I tried the Dreamie sunrise alarm clock and it helped break the bad habit that was ruining my sleep

Ambient Dreamie: Review in brief

The Dreamie Bedside Sleep Assistant and Smart Alarm Clock is the flagship gadget at Ambient, a company that designs phone-free sleep tech. That means that you won't need to download an app or keep your phone in your bedroom to use it (which, as someone who's trying to cut down her bad night time phone habits, I'm a big fan of).

Known simply as Dreamie, this smart alarm features a sunrise-simulating wake-up light, gentle sleep and alarm sounds, subscription-free content such as sleep podcasts, and a dimmable reading light — and, like the Hatch Sleep Clock, Ambient has even announced that sleep tracking will be added to the mix soon.

To find out whether it can compete with the best sunrise alarm clocks on the market, I tested the Dreamie for three weeks. Not only has it provided a gentler way to wake up every morning, the Dreamie has optimized my nighttime habits for better sleep, too.

That's because the Dreamie doubles as a sleep sound machine and a morning wake-up light.

Its library of sleep sounds, for instance, function as bedtime cues, providing rich and soothing wind-down audio, as well as noise masking sound options. While the bedtime light cues and wind-down audio provide a relaxing atmosphere for sleep, the noise-masking sounds drown out distracting city noise without the aid of intrusive earbuds.

As for its role as a a sunrise alarm, the Dreamie gently pulls me from my sleep so I wake up feeling less rattled than I do when I use my iPhone alarm.

Sleep tracking data from my Oura Ring 5 shows that I've consistently woken up during light sleep — which means I'm roused awake when my body and brain is more prepared to rise. (Being jolted awake when you're in the middle of a deep sleep cycle can leave you feeling groggy and disoriented).

However, I must say that testing the Dreamie straight after using the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm has made me appreciate how well the latter's wake-up light mimics a natural sunrise. Yes, the Dreamie does do a decent job at replicating the gradual brightness of dawn, but its sunrise simulation is nowhere near as bright as the Lumie's.

This lack of brightness may disappoint very early risers who need a mega-watt wake up call during jet-black mornings, but the Dreamie's sunrise simulation provides enough light for anyone who just needs a gentle wake-up nudge during the darker months.

Unlike some other premium alarm clocks (cough, Hatch) you don't need to pay a subscription fee to unlock additional features of the Dreamie. However, it's not the cheapest on the market either.

Currently, the Dreamie is $249 at Ambient, and as it's a relatively new release, I can't yet predict whether or not it'll be discounted in the Black Friday sleep and mattress sales. It comes with free shipping, a one-year warranty, and a 30-night sleep trial.

Although I recommend considering cheaper options from Hatch Restore 3 and the even cheaper Dreamegg sunrise alarm clock, I still think the Dreamie is worth its $249 price tag.

It's sleek, stylish and takes up very little room on my nightstand (especially compared to the hefty Lumie). I did need to tinker with the unique control panel as it isn't the most intuitive, but once I did get to grips with it, the Dreamie became the smoothest, most fluid sleep gadget I've tested.

Ambient Dreamie: $249.99 at Dreamie

At $249.99, the Ambient Dreamie has a sleek design and feel that reflects its luxury price tag. Free shipping, a 30-night trial, and 1-year warranty are included, and you don't have to worry about any subscription or membership fees.

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Ambient Dreamie review: Features

The Dreamie prides itself on being a completely phone-free piece of sleep tech. While some may enjoy controlling their smart alarm via an app, an increasing number of people (myself included) are looking for ways to ditch the distraction of their smartphone at bedtime.

However, that doesn't mean you'll go screenless when using this sunrise alarm, as the Dreamie itself has touchscreen controls. The screen is clear and tactile, requiring gentle taps and swipes, but it's not the only way the unique Dreamie control panel operates.

For instance, you can control the volume by twisting or rotating the ring that surrounds the Dreamie's touchscreen face. If you want to control the brightness, run your finger along the "touch strip", located on top of the Dreamie.

While these controls may feel slightly unnatural at first, they do become easier after a day or so of use. I also found the Dreamie's crystal-clear display and seamless touch commands much smoother to operate than the Lumie's digital clock interface and clunky buttons.

The Ambient Dreamie, in a nutshell, is a premium wake-up light that moonlights as a quality sleep sound machine. As an alarm it's easy to operate: simply create a new wake-up schedule, choose the time and days you'd like it to be set for, and then toggle the sunrise feature on or off. You can also customize the length of the sunrise and the alarm sound you want to accompany it (if any).

If I'm honest, I was initially slightly disappointed with the amount of alarm sounds available. The four alarms to choose from, including bells and "morning songbirds", didn't grab me. However, one important thing I should mention is that the Dreamie is subject to free software updates.

After one quick software update, my Dreamie was suddenly equipped with more alarm sounds (including barnyard animals and wind chimes) and a library of sleep podcasts. Ambient has announced that Dreamie's sleep tracking feature will be arriving later this year, so I'm looking forward to the update that brings these key sleep insights.

At night, the smart alarm transforms into a 'sleep assistant', by creating a wind down function consisting of three steps.

First, a Bedtime Cue (a sound that reminds you it's time to get ready for bed). Next, a Wind Down (a sound that helps you to fall asleep). Then, a Noise Mask (a sound that drowns out sleep-disrupting noise).

Each step is customizable, so you can choose the sound and duration that you'd like for each step. For instance, I chose the sound of crickets chirping for my Bedtime Cue, 10 minutes of forest wind for my Wind Down, and the whirring of a small fan for my Noise Mask.

