Best Wake-Up Lights

The Hatch Restore and Restore 2 have earned a dedicated following over the years from fans of wake-up lights. With the Restore 3, Hatch builds on the original designs with more enhanced colorization for the sunset and sunrise programs, additional audio options, crisper sound, and a subscription option for accessing additional content. Despite these changes, the Restore 3 retains the user-friendly design and everyday practicality that earned its predecessor such a dedicated following.

The wake-up light gradually brightens to mimic the natural sunrise, using a wide array of colors to achieve the intended effect. This helps you start the day feeling refreshed, and should be less jarring than using a traditional alarm clock. If you need auditory assistance when waking up, you can choose from 10 sounds to accompany the brightening light. Likewise, the sunset program dims to darker shades to calm you as you fall asleep.

The Restore 3’s built-in library includes 21 different programs, including white noise and ambient sounds. For more options, you can sign up for the Hatch Sleep Membership. This optional subscription grants access to more content such as guided meditations and soundscapes. The Restore 3 features three separate speakers, resulting in high-quality playback to enhance your listening experience.

For such an advanced device, the Restore 3 is remarkably simple to operate. Two large buttons let you activate the sunrise and sunset programs, and a third button toggles the alarm on and off. Soft linen covers the display, and you can choose from three colors for the back panel. Standard ground shipping is free of charge, and your purchase comes with a 60-night trial. The Hatch Sleep Membership also comes with a 7-night trial for monthly subscribers, and a 1-month trial for annual subscribers.

Some of the more advanced wake-up lights on the market carry steep price-points reflective of their high-tech designs. With the Dekala Arkenstone, you’ll get a smart device loaded with cutting-edge features, but affordable pricing ensures most shoppers won’t encounter any sticker shock. The Arkenstone is engineered for a full color spectrum, allowing you to experience virtually millions of solid colors for the nightlight feature. Ten different gradient effects allow for seamless color transitions.

The progressive sunrise alarm mostly consists of orange and yellow shades. The sound of chirping birds accompanies the color-changing effect to help you wake up feeling well-rested without the jarring beeps or vibrations of traditional alarm clocks. To activate the snooze, simply place the Arkenstone on its side. You can also mute the colors if you prefer sleeping in total darkness. The device’s built-in audio library includes 16 different programs, including nature sounds, ambient noise, and white noise.

Using the Dekala app – which is free to download – you can use voice controls to adjust the Arkenstone. The device can also be linked to your Amazon Echo or Google Home hubs. Shipping is free of charge to customers in all 50 states. Undamaged Arkenstone devices may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the delivery date.

The Loftie Lamp is a stylish wake-up light that will heighten the decor in any bedroom. The simple, modern design has a minimalist aesthetic and emits a gentle glow conducive to restful sleep.

The lamp is composed of a polycarbonate base and a perforated steel shade. Light emits from the lamp’s base to create a warm, gentle glow. A preset sunset option gradually dims the lamp at bedtime, allowing calming colors to gradually recede. For the sunrise option, a soft colorful glow travels up the base of the lamp to mimic a gradual sunrise. You can also set the lamp to “breathe” light, dimming and brightening in a rhythmic pattern meant to relax you, or you can manually adjust the light to your preferred brightness.

The base has a 4-inch diameter and the shade measures 11.5-inches at its widest. The lamp is Wifi-enabled so that you can operate it remotely, or you can adjust the light with a small button in the base. You may pick between a white or black shade.

Loftie ships the lamp for free within the U.S. You may return the lamp within 60 days, and the lamp is backed by a 1-year warranty.

The Hatch Rest 2nd Generation packs a host of features into a kid-friendly bedside light. With a range of functions, parents and caregivers can use the Rest 2nd Generation in numerous ways as their child grows.

The device is compact and lightweight, allowing it to fit easily on a small table or nightstand. It can be used as a wake-up light with a dimmable LED clock and multiple colors. It can be controlled remotely via WiFi and programmed to give children time-to-rise cues that guide them toward staying in bed until the appropriate time.

The Rest 2nd Generation also works as a sound machine with over 18 sounds, including white noise, lullabies, and rain. Parents can program the device to initiate a series of lights and sounds every night at the same time, creating cues to help a child understand that bedtime is approaching.

Hatch ships the Rest 2nd Generation for free and gives you a 30-night, risk-free trial to test out the device. Hatch also includes a 1-year warranty against defects. Your purchase comes with a 1-month membership to Hatch+, which provides additional content like bedtime stories and music.

The Sharper Image Circadian Rhythm Clock integrates sleep science and cutting-edge technology to help you get enough rest and wake up in the morning. The clock’s display is designed to gradually become dimmer in the evening, which mimics natural light settings at dusk. The circadian rhythms that guide our sleep cycles are heavily influenced by light and darkness, so the dimming can help you relax and prepare for bed. The light also brightens in the morning for a simulated sunrise effect.

The clock is highly customizable. In addition to the standard evening setting, you can choose from four other light modes. The cycle mode slowly progresses through the clock’s 20 color options, select mode lets you choose one fixed color, and meter mode changes color depending on your home’s indoor humidity level. The clock also features a guided breathing program, during which you’ll inhale and exhale when the colors shift. The LED display features temperature and humidity readings, as well.

In addition to programming times for dimming and brightening to begin, you can activate the alarm for Monday through Friday, weekends only, or every day. For those who need an extra nudge out of bed in the morning, the clock has a snoozable melodic alarm that gently increases in volume over a 5-minute period. Other features include a USB port for charging your phone and a built-in backlight. You can program the clock in English, French, German, and Spanish.

Sharper Image has a reputation for high-end tech products, but the Circadian Rhythm Clock’s price-point is quite low given its functionality. Standard returns are permitted within 60 days of purchase, and the company extends the return window for items bought between late October and Christmas Eve.

The Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light offers a personalized experience that includes more than 20 brightness levels for the sunset and sunrise simulations. If you’re a heavy sleeper who has a hard time waking up in the morning, you can program the light for one of the brighter settings to ensure you won’t sleep in too late. You can also opt for a softer setting if you typically get up on time. For an extra nudge, the light is equipped with five soothing wake-up sounds.

Audio options also include full FM radio playback, so you can listen to your favorite music or spoken-word programs as you fall asleep. The radio can also be programmed as your alarm. The snooze is simple to activate — lightly tap the top of the light, and the alarm will sound again in 9 minutes.

The SmartSleep Wake-Up Light carries a reasonable price-point compared to comparable bedside devices. If your budget is flexible, you can also upgrade to a SmartSleep model with more advanced features such as device charging ports and a built-in sleep environment tracker.  Trial periods vary by retailer — Amazon’s runs for 30 nights — but Philips backs all wake-up lights with 2-year manufacturer’s warranties.