This Dreamy Sunrise Alarm Clock Has Helped Me Build Better Sleep Habits And Wake Up Easier

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The Hatch Restore 3 combines light, sound, and a library of content to build out a customizable sleep routine. Its signature design also mimics a sunrise and sunset to help you gently wake up refreshed or prepare for sleep.

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Sleep has finally gotten the spotlight it deserves, with social media making conversations about sleep more relatable and fun. In fact, research shows that maintaining a consistent bedtime routine can improve sleep quality, and Hatch makes building those habits simple and enjoyable. The Hatch Restore 3, the third generation of this popular smart sound machine alarm clock, captures the idea that establishing sleep routines can be both effective and enjoyable.

As a sleep science expert, I love to see devices like this gaining attention alongside a growing awareness of how vital good sleep is to our mood, health, and overall well-being. I've tested a number of the best wake up light alarm clocks, the Hatch Restore 3 till stands out with the most sleep sounds, light options, and soothing content.

I believe the Hatch Restore is surely a sleep enthusiast's dream; it's gone viral for all the right reasons, and people can't stop sharing about how it's helped them unwind, fall asleep faster, and wake up feeling refreshed.

I originally reviewed the first-generation Restore in 2021, and it quickly became one of my favorite sleep devices. Its customizable features, calming sounds, light therapy, and guided meditations are designed to create a sleep-friendly atmosphere. After trying all three generations of the Restore, I can say the latest model brings some exciting upgrades. The biggest change is the phone-free set up, which lets you go through your sleep routine without your phone. Most of the controls are now on the device itself — a feature I love for reducing screen time before bed.

Design

The Hatch Restore 3 is the perfect size for any bedside table and available in three neutral colors. Its sleek half-moon shape design mimics the natural progression of a sunrise and sunset, with LED light diffused through a fabric-covered front creating a soft glow, helping to support a healthy circadian rhythm — your body's internal sleep-wake cycle.

The redesign lets you adjust volume or hit snooze without reaching for your phone.

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The core upgrade from its earlier iterations is the phone-free controls, giving you the power to manage your sleep routine directly from the device. With five simple buttons, the Restore 3 makes it easier to start your unwind routine, snooze, or turn off the alarm without reaching for your phone. The large button at the top allows for easy start/stop functions, and the dial lets you adjust the volume with a quick turn. The "Swap" button makes switching between routines easier, and you can pause anything playing with the "pause" button. There's also an alarm toggle to disable the alarm if you need a little extra rest or want to skip it entirely. My personal favorite is the bedside light button, great for when you need a quick light. Another major improvement is the sound quality: the Restore 3 has undergone a complete audio overhaul offering better clarity and enhanced bass response.

The key differences between the Hatch Restore 2 (left) and the Hatch Restore 3 (right) is the reconfiguration of onboard controls that make it easier to control your Hatch and activate your sleep routine without your phone. The center dial lets you adjust volume, swap out routine and toggle on a nightlight.

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This smart light relies on a stable WiFi connection and the Hatch Sleep app is required for set up and to access all of the available content (download on Apple App Store and on Google Play). It offers over 50 sounds and 18 adjustable light colors for free. With the Hatch+ subscription, you'll unlock access to more than 150 sounds, additional light options and a continually ever evolving library of content including sleep stories, meditations and more. You can also set a total of 10 steps in your nighttime routine that will ease your transition into a better night's sleep.

The Hatch Restore 3 includes a free 30-day trial of Hatch+, a subscription that unlocks the full Hatch sleep experience.

Review of the Hatch Restore 3

Unboxing and setup

Unboxing the Hatch Restore 3 feels like a gift, and comes with a handy insert to get started.

