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White Plains Today
By the People, for the People
The Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks of 2026, According to Experts
They simulate the rising and setting sun to help you learn better sleep habits.
Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:11pm
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If you start your day before the sun rises, or if you're looking for a more peaceful alternative to a blaring alarm clock, a sunrise clock may be your new favorite nightstand accessory. They mimic the natural sunrise by gradually lighting up at a certain time, and many even have gentle sounds to help you wake up. Best of all, they won't jolt you awake like a normal alarm clock would.
Why it matters
Using an alarm clock that simulates both the sunset and sunrise can help you fall asleep faster and wake up quicker in the morning, says Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of NY Sleep and Psychology. Sunrise clocks aim to help you wake up by lighting up your space gradually and slowly in order to give your body time to react and adjust.
The details
Most sunrise clocks will start gradually brightening about 30 minutes to an hour before your scheduled wake up time (some give you the option to adjust that length via an app) to give you enough time to fully wake up at your preferred time. Sunrise clocks can include sleep sounds that can either help lull you to sleep or gently wake you up in the morning — these typically range from nature sounds like birds chirping and ocean waves to white noise that reduces distractions. Some options only emit wake-up sounds if you haven't turned off the light alarm after a certain amount of time, which can be a helpful backup plan, says Winter.
- The light gradually gets brighter and starts 30 minutes before your scheduled alarm time.
The players
Dr. Shelby Harris
A licensed clinical psychologist and the director of NY Sleep and Psychology.
Dr. W. Christopher Winter
A neurologist and sleep specialist based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Dr. Seema Khosla
The medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep and a medical advisor for MedBridge Healthcare.
Zoe Malin
An NBC Select reporter.
Nikki Brown
An NBC Select senior editor.
What they’re saying
“I'm more likely to sleep through the night now since I'm not anticipating being startled awake by my phone's blaring alarm. The gradual increase of light in my bedroom lets me slowly transition from a deep sleep into consciousness.”
— Zoe Malin, NBC Select reporter
“In terms of user experience, one of the biggest upgrades compared to previous models is the big button on the top, which lets me turn off my alarm, as well as turn on and off my sound machine, without using my phone once I program everything in the app. That means I can keep my phone out of my bedroom overnight so I don't get distracted by it.”
— Zoe Malin, NBC Select reporter
“There are quite a bit of buttons, which may take some time to get used to but again, for tech heads, this is a lot of fun, and super intuitive.”
— Nikki Brown, NBC Select senior editor
The takeaway
Sunrise clocks are a great, natural way for people who typically wake up before the sun is out, like those who work a night shift or parents waking up their kids before school, to help regulate their sleep cycle and wake up more gently. While they may not be a cure-all for issues like seasonal affective disorder, they can be a helpful tool alongside other healthy sleep habits.
