Suffer from SAD? The Ikea smart bulb can help you beat dark mornings and ease the winter blues

(Image credit: Ikea)

published 15 October 2019

Thought you knew what an Ikea smart bulb could do? While we've talked quite a lot about Ikea smart lighting and its ability save space, stubbed toes – and stop burglaries, something we've only recently discovered is that they can make dark winter mornings that little bit easier. Which might be just what you need if you struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just hate early wake up calls.

Designed with a 'rise and shine' setting, Ikea's smart lights can now be programmed to gently rouse you from your sleep, as you might expect the best wake up light to. Genius, right? While we love a wake up light, a smart bulb is that much cheaper... which is why we think it's worth a close look.

1. The Ikea smart bulb can tap into your circadian rhythm

Wondering how the Ikea smart bulb will make dark, winter mornings easier? Well, the handy 'rise and shine' setting allows you to to schedule your lights to gradually increase in brightness and intensity over a 30 minute period.

This is intended to replicate the sunrise and interacts with an internal sleep cycle – called the circadian rhythm – to gently rouse you from your sleep. This approach to waking up is much less stressful for the mind and body and more closely replicates the way nature intended us to wake up. SAD sufferers should notice the difference.

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2. The Ikea smart bulb transforms an ordinary light into a wake up light

Investing in one of Ikea's smart lightbulbs makes it super easy to transform an ordinary light into a wake up light. Simply switch out your bulbs and you're away.

This is perfect if you like the idea of a wake up light, but prefer the aesthetic appeal of your current bedroom lighting – or want to save money (see below).

3. The Ikea smart bulb is a fraction of the price of a wake up light

The Ikea smart bulb is a much more affordable alternative to a traditional wake up light. For reference, Ikea smart bulbs start from £15 or $10.99, while the average wake up light retails for triple, if not quadruple that price. If this is your first foray into the world of wake up lights, we think it's a pretty good starting point.

4. The Ikea smart bulb keeps your bedside table clutter free

If (like us) your aim is to keep your bedroom as clutter free as possible, the prospect of having a table lamp and a wake up light on your bedside table is probably far from ideal. Investing in Ikea smart lighting that also fulfils the role of a wake up light is a way to combat this issue, without missing out on any of the perks.

5. You'll wake up feeling refreshed

Coming back to the point we started with, the Ikea smart bulb and its new 'rise and shine' setting is a small change to make to your morning routine, but (in our experience) it will make a huge difference to dark, dreary mornings.

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Emily first (temporarily) joined the Real Homes team while interning on her summer break from university. After graduating, she worked on several publications before joining Real Homes as Staff Writer full time in mid-2018. She left the brand in 2020 to pursue another career, but still loves a second-hand bargain and sourcing unique finds to make her rented flat reflect her personality.