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Out of the box, the Hatch Restore 3 arrived with a handy little card featuring a QR code that links to setup instructions on their website. The card also outlines three simple steps to get started. First, I placed it on my bedside table, plugged in the power cable, and connected it to an outlet — easy. Next, the card prompted me to download the Hatch Sleep app, which I already had installed. The only part that took a little patience was syncing the device to my phone via Bluetooth. It took around five minutes for it to connect to WiFi and register on my Hatch Sleep account. For new users, you'll need to download the app, create an account using your email, follow the prompts to connect, and then develop your sleep routines page, where you can start customizing or try one of the routines the app pre-selects for you based on how your answers to the prompts.

Customizations galore

Within the Hatch Sleep app you can customize your unwind, sleep, and alarms with a vast content of sounds and light effects. A simple questionnaire helps kick off a few suggestions.

Hatch

Here's the fun part. The Hatch Sleep app gives you total control over your sleep routine. In the clock and display settings, you can personalize your device to fit your preferences. I always recommend total darkness to sleep, so I set the clock display to stay off unless I tap the device, which gives me the best of both worlds — darkness at night but the option to check the time when I need to. You can also choose between a 12-hour or 24-hour clock and adjust the brightness for both daytime and nighttime displays.

The app is user-friendly and offers extensive options for creating personalized unwind and sleep routines. You can build an unwind routine with cues to help you relax, then transition into your sleep routine with multiple steps that you can fully customize. During the 30-day Hatch+ trial, I had access to the full content library, which includes unique options like "Nature Walk ASMR" and "Tiny Bed Concerts" which I love, alongside an array of nature sounds, ambient tones, and even color noises.

The wake-up alarms offer everything from gentle wake-up sounds, like "Morning Birds," to something more energizing to get you moving, like my current favorite, "Breakfast Morning Rave," if you want to wake up to a mini dance party.

All routines can be paired with soothing light options that perfectly set the mood. From gorgeous sunrises to cozy sunsets, there's a ton to choose from. I prefer the ones that mimic a natural circadian sunset and sunrise like "Solar Descent" and "Morning Stroll", but if you're in the mood for something more fun, there are playful options like "Zodiac light" and "Lava lamps." The brightness is also adjustable.

Developing the ultimate sleep routine

Some of the various light settings you can tinker with to wind down or wake up.

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For my nightly routine, I set a 10 p.m. unwind cue that gently nudges me to shift into relaxation mode. I chose the "Dream Time" light to create a serene, calming glow to subtly signal it's time to wind down paired with the soothing "Lavender Sky" sound set to a high volume to ensure I can hear it from anywhere in the house. I like this combination because it serves as a reminder to pause my evening activities and prioritize my bedtime ritual.

My Unwind routine kicks off with 30 minutes of calming "Sleep Beats" paired with a soft reading light — the perfect vibe to settle into my book and leave the day behind. After that, my routine switches to 10 minutes of "Serene Waterscapes" and "Marine Midnight" light. The sound evokes a peaceful ocean breeze, and the light begins with a soft yellow glow, gradually shifting to calm blue hues, which help me relax as I close my eyes. You can customize your sleep routine with up to five steps, but personally, I've found that two steps are ideal to help me relax without overcomplicating things.

You can pair sounds and lights in your sleep routine, with adjustable durations and gradual dimming. The tune can play all night, but only if it's not paired with a light (since let's be honest, it's not ideal to sleep with a light on). My sleep routine starts with 10 minutes of "Barcelona Nightscape" paired with the "All is Calm" light at a low brightness and volume. Then, it transitions to "Malibu Ocean", a mix of wind and ocean sounds that acts like a gentle white noise, at a low volume and no light. It runs for 40 minutes and by the end, I'm already asleep. If you prefer, you can have sound playing all night long like a noise machine until you tap the device to stop.

A Gentle Wake-Up

Within a dark room, the natural sunrise progression is gentle on my body and makes it easier to wake up before the sun.

