Since I first tested sunrise alarm clocks last winter, I’ve come to suspect that there’s no such thing as getting up on the wrong side of bed. What we ought to be worried about is waking up on the wrong side of dawn.
During summer (and other times of the year, for late risers), the sunrise begins to rouse us before we wake up. The brain kicks into gear and sends signals to initiate all sorts of bodily processes, from metabolism to hormone release, which helps us to feel ready for the day. It’s a fundament of our circadian rhythm – and we miss out on it whenever we wake before it gets light.
That is where a sunrise alarm clock can fill the gap. These devices simulate dawn, glowing with increasing brightness in the run-up to your alarm, and for many this reduces grogginess and improves alertness upon waking. I’ve tested more than a dozen models – and I believe the Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150 is the best you can get.
How I tested
I test sunrise alarm clocks by using them to wake me up before dawn over at least a few nights – which is no hardship at this time of year. I’ve risen with the Bodyclock Glow 150 every day for two weeks, which has given me a fuller impression of its performance. As well as using it as a wake-up light, I’ve tested its sunset simulation mode and used it as a reading light before bedtime.
What you need to know
Lumie has seven sunrise alarm clock models, from the basic (but very good) Sunrise Alarm (RRP £49.98, now £38.48) to the elaborate Bodyclock Deluxe 750DAB (RRP £229, now £176.33), which moonlights as a digital radio.
With a £119 RRP (currently £106.49 at Healf), the Bodyclock Glow 150 is around the middle of the range – but in my view, it has all the features that matter. To help you wake up or drift off, there are programmable sunrise and sunset simulations, which progress through a naturalistic colour spectrum from reddish-orange to brilliant white (and vice versa).
You can adjust various parameters of these cycles, including their duration, maximum brightness, and – for sunrise mode – the alarm tone that will make sure you’re awake. There are 10 sounds, including birdsong, lapping waves and a shrill beep.
The device is controlled via buttons surrounding the digital display, which can automatically dim itself when darkness falls. It works as a reading light/night light, has a tap-to-snooze function, and features a cable management space on its underside.
Lumie is uniquely placed among sunrise alarm clock brands, having invented this category of product in 1992 as an offshoot of its existing Sad lamp range. Its original wake-up light, the Natural Alarm Clock, looked like an Edwardian space weapon, but later models successfully wed Lumie’s rigorous approach to dawn simulation with a more bedside-friendly design.
Like most (but not all) Lumie wake-up lights, the Bodyclock Glow 150 is certified as a medical device.
Specifications
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Medical certification: UK MDR 2002 and EU MDR 2017/745
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Light source: LED
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Sunrise duration: 20, 30 or 45 minutes
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Sunset duration: 20, 30 or 45 minutes
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Dimensions: 19 x 12 x 16cm (WDH)
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Weight: 0.57kg
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Alarm sounds: 10
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Extra features: tap to snooze; auto-dimming digital display; cable management in base
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Warranty: three years
What we love
Where better to start than the sunrise? The Bodyclock Glow 150 has exceptional sunrise simulation – superior to other brands and equal to other great Lumie models such as the Bodyclock Spark 100. Waking up before dawn, I experience a sensation that’s genuinely close to being bathed in sunlight because the device glows brighter (and lighter in hue) as your alarm time approaches. It has consistently helped me to wake up feeling more alert, in a better mood and less groggy.
This model surpasses the Spark 100 in its selection of wake-up sounds, several of which are lilting. For very reluctant risers and deep sleepers, there’s also a harsher-sounding alarm tone that’s sure to get your cortisol pumping. You can adjust the sunrise (or sunset) duration, too, with 20-, 30- and 45-minute periods to choose from. I found myself using a 30-minute sunrise most days, but switching to 20 minutes when I had limited time available for sleep.
The sunset simulation created a relaxing ambience as I wound down for sleep, with the light steadily growing dimmer and graduating from white to reddish-orange as the minutes marched on. However, I tend to read in bed until I conk out, so I preferred using a steady, low-light setting for as long as I needed it instead.
Controlling the Glow 150 is straightforward and intuitive, with every option configurable via five buttons on the front of the device (plus an extra one tucked away in the base that toggles the digital display’s automatic night-time shut-off).
As with most sunrise alarm clocks, the Glow 150 spends most of the day just sitting at the bedside, telling the time and acting as a lamp. It does a nice job of it, too, with a highly legible digital display and a finely adjustable bedside lamp mode that offers the ideal mellow lighting for bedtime reading.
Another plus: it’s lightweight and compact. I went on a short holiday while testing it and had no problem fitting it inside my suitcase, carrying it and setting it up in my hotel room. This is the sort of thing you may actually find yourself doing if you become habituated to using a wake-up light.
What we don’t love
This is a nicely designed alarm clock, but I’ve tested models with greater bedside appeal (including some cheaper ones). Available only in black, this blobject will suit some bedrooms better than others. If other colours were offered, the Glow 150 would be able to blend more easily into a wider range of interiors.
There’s also slightly less adjustability with this model than with some competing sunrise alarm clocks, especially in terms of the sunrise length, where the choice of three durations may feel limiting to some.
My only full-blown reservation is with the steep price (from £106.49 at the time of writing), but think of it as a real investment in your quality of sleep.
Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150: should I buy it?
Sunrise alarm clocks don’t suit everyone, but for many people – myself included – dawn simulation makes a significant difference to the experience of waking up before sunrise. The Bodyclock Glow 150 is the best model I’ve tested, and although it’s expensive, it could prove precious to many who feel groggy in the mornings. Lumie offers a 45-day trial on its wake-up lights, but bear in mind that you’ll need to have all the original packaging (and pay for postage) if you wish to return it within that period.
For more, read the most-hyped sleep aids, tested
