Anyone in my life can tell you, as soon as the air outside begins to feel a little crisp and the leaves on the trees start turning orange, I can be found on the couch with a cosy blanket watching the Twilight Saga from start to finish.
As I have come to find out while testing what we consider to be one of the best sunrise alarm clocks, the Hatch Restore 3, it’s more than just an alarm clock. It uses light to gently wake you, then plays sound to give you the final nudge to get out of bed. I've also been using the sunrise alarm clock to wind down in the evenings before getting into bed, and having a routine like this in place is making all the difference to my sleep scores.
So while the sunrise alarm clock has become an essential part of my routine, when I heard that Hatch had released a special alarm and cue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Twilight Saga, I had to try it to fully embrace the “Hoa Hoa Hoa” season.
The first book in the series that was later adapted into a huge movie franchise was released 20 years ago this month, and fans everywhere have been going wild with news of special edition books and re-releases of the movies in theaters across the country.
The Twilight Saga Cue
I selected “The Twilight Saga” sunrise alarm, which uses the intro of the song Eyes On Fire by Blue Foundation, which is more lovingly known by fans of the films as “the Hoa Hoa Hoa song”. This is paired with the Breaking Dawn lighting cue, which starts as a deep blue before lighting up the room with a paler yellow to stir you back to the land of the living.
I was able to alter the lighting cue to come on for as long as I needed before the song played, and after testing a few different options, I decided that 15 minutes of lighting before the alarm went off was best for me, as I would always open my eyes just before the music started.
Because of the lighting, when I woke up, I wasn’t as tired as usual, since it’s not a massive shock to the system like when I use the alarm on my phone. Because let’s be honest, when it’s super dark outside and suddenly your phone starts blaring at you, it feels like a fight or flight situation.
New Moon lighting
The great thing about the Hatch Restore 3 is that, through the app, you can also set wind-down routines. Thai was great for me as I am someone who tends to procrastinate bedtime with a couple more TikToks or a few more chapters of whatever book I’m reading.
So to unwind, I have the same song, Eyes On Fire, playing with the New Moon lighting, which has the same blue, green, and yellow tones as the Breaking Dawn cue, but instead of gradually getting lighter, it switches from light to dark.
I've already watched the Saga from start to finish once this year (and I’m sure I will again), so this has been the perfect addition to my evening routine. It's that little reminder as I get into bed that spooky season is coming. And I can revisit whether I'm team Edward or team Jacob as I fall asleep.
Easy alarms with the Hatch app
What I enjoyed about the Hatch is how easy the app is to use to organise wind-down and wake-up routines. As a dedicated Oura Ring user, I have some experience navigating sleep-based apps to get the most out of them.
With the Hatch app, everything is organized into sections, and you can follow your same routine every single day, or add alternatives for particular days of the week. I track my sleep with the Oura Ring (Gen 3), and since using the Hatch Restore 3, my sleep scores have skyrocketed. Being able to wind down effectively in the evening and then wake up gentry has made all the difference to my daily routine, and that is definitely showing in how restorative my rest is.
You can find out more about the features of the sunrise alarm clock in this full Hatch Restore 3 review.
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