

By the time the light reaches its full brightness, you gently realise that you are awake, rather than being wrenched out of deep sleep by a blaring alarm. The difference, excuse the pun, is night and day.

Why is a wake-up light better than a normal alarm clock? This is designed to combat the sudden, startling awakening of a regular alarm clock, which releases cortisol and can potentially lead to bad mood and inertia. It's a relatively simple concept: the clock's light gradually brightens over a set period of time (usually around 30 minutes) to simulate a natural sunrise and wake you up gently. Known alternatively as sunrise alarm clocks, wake up light alarm clocks, bodyclock lights and natural light alarm clocks, SAD alarm clocks provide a novel form of light therapy.

Which is the best wake-up light alarm clock in 2023? At a glance
Wake up natural light alarm clock how to#
Read on for more information on how they work and how to choose the right one for you. If you're pressed for time, here's a quick glance at our top five. Lumie and Philips are the best known names. With around six per cent of the population suffering from seasonal affective disorder ( SAD) and many more experiencing milder symptoms, wake-up light alarm clocks can be useful in overcoming seasonal depression. Throw in long working hours and many of us find we leave home in the morning and return in the evening without seeing daylight at all during the winter months. Long, dark nights are part and parcel of winter life in Britain.
