Tip #21: Wake Up With the Sun
- How to Wake Up Early
- Tips , Sleep
- December 14, 2025
Do not worry, this tip is not about waking up at 4 a.m., so keep reading…
When it comes to sleep, everyone prefers to sleep in a dark room. Our body is trained to sleep when it’s dark and we fall asleep faster and relax better in the darkness. So if darkness helps you fall asleep better, what do you need to wake up? Right, you need light!
As soon as the alarm goes off, expose yourself to a bright light (ideally, sunlight) and you won’t get back to bed again!
Why Light Works
Light in the morning is good for two reasons:
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Our body is attuned with nature and it’s natural to wake up when the sun goes up. It’s how our ancestors lived for ages before the invention of electricity. If sunrise time is too early for you, still start your morning bathing in the light. Light is a natural cue to our brain that it’s time to wake up.
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Our body responds to darkness by producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. Light stops this process, thus making your waking up much easier. If you’re waking up in a dark room, it’s the same as trying not to sleep while taking sleep pills.
So put yourself in the light as soon as the alarm goes off and make it a part of your morning routine.
It Works for Kids Too
I regularly wake up my kid by pulling curtains open and allowing the sun to light up the room. On weekends when we are not in a hurry it doesn’t work immediately, but it does work over 15-30 minutes. I guess that’s how long it takes to wake up when you don’t have any other irritants but the light. Opened windows and fresh air do accelerate the process.
Sunrise Alarm Clocks
As usual, technology is already here to put this effect to use. Philips developed a lamp combined with an alarm clock that gradually increases the intensity of light in the morning. There are many other similar devices these days you can find on Amazon:
- Hatch Restore 3 Sunrise Alarm Clock, featuring white noise sleep sounds and Hatch Sleep app
- Vivilumens Sunrise Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers Adults
- Sunrise Alarm Clock White Noise Machine
…and many others. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you use some device or just open the curtains. Just be sure to leave the world of darkness as soon as you wake up and join the Light Side…