Wake Up Right: The Science-Backed Benefits of Sunrise Alarm Clocks

Discover the science behind sunrise alarm clocks and how they can transform your mornings! In this episode, we dive deep into circadian rhythms, light therapy, and the real benefits of waking up with a gentle glow instead of harsh alarms. Is it just a trend, or does it actually work? Tune in as we break down the facts and help you figure out if it's the right fit for you!

LLM-podcast. Sunrise Alarm Clocks

Julie: All right, let's dive into this sunrise alarm clock. So yeah, people are trading in like that harsh beep, beep, beep, or like this gentle glow, this fake sunrise. And it's, it's, it's supposed to be this idyllic way to wake up, right? Right. Like, does it actually work? Or is it just, you know, one of those, like, marketing things?

Brian: Right. Yeah, that's a really good question, because I think, um, what's really interesting about sunrise alarm clocks is that there's actually a surprising amount of science

Julie: Okay.

Brian: behind them, you know? It's not just an aesthetic thing. It's very biological.

Julie: Okay, so walk me through it. So, how does this fake sunrise Yeah.

Like, what's actually going on in our brains, in our bodies?

Brian: Yeah, so it all comes down to Our circadian rhythm.

Julie: Okay. So

Brian: that's essentially our body's internal clock and light, specifically blue light. Hmm. Plays a key role in regulating that clock. Hmm hmm. Um, and so, you know, for millennia humans, right, we've written.

Risen with the sun and rested when it sets. Right. So our bodies are really hardwired to respond to those natural light cues

Julie: So that's like the whole thing about like, you know, seasonal affective disorder

Brian: Exactly. And

Julie: like you need the light and that's why people get that kind of like winter blues.

Brian: Yes, exactly Yeah, that's exactly right seasonal affective disorder or SAD.

It's often linked to you know, reduce sunlight exposure We get in those winter months and so light therapy Yeah. Which uses blow light can be really effective in treating that. Mm hmm. And so sunrise alarm clocks kind of like work on a similar principle.

Julie: Oh, that's interesting. So it's not just like some like new age y kind of thing.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Brian: There's like

Julie: actual science backing this up. Yes. And I know like, you know, the New York Times, they do those annual tests.

Brian: They do, yeah.

Julie: On like, you know, all these different light therapy, um

Brian: Light therapy alarms, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They do, yeah. And that's a great resource. Yeah. Because they found what's really interesting is that how effective these sunrise alarm clocks are, actually.

Depends on how strong that light is.

Julie: Okay.

Brian: So some of them are really powerful, like we were talking, like, as bright as the actual sun.

Julie: Wow, that's intense. So brighter isn't always better though, right?

Brian: Right. You're totally right. It really is about finding what works for you. Some people just need that gradual sunrise.

Some people, you know, need that really bright wake up call. It depends on your personal preference, too.

Julie: That makes sense. Now, I've also seen these alarm clocks. They have like the color therapy options. Right. Like, is that legit or is that like You know.

Brian: Right. Yeah, I know. That's a great question. I think, um, because certain colors, you know, can evoke certain feelings, right?

Right. Yeah. You can think about like calming blues or like, you know, energizing yellows.

Julie: Yeah.

Brian: But the research on whether a specific color can actually directly influence your sleep is still pretty limited.

Julie: So, buyer beware on that one.

Brian: Yeah, for sure.

Julie: Look beyond, like, you know, all the bells and whistles and, like, really see what's going on.

Brian: Yeah.

Julie: So, someone's listening to this and they're like, okay, you know what? I want to try this whole sunrise alarm clock thing. What advice would you give them?

Brian: I think first and foremost, you know, know thyself. Are you a night owl? Are you an early bird? Because, you know, that can affect how effective this is going to be.

Um, second, I would say experiment. You know, the light intensity, the wake up duration, these are all things you can kind Like, tweak and adjust to find what works best for you. And then lastly, I would just say, you know, manage your expectations. This isn't a magic bullet for amazing sleep. This is a tool in your sleep hygiene arsenal.

Julie: Ooh, I like that. Yeah. Sleep hygiene arsenal. That sounds very official.

Brian: I know, right?

Julie: So we talked a lot about like, you know, how light affects our sleep.

Brian: Right.

Julie: But I want you to think about, you know, light throughout the day. Yeah. So think about your morning routine. Yeah. Like, where are you encountering that?

first like burst of bright light. Could you be like unintentionally messing with your circadian rhythm like right off the bat? Something to think about. All right. That was a great deep dive. Thank you so much for joining us and thank you for listening.

Brian: Thank you for having me.

Julie: We'll see you in the next one.