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I love waking up to a natural sunrise, or in this case, a sunrise simulation in the winter. The Restore 3 makes it easy to set up multiple sunrise alarms. You can create over 10 alarms, I've set up three to match my schedule. One for weekdays, one for my early gym days, and a third for weekends. Having alarms tailored to different days is a game-changer, and setting up a sunrise alarm on the Hatch is just as simple and fun as creating nightly routines.

For my first alarm at 6 a.m., I wake up to a "Malibu Sunrise" paired with the lively "Thank God It's Monday" tune. The light starts with a vibrant red that slowly transitions to a warm orange like a sunrise, before softening to a bright white, creating a natural and energizing morning glow. Paired with an upbeat, pop-inspired melody, it's the perfect combo to get me up and moving for the gym. The second alarm is set for 7 a.m. on days where I don't need to wake up as early. It's a "Flowering Orchard" sunrise with rich orange hues and soft sound to ease me into the day. For the weekends, I've set a 7:30 a.m. alarm with "Hiking in the Dawn" sunrise and a calming "Bei Bei's Guzheng" sound, giving me a gentle start to the day. You can always hit the snooze button for a few extra minutes if you want to sleep in a little more on the weekends.

Cons to consider

The biggest drawback to the Hatch is that it doesn't connect to Bluetooth or have a built-in radio to let you play your own music. You'll also need to subscribe to the paid app to activate the best features.

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The Hatch Restore 3 offers a lot of great features, but there are a few things to consider before committing. Unlike some sunrise alarm clocks, the Restore 3 relies heavily on its companion app and a stable Wi-Fi connection.

While many functions on the app are free, accessing the growing library of light and sounds requires a subscription. It costs $49.99 per year or $4.99 per month, however you can enjoy a 30-day free trial when you try a new device. That said, even without the subscription, you still have access to over 50 sounds, and 18 light options, making the device functional and valuable on its own.

One thing I've noticed with the Hatch devices I've tested through the years is occasional connectivity issues. The app can take a few seconds to reconnect to the device, which may be frustrating for some. Though the new version had fewer interruptions, it did disconnect once during testing — reconnecting took only a few seconds.

Additionally, the Hatch doesn't support playing music or radio, so if you prefer drifting off to your favorite songs, this might not be the ideal choice. However, Hatch is continuously working on updates for both the app and device, so there's potential for improvements over time. 

What are your alternatives?

Designed for kids, the the Hatch Rest+ 2nd Gen acts as a portable nightlight and is a fraction of the price, while offering the same suite of sounds and light effects.

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To get the most value out of the Hatch Restore 3, you'll want to think about whether you'll fully embrace all the wind-down features, sounds, and other options available. If you want a straightforward traditional alarm clock, it could wind up being a costly accessory.

If you're looking for something more compact and portable, the Hatch Rest+ 2nd Gen is a great alternative—not to mention half the price. While designed for kids, I find it just as useful as an adult. It offers everything the Hatch Restore 3 does, but in a smaller, more portable form that's super convenient. Its design also more clearly resembles a small nightlight.

If you prefer something simpler with fewer features, the Philips Smart Sleep wake-up light offers adjustable light intensities and natural wake-up sounds, plus the option to wake up to your favorite FM station. The Restore 3 is also priced higher than most alarm clocks, so if you're on a budget, the Dekala Sunrise alarm clock could be a better fit.

The bottom line

The Restore 3 is ideal for those who prefer a gentle, natural wake-up without the harshness of a traditional alarm.

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My experience with the Hatch Restore 3 has been nothing short of pleasant, and I've enjoyed experimenting with various combinations to find what works best for me. The Restore 3 has become a gentle nudge to stay consistent with my bedtime routine, reminding me to focus on healthy sleep habits each night. Plus, Hatch offers a 30-night trial and a 1-year product warranty.

I'm impressed with Hatch's thoughtful design, with features like the option to turn off the display for complete darkness and the phone-free setup, which reduces screen time at night. It's clear that Hatch has invested a lot of research into creating a product that genuinely helps improve sleep.