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Once the clocks go back, my alarm goes off in the dark and everything feels harder. Getting up. Getting moving. Not reaching for my phone the second I open my eyes.
I don't need a whole new routine for winter. I need a few things that make dark mornings feel softer. These are the five I'd pick.
Quick picks
Best sunrise alarm clock: Hatch Restore 3
Best budget sunrise alarm clock: JALL Wake Up Light
Best light therapy lamp: Verilux HappyLight Lumi
Best for slow mornings: Ember Mug 2
Best free habit: Phone out of the bedroom
1. A sunrise alarm clock: Hatch Restore 3
A sunrise alarm clock fills your room with light that slowly gets brighter before your alarm goes off. So you wake up to something that feels like morning, even when it's pitch black outside.
The Hatch Restore 3 is the one most people want. It's a sunrise alarm, sound machine and reading light in one, and it looks nice on a bedside table. You can control it from the device itself, so your phone can stay out of reach.
Good to know: You need the app and Wi-Fi to set it up, and some sounds and routines sit behind the Hatch+ subscription.
Best for: Anyone ready to spend more on a better wake-up.
Shop the Hatch Restore 3 on Amazon
2. The budget option: JALL Wake Up Light
If you want to try a sunrise alarm before spending a lot, start here. The light builds from 10% to 100% over 10, 20 or 30 minutes before your alarm. You can wake to nature sounds or the radio, and it has two alarms if you share a bedroom.
It looks more basic than the Hatch. It does the main job well.
Best for: Trying sunrise alarms on a budget.
Shop the JALL Wake Up Light on Amazon
3. A light therapy lamp: Verilux HappyLight Lumi
Winter mornings are dark, and most of us head straight to a desk without seeing much daylight. A light therapy lamp gives you bright, sunlight-style light while you drink your coffee, do your makeup or check emails.
The HappyLight Lumi gives off 10,000 lux of UV-free light. It's thin, has three brightness levels and comes with a stand or can go on the wall.
Want a countdown timer? The HappyLight Lumi Plus adds one.
Good to know: If winter makes you feel low for weeks at a time, speak to your doctor. A lamp is a nice extra, not a fix.
Best for: Desk workers who barely see daylight in winter.
Shop the HappyLight Lumi on Amazon
4. A mug that keeps your coffee hot: Ember Mug 2
Dark mornings call for a slow start. The problem is my coffee goes cold while I'm getting ready.
The Ember Mug 2 keeps your drink at the temperature you choose, between 120°F and 145°F. The 10oz mug lasts up to 1.5 hours on its battery, or all day on the charging coaster.
Good to know: Hand wash only, and it can't go in the microwave.
Best for: Anyone who makes coffee and forgets about it.
Shop the Ember Mug 2 on Amazon
5. The free one: keep your phone out of the bedroom
This one costs nothing. Once you have an alarm clock that isn't your phone, charge your phone in another room.
No scrolling in bed at night. No scrolling the second you wake up. It's the easiest way to make your morning feel like yours again.
Your winter morning routine, simplified
You don't need all five. If you only pick one thing, get a sunrise alarm clock. Waking up to light instead of noise changes how the whole morning feels.
Then add the rest as you go. A lamp for brighter mornings. A mug for slower ones. Your phone in the kitchen.
Save this post for when the clocks go back.
