot of interesting data about light alarm clocks. Read on to learn more about the benefits of light alarm clocks and find a model that’s right for you.
Tip: If you are short on time, you can also jump straight to the recommendations for the best light alarm clocks. Otherwise, continue here with the comprehensive guide:
Index
What are sunrise alarm clocks?
A light alarm clock is understood to mean alarm clocks that wake you up with artificial light instead of a loud signal tone.
At the preset time, the alarm clock does not ring aggressively – instead, a daylight lamp is activated shortly before you get up: Its light is based on the natural rays of the sun in the morning and you should wake up more gently.
How do light alarm clocks work?
We humans have an internal clock which, among other things, is based on daylight.
That is why it is much easier for many of us to get up in the morning in summer than in autumn or winter when it is still dark outside.
- The human body is designed to sleep when it is dark and to be awake when the sun is shining.
- Unfortunately, modern working hours have ensured that the light rhythm no longer has much to do with the actual times of getting up.
The result is a rather rough awakening with electronic aids – we are often still in the middle of the deep sleep phase .
A light alarm clock simulates the sunrise
A light alarm clock signals to the body that the sun is rising. This automatically encourages the impulse to wake up and actively start the day.
The exposure to light ensures the release of various hormones, including serotonin and cortisol. These help to start the day more energetic and positive.
The light slowly becomes more intense
With most light alarm clocks, a light that slowly becomes brighter animates the body to get up.
- As with natural sunrise, the intensity of the light gradually increases.
- Especially in the winter months, a light alarm clock helps you wake up more gently and energetically.
Note : There are even light alarm clocks to help you fall asleep. In the evening, these emit warm light, which then slowly decreases in intensity. The body automatically gets tired.
In a personal test I can clearly confirm the positive effects – but there are also studies by experts.
That’s what scientific studies say
In theory, a light alarm clock makes sense – but how does it look in practice?
There are some studies that have looked at the effectiveness of artificial wake-up lights. Most of the studies have mainly measured mood & energy in the morning.
The results were convincing: daylight alarm clocks reduce tiredness in the morning and make it easier to wake up.
Studies to read:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20408928
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23841684
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20653451
However, not all models are identical. The next chapter deals with the differences and what you should pay attention to. You can also jump directly to the recommendations .
What is important when buying a light alarm clock
The first point that you should pay attention to when choosing a light alarm clock is its features. The following are important:
- Light intensity (in lux)
- Function intervals
- Power supply
- Combined function (light & sound)
- Integrated additional devices (radio, USB connection)
In the following, I will go into a little more detail on the various equipment features:
Light intensity
For a light alarm clock to work at all, the light intensity must be sufficient to convey the message to your body that day is coming.
If the light intensity is too weak, the corresponding light alarm clock may not trigger a reaction in you.
Note for orientation : The standard level of light intensity for mid-range devices is 300 lux.
Light alarm clocks where the intensity of the light intensity can be regulated are particularly practical.
You can set these so that they achieve the right light intensity for you exactly when you want to wake up. However, these devices are correspondingly more expensive to purchase.
Function intervals
Experts also refer to the time it takes a daylight alarm clock from a slight glow to the most intense radiation to be the function interval.
Many light alarm clocks work with a fixed standard of 30 minutes.
- Since every person is different, it can be advisable to choose a light alarm clock with which you can set the function intervals individually.
- There are devices whose function interval can be programmed to any period between 10 minutes and 2 hours.
With a freely programmable function interval, you can adapt the light alarm clock to your own wake-up rhythm.
Power supply
Does a light alarm clock only work when it is connected to the mains, or does an integrated battery ensure functionality even in the event of a power failure? This is an important question when buying a light alarm clock.
There are also devices that only work with batteries. These are usually intended as travel alarm clocks. These variants can usually not quite keep up with the strength of stationary devices.
The purchase of batteries should also be factored into the follow-up costs. Currently there are more and more light alarm clocks that you can also charge via a USB input.
Combined function (light & sound)
Many light alarm clocks also use tones to support the alarm function.
The bandwidth ranges from typical alarm clock signal tones to a selection of natural noises that slowly increase in volume.
Since the starting idea of a light alarm clock is to wake up more gently, you should think about how useful additional signal tones actually are. The more tones there are, the more expensive the device is usually.
Natural sounds such as the gentle chirping of birds, the sound of the sea or the chirping of crickets can complement the function of a light alarm clock.
Integrated additional devices (radio, USB connection)
In addition to the equipment features already described, there are also light alarm clocks that have an integrated radio, a USB port or other devices for music playback.
If you are used to waking up to music or the radio, these features may come in handy for you.
In principle, however, these are counterproductive as they contradict the original functionality of the light alarm clock. So they are something like Bluetooth in an electric toothbrush : a nice addition, but not absolutely necessary.
Other specifications
When making your selection, pay attention to how easy and understandable the operation of the light alarm clock is.
- Even the best and most expensive light alarm clock is not very enjoyable if it is too complicated to operate.
- If the light alarm clock has an LED display, make sure that it can be turned off or the brightness can be regulated.
If not, you have a potentially annoying additional light source in your bedroom.
What are the different types of light alarm clocks?
Light alarm clocks are available under a wide variety of names and for a wide variety of application goals.
There are pure wake-up lights, large daylight spotlights with endless additional functions and small, often battery-operated light alarm clocks that are ideal for traveling.
Light alarm clock for the bedroom
Most common models of light alarm clocks are intended for use in the bedroom.
You can connect this to the power supply as normal. Depending on the price and workmanship, they have a selection of the features already presented.
Fact: As with all electronic devices, the more functions and features available, the higher the price for light alarm clocks.
Before you buy, think about which functions you actually need. The higher your demands, the greater the budget available for the purchase.
Light alarm clock for travel
There are also small, handy light alarm clocks that you can take with you when you travel.
These travel light alarm clocks often have basic equipment and are not as powerful as the bedroom models.
Since many owners of light alarm clocks get used to the gentle way of waking up, they don’t want to miss the light alarm clock even on vacation. Conveniently, many special travel light alarm clocks are battery-operated.
The best light alarm clock in the test
To give you an insight into the range of light alarm clocks available, I would like to introduce you to some particularly popular models:
Philipp’s light alarm clock
One of the leading manufacturers of light alarm clocks is the Philipps brand.
The “Wake-Up Light” devices are available in different versions, from middle class to very expensive.
The equipment, the light intensity and the usability of the devices increase with the price.
There are of course other models in the Wake-Up Light range. The main differences in the Philipps devices are
- in the programmability of the lighting cycle
- the number of different alarm tones
- and additional functions such as radios or speakers.
In terms of light intensity and basic functions, there are usually no notable differences (only the top model is now a little stronger). In my experience, the cheaper wake-up lights also ensure that you wake up gently, just like on vacation.
You can find an overview of all currently available Philipps sunrise alarm clocks in this table:
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.