What Is a Wake-Up Light?

A traditional alarm clock uses sound to wake you from sleep, but this can be overly jarring for some. In recent years, wake-up lights have become an increasingly popular alternative.

Instead of relying solely on sound, wake-up lights simulate the sunrise by slowly brightening over a period of time. By doing so, they’re able to wake you up more gradually than a traditional alarm. The duration of the sunrise simulation varies across models, as does the range of colors.

As with traditional alarms, most wake-up lights provide a built-in alarm that can be set for a specific time, regardless of the sunrise time in your area. Many models also come with a sunset mode to help you prepare for sleep.

Additionally, wake-up lights often include sound options. In keeping with the natural theme, these sounds tend to include birds chirping, waterfalls, or other ambient noises.

How to Choose a Wake-Up Light

When choosing a wake-up light, shoppers may want to compare features and settings to find the right fit. Each wake-up light serves largely the same function, but certain variations and additional features may appeal to specific users.

We’ll cover the most common variations between models, including wind down features, overall value, style, and smart home integration.

What to Consider When Purchasing an Wake-Up Light

With so many options on the market, it’s important to know how wake-up lights are different from one another in order to find one that suits your individual needs.

To help you make an informed purchase, we’ll highlight the top features you’ll want to consider when buying a wake-up light.

Wake-Up Features

Wake-up lights often differ in terms of available features and settings. While some lights simply get brighter, many wake-up lights simulate the colors of the sunrise.

To accompany the light alarm, wake-up lights may include a traditional auditory alarm with natural sounds or FM radio.

Wind Down Features

In addition to sunrise settings, some wake-up lights include sunset simulation. By dimming gradually and changing colors, this function helps users wind down before falling asleep. Wind down features may also include soothing, natural sounds or meditations.

Battery Backup

Many wake-up lights are AC- or USB-powered. Some will include a backup battery to ensure that the light still works in the event that power is lost. This provides users with additional peace of mind. The backup battery is typically not intended to be the primary power source, and it should be replaced regularly.

Value

Value is an important consideration for shoppers, and most will want to compare the cost of a wake-up light with the features it provides. Some shoppers may justify a higher price-point for a wake-up light that includes additional options like smart home integration or wind down settings. Others may want a simpler design that does not warrant a high price.

Smart Features

It’s becoming more common for household objects to feature smart home integration, and wake-up lights are no exception.

While many wake-up lights are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, it’s not unusual for a manufacturer to provide its own app or premium service. Using these smart devices, wake-up lights can often be programmed and controlled from outside the home or by voice.

Style

Each wake-up light has its own shape, colors, and style. While not every wake-up light’s design may cater to your personal taste or fit in with your bedroom decor, there is a wide selection to appeal to a variety of shoppers.

Along with wake-up and wind down color changes, some wake-up lights allow for multicolored lighting. This could allow a light to fit a room’s color palette closely, or appeal to those who want a customizable option.

Display 

Many wake-up lights include a digital clock. Others may display additional information or feature a functional touchscreen. Some displays may also have a night mode or turn off completely in order to not disturb sleep.

Other Features

In addition to some of the more common features, wake-up lights may come with sleep stories or guided meditations, which can be used alone or in conjunction with other wind down features. Dedicated reading light and night light modes are also included in some models.

When it comes to wake-up or wind down sounds, some wake-up lights pair with an app and include the ability to download more options as they become available.

Since a wake-up light differs from a traditional alarm clock, shoppers may have additional questions when shopping. We’ll cover some of the most frequently asked to give you a better idea of what to keep in mind before making a purchase.