Sunrise alarms: faking the dawn in winter
Morning light is the main signal that keeps your body clock on time. On dark winter mornings there isn't any, and many people drift later. A sunrise alarm brightens the room gradually before your alarm goes off.
What matters: how bright it gets, how gradual the fade is, and whether the light faces you. What doesn't: radios, apps and 20 sound options. Pair it with: the same wake time every day, and daylight outside once it's up.
Our pick
A sunrise alarm
Philips SmartSleep (HF3520)
Why: It fades your room up to light over 20-40 minutes before the alarm: the signal morning daylight would give your body clock, on mornings when there isn't any. Wirecutter has rated it its top sunrise alarm for years.
How to use it: Set it 30 minutes before your wake time, and keep the wake time the same every day, weekends too.
The honest downside: Not cheap, bulky on a bedside table, and the built-in radio is nothing special.
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