Where can I find a "sunrise" alarm clock in the US?

November 14, 2006 2:24 PM

Where can I find a "sunrise" alarm clock in the US?

I'm looking for an alarm clock that uses light instead of sound to wake you up. Unfortunately the only thing I've found is this that ships from the UK.

posted by JPigford to home & garden (11 answers total)

I got one from here.
posted by delladlux at 2:29 PM on November 14, 2006

The phrase you're looking for is dawn simulator. You should also be able to find some previou Ask discussions about them, if you need more info.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 2:32 PM on November 14, 2006

I want one of these which sounds like it uses light with a sound backup.
posted by orangemiles at 3:19 PM on November 14, 2006

A really simplistic option is to buy a timer, like for Xmas lights, going on vacations, etc. and set it up with a light you already have. I did that last week and have been very happy so far.
posted by epersonae at 3:46 PM on November 14, 2006

Seconding the BioBrite. miagaille and I have woken to one for a year now- the "88628 Digital SunRise Clock - Advanced Model" - and can't imagine life without it. The very idea of being woken up by sound is just horrific to us now.
posted by dmd at 3:54 PM on November 14, 2006

epersonae - I did that last year. It was nice, but a little jarring. Have you found a way for it to get lighter gradually?
posted by bristolcat at 4:03 PM on November 14, 2006

I have that Moonbeam clock from LLBean.com. Starts with flashing light, then goes to noise. Works really well in winter, in summer I rely on the noise because it's already light out.
posted by theora55 at 4:25 PM on November 14, 2006

If you truly just want the light, rather than also having an audible alarm, I recommend this sunrise simulator. It's cheap ($30) because you plug in your own lamp. (I like this because I can use a lamp that looks nice in my bedroom, rather than the ugly globes all the other simulators seem to use.) You have to plan ahead a bit & plug it in 8 hours before you want to get up, though - it doesn't have a timer you can set.
posted by belladonna at 4:33 PM on November 14, 2006

Back in 1997 I got a table lamp from MicroSun that had a built-in clock and sunrise alarm feature. Same idea as the BioBrite, but it was a nice looking piece of furniture. The bright rays shooting into my eyeballs really helped fight seasonal affective disorder, which was a problem in the winter blizzards of Chicago. Unfortunately, they only sell those crazy brass retirement home things now, and I couldn't find my WinterSun model anywhere online. Maybe you contact them and demand one!
posted by billtron at 7:08 PM on November 14, 2006

Oops! MicroSun website.
posted by billtron at 7:10 PM on November 14, 2006

I've got a 3-way lamp on a timer AND a clock radio. I tend to use the lowest setting until I start sleeping through that and then move my way up as winter goes on. I don't find it all that jarring when the light comes on, especially if it comes on before the radio.
posted by srah at 8:17 PM on November 14, 2006