Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light Simulated Sunrise and Sunset Multiple Lights and Sounds RelaxBreathe to Sleep HF3650

We purchased the Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light for our 17-year-old son, who has always been an incredibly heavy sleeper. Traditional alarm clocks (e.g., buzzers, tones, even phone alarms) did absolutely nothing for him. In fact, his old alarm was so loud that it woke his siblings across the hall...but not him. He would even sleep through our house alarm, and the siren was in the attic directly above his room. We knew we had to try something different, and after researching sunrise alarm clocks, we decided to "invest" in the Philips model. I was skeptical at first, given the price tag, but I’m happy to say this product truly works. What worked for us: Sunrise Simulation: This is the standout feature. The gradual increase in light over a customizable time window gently pulls him out of deep sleep, rather than jolting him awake like traditional alarms. It can be adjusted up to 45 minutes, but we found a 20-minute ramp-up works well for him. Like a real sunrise, the light increase is smooth and doesn't "step up" like other sunrise alarms. Sound Settings: You can choose from several natural alarm sounds that begin playing at the end of the light cycle. They’re pleasant and effective, and no harsh buzzing is required. Adjustability: It took about a week of tweaking the settings (light intensity, sound volume, sunrise duration), but once dialed in, it became incredibly reliable. Mood Improvement: He’s waking up on time and in a much better mood, which is a win for him and the rest of the household. We’ve tried some cheaper sunrise alarms for our daughters, and while they look similar, they don’t compare to the Philips. This one feels higher quality in both build and performance. Bottom Line: If you or someone in your family struggles to wake up, this is worth the investment. I never thought I’d say this about an alarm clock, but we’re now considering buying a second one for our own bedroom. Highly recommended! Read more

This sunlight 'alarm' is the best quality of life improvement I've made in a decade. I've told my coworkers about the Somneo, I've told my hairdresser, I've raved to strangers... in fact, I'm doing so now! If you find waking to be a brutal experience, the Somneo will change your life overnight. I wake refreshed. No more nasty alarm clocks that start the day off with a stressful blare. No more using my phone as an alarm clock. No more sick dread of stumbling out of bed on a dark winter's morning. If you are in doubt, watch the Somneo and competitor video. It will show how the Somneo's progression from dark to daylight is incremental, rather than being discrete jumps in brightness. This means everything to waking refreshed. The night light feature is also particularly useful. I like to read in bed. The Somneo can be set just bright enough to read comfortably, but without the harsh "edges" of even a 45-watt light bulb. It's nicer for my husband, too, as he normally goes to sleep a bit earlier than me. The clock is dim, giving off a pale white light. The design is sleek and feels good to the touch. That probably sounds strange, but to turn off the night light feature, I just swipe my hand across the smooth, cool plastic. There's something magical about shutting off a light without a switch or knob. A lot of people on Ye Olde Internets complain that the Somneo is confusing to set up. I did not find this to be the case. I found the controls intuitive. It took maybe five minutes from opening the box to having the Somneo set up the way I wanted. I am not sure why so many people are perplexed by the controls, but please don't be deterred. I've tried other light alarms, and the Somneo "outshines" them all! Read more

I bought the non-app enabled version and this is my breakdown: Useability: From my perspective, this was really easy to use and quite intuitive. I was expecting to keep the manual on hand because it might get confusing, but my boyfriend and I went through the whole setup without even looking at the manual. I haven't had any problem navigating since then. I assume the buttons can be more confusing for some people because there might be a learning curve if this type of product is new for them. Sunrise: There are 7 natural sounds for the sunrise, in addition to the radio and no sound option, which I was surprised about. I was easily able to pick a sound I liked from the lineup. The light works, what more can I say. Perhaps because I'm taking melatonin right now, I didn't wake up to the light on my first night, but the sound did. I chose Nepal Bowls. The sound was a little loud, so it was a bit joltier than expected. Nothing changing the volume can't fix, but what surprised me was how I felt. After a few more minutes of snooze, I got up and just looked at the light and around my room. I was getting more energy just chilling there and forgot to turn on my electric fireplace when I got up. I never forget that, because it's the first light I wake up to. Not anymore. Sunset: This area I was looking forward to the most and was a bit disappointed. Ever since starting school up again, I've had insomnia for 3 months now. I didn't have a lamp in my room before this and wanted something that could help my night routines. I thought the sunrise sounds could also be used for sunset, but this is not the case. The sound choices are only 2 nature sounds, radio, no sound and aux. You only get Soft Rain and Ocean Waves, which is not enough options in my opinion. Most people don't have mp3 players or phones with aux ports anymore, so this severely limits what people can listen to when it comes to sleep music. I understand the frustration with not having Bluetooth, but for me, the point of having an alarm clock is to have the phone OUT OF THE BEDROOM! I initially did not realize that this clock enabled aux music, which was a pleasant surprise, for me at least. I am lucky enough to have a DAP (Digital Audio Player) already loaded with sleep music and other such. This limits screen use and blue light exposure, so I was able to listen to my preferred crackling fire sound. When I listen to the radio, I exclusively listen to 88.7, the classical channel. With these two options, the clock more than makes up for the lack of sleep sounds. Unfortunately, this is an outdated feature. While I make this work with my DAP, I'm very disappointed in the sunset sound options. I believe there needs to be more built-in options to encourage people to not bring their phone into the bedroom. I don't own a smartphone, so this was very important to me. RelaxBreathe: This one also falls REALLY short. The light mimicking breathe patterns is actually really good. Watching the light as I breathe does a good job of keeping me focused on the actual act of breathing, because I usually get stuck in my head and get distracted. The light gives me something to focus on. The sound though, is no good. There is no point in turning on sounds with the program, because YOU ONLY GET 1 SOUND. Your choice is no sound or Ocean Waves. I was really expecting a breathing sound or something, but no. I don't think this is a big deal though. The main focus is to breathe, and I think just the light is good for that. This feature is also part of the Unwind program, so it counts for bedtime too. Overall, these features are the most important to mention. The biggest problem I have is the sunset options. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SOUND MACHINE ALARM CLOCK, THIS IS NOT IT. While the aux function should be replaced by Bluetooth to accommodate most people, the problem is that phone usage is encouraged by not having enough nature sounds. The aux port proves no problem for me, so my sunsets are calming, and sunrises are very invigorating. Just ask yourself whether you need sunrise or a sound machine, then figure out whether the product will work for your lifestyle. Fun fact: I was actually looking for a sound machine alarm clock, but this clock works for my lifestyle, so I'm glad I got this one. Read more