If you need some help creating a sleep routine, you can use the Sleep Goals feature. Simply tell the Dreamie what time you'd like to go to bed or wake up, plus how long you'd like sleep for, and the device automatically sets up a bedtime and wake-up time.

Ambient Dreamie review: Performance

I've been using the Ambient Dreamie for three weeks, assessing it for key areas of performance, set up and function. Here's everything you need to know.

Set-up

Weighing just 2.3lbs, the Ambient Dreamie is incredibly lightweight and easy to unbox. The shipping box is small and the contents is minimal, featuring an illustrated instruction booklet, a protective pouch, a USB-C cable, a power adapter, and the Dreamie itself.

As the Dreamie doesn't depend on apps or wireless connections, I was very glad that I didn't have to deal with unreliable Bluetooth connectivity or complicated app set-ups. I did, however, have to connect to the WiFi for initial onboarding — though after set-up is complete, you don't need internet connection to continue using the Dreamie.

The hardest part of setting up the Dreamie is getting to grips with its unusual control panel, but it does become easier and more intuitive after the first day of use. Along with an instruction booklet that tells you what each component does and where to place the Dreamie on your nightstand (within reach and facing you), the Dreamie walks you through its controls via an interactive, on-screen tutorial.

Sunrise simulation and alarms

The whole point of a sunrise alarm clock is to help sync your wake up time with your circadian rhythm, so you can wake up feeling refreshed. Your circadian rhythm, is your body's internal clock. It relies on morning sunlight to suppress sleep-inducing melatonin and increase the production of get-up-and-go hormones, such as cortisol, for a gradual, gentler wake-up than a conventional alarm.

You can adjust the duration of the sunrise simulation (the default is 10 minutes), but I scheduled it to begin 15 minutes before my wake-up time. You can also adjust the sunrise style and brightness; I chose the "Bright Sunrise" setting, but other options include sunrises from Norway, the Moon and even Mars.

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Even though I selected the brightest sunrise setting, there's no denying that the Dreamie's wake-up light isn't as bright as other sunrise alarm models. This is likely due to the fact that the Dreamie isn't a dedicated wake-up light like the Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light is — a sunrise simulation is just one of the Dreamie's features.

It may use dawn-mimicking light for a softer wake-up call, but the Dreamie doesn't provide me with a high-lux beam like the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM does. So, if you expect the Dreamie to fill your room with sunlight, then you'll be disappointed. Those who need high-lux sunrise simulation to brighten dark mornings or ease SAD symptoms will need to look for a model like the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300.

As for alarm sounds, the Dreamie provides both conventional (bells, wind chimes) and unconventional (barnyard animals). Like the sunrise simulation, alarm sounds have an adjustable duration (up to 20 minutes). You can also adjust the volume by twisting the Dreamie's ring. I've been using birdsong as my alarm sound, and I'm please with both the clear audio quality and the gentle tone.

Sleep sounds

While lots of sunrise alarm clocks offer sleep sounds (and even sunset simulations), their role is primarily to wake you up. However, I feel like the Dreamie is as much a sleep device as it is a sunrise alarm, and its library of sleep sounds prove it.

You can use these soothing sleep sounds, from a crackling fireplace to light rain to create a "Sleep Routine", a feature that uses audio to build, and guide you through, your nighttime routine.

The Sleep Routine feature consists of three components: a Bedtime Cue that signals when it's time to settle down; a Wind Down to help you fall asleep; and a Noise Mask to cover up any distracting noises. You can opt out of any of the three Sleep Routine components if you'd prefer to skip over a step. For instance, I tend to toggle off the Wind Down and head straight to the Noise Mask.

There's a good variety of sleep sounds to choose from, so you're not stuck with the one-note sounds of waterfalls and rains. In fact, the ambient noises are much more diverse than the alarm sounds. Yes, you have the standard nature sounds of an "evening forest" or "forest wind", but you can choose from brown noise, box breathing guidance, the Golden Gate Bridge, and fan noises.

You can also stream a library of sleep podcasts and bedtime stories (including Bedtime with Wikipedia and Boring Books for Bedtime), a good option if you're someone who likes to fall asleep with the TV on. While the Dreamie is aimed at those who want to make their bedtime phone-free, you can connect your sleep headphones via Bluetooth to the device for private listening.

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Ambient Dreamie review: Should you buy?

The Ambient Dreamie is made up of equal parts sunrise alarm and sleep sound machine, which is amazing if you're looking for a device that can streamline both your nighttime and morning routine without the aid of a smartphone.

Its sunrise simulation is fully customizable, allowing you to choose the sunrise style, duration, and the alarm sounds that accompany it. At night, this sunrise alarm clock transforms into a sleep assistant, playing a library of soothing sounds to remind you when it's bedtime, mask disruptive noise, and help you fall asleep.

However, as the Dreamie is designed to be both a smart alarm and bedtime companion, it doesn't provide the room-filling, high-lux wake-up light that you'd expect from a lot of luxury sunrise alarm clocks (especially when you consider that it's almost $250).

That said, I recommend this alarm to anyone looking to keep phone screens out of the bedroom, as you don't have to fiddle with any apps or Bluetooth connectivity to operate it. Perfect for anyone who wants to optimize their overall sleep routine and not just their mornings, the Dreamie is a stylish, space-saving gadget with modern, tactile controls and sleep-enhancing features that can only get better with every software update.

Ambient Dreamie review: Alternatives