9 soothing alarm clocks that will *finally* break your bedroom phone habit

I’ve ruined so many songs for myself by setting them as my alarm. John Mayer. Taylor Swift. Drake… all casualties. After day upon day of waking up to the same song blaring in your face, you can’t help but cringe every time you hear it play on the radio.

Music is not being the best wake-up option for me anyway, nor is using my phone as an alarm in general. That means it’s always within arm’s reach on my bedside table, resulting in an hour of scrolling when I could have been fast asleep. That’s why I decided to switch things up and swap my phone for an ever-growing trend in alarms: options that wake you up in the most soothing way possible — not with “In My Feelings” for the 100th time.

Long gone are the days of traumatizing twin bell alarm clocks. Now, there are alarms that use the sounds of ocean waves or birds chirping, the smell of your favorite essential oil, and—my personal favorite—Casper’s Glow Light that lets you schedule a gentle wake-up to soft light that’s as soothing as candlelight. It also doesn’t show the time, which forces me to get out of bed instead of lying there for “just 10 more minutes.” Instead of being scared awake with a typical alarm, which releases cortisol into the body, I rise stress-free and feel more calm throughout the day because of it.

To find your calm (and finally ditch your bedroom phone habit for good!), try one of these gentle alarm clocks.

shop soothing alarm clocks

The Glow Light, Single $129

Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock $40

Upstone Alarm Clock $27

LBell Wake-Up Light $45

HoMedics Slumber Scents Alarm Clock $76

LATME Sunrise Alarm Clock $46

Ayyie Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock $35

Philips Somneo Light Therapy Lamp $198

Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 Wake-Up Light $125

Another key to great sleep? Having an eye mask. Here are the best options for irritation-free beauty sleep. Also, find out how often you should be replacing your mattress for maximum zzzs, according to a sleep expert.