Senior reviews editor Adrienne So's 7-year-old loves the stories, which take kids on meditative journeys with an animal companion. If you have a baby, any low-decibel sound machine will work (see the note at the beginning of this guide on safe volume), but Raptbaby says its machine goes a step further with neuroscientist-designed soundtracks that promote sleep and help develop the “ neuronal connections that are critical to language development in young children. Rather than a loud alarm startling you awake, these gentle wake up lights slowly increase the level of light in your room to mimic sunrise. And it’s not an exaggeration to say that I was nothing short of astounded when the soft forest birds chirping were waking me up with ease, given that multiple thrashing iPhone alarms had been failing to do it for months.

While I experienced mild benefits of waking up gradually to simulated light, there are two reasons it wasn’t the right product for me: I don’t need a contactless sleep tracker and I don’t like having anything that looks too “techy” on my nightstand. Hatch's sunrise alarm (which you can alter the colour of) slowly rises as the sun would, and you can choose from a list of sounds to gently wake you. I don’t have the best memory in the morning or when I’m sleepy, so it’s helpful to be able to distinguish them by touch. It helps that the front is covered in a natural linen fabric, which gives it a modern, Japandi vibe.functionality-wise, the warm light is intended to mimic natural sunlight, and I love how it gradually builds in intensity over 10 minutes before my alarm goes off - starting at a soft, deep orange and gradually brightening to a warm white light. Some of the others are featured in this edit, and I love them, too - but this is a nice, affordable choice if you're not too worried about fancy coloured lights or listening to the radio (I stream most of my music, so I wasn't). Why we love it: This sunrise alarm clock fills your room with natural-looking light up to an hour before your alarm is set, to wake you up peacefully and gradually. Why we love it: The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe is the most advanced sunrise alarm clock in the Lumie range - and therefore the most expensive.

With my blackout blinds down, I also wanted to see if the sunrise simulation would succeed in getting me out of bed. I particularly loved how pretty this one is; its neutral aesthetic reminds me of a pebble at a spa without going full beige.So believe me when I say the reality is not quite as glamorous, but it’s not too far off from the truth, either. The best sunrise alarm clocks also tend to feature a whole host of other morning-enhancing features like mood light settings, FM radios, reading light settings, charging ports and a variety of natural sounds. Sleep the way nature intended with a gentle sunrise alarm and soothing sleep sounds, all rolled into one beautiful dream machine.