Hatch Restore 2 review: I'm still sleeping too long

To say “I'm not a morning person” would be an understatement. Not only is it hard for me to be useful in the first hour (or so) that I'm awake, but it's also hard for me to wake up. I mean, very difficult.

I’ve tried several recommendations and tricks: I’ve set multiple alarms, made coffee, and I’ve placed my alarm far from my bed and kept my blinds open so the sunlight can wake me up. But I still tend to sleep through my alarm or hit snooze until the last minute.

The Hatch Restore 2, a smart alarm clock with a light that mimics sunrise and sunset, seemed like a technologically smart solution to fulfill my dream of becoming a morning person.

After about three weeks I'm still not an early bird. But the smart alarm clock still deserves a spot on my nightstand.

How it works

Hatch calls the Restore 2 a “smart sleep clock.” That’s marketing speak, but let’s be honest, the Restore 2 does help me sleep. On a product page, the clock is described as targeting users’ “natural circadian rhythms to help you sleep optimally.” There’s some logic to it. Circadian rhythms are “the physical, mental, and behavioral changes an organism experiences over a 24-hour cycle,” according to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Circadian rhythms influence our sleep patterns (and other aspects of our biology, like appetite), according to NIGMS.

The pitch for the Restore 2 is that it has a clock that’s programmed to emit soothing lighting that you can gradually change as it approaches bedtime (like getting darker), along with an alarm that simulates a sunrise with brighter lighting that can help you wake up more naturally. You can set the clock to play different soothing sounds while you’re relaxing, sleeping, and/or when your alarm goes off.

The clock requires a Wi-Fi connection and the accompanying app to set up the device. The free app has a lot of options, including sounds, colors, and tips for a good night's sleep (there is a subscription for extra features and sounds for $5 a month, but thankfully that's optional).

Out like a light

This is by far the most customizable alarm clock I've ever used. The app was a little overwhelming at first, but once I got used to it, it was nice to be able to set Routines or different lights/sounds for different days. For example, I have mine set to play “Calming Singing Bowls” for two hours with a fading sunset effect when I press the “Rest” button. Once I press the button again, it plays ocean sounds until my alarm goes off.

I didn't think I needed a sleeping pill – I am really good while sleeping. But I was surprised how the Restore 2 helped me fall asleep more easily by blocking out unpleasant sounds. In my room, the biggest culprit is an outdated air conditioner that is loud when it’s on, and gets even louder when it automatically turns itself on and off (a feature that has become a bug that I can’t turn off).

As I slept the past few weeks, the clock served as a handy, adjustable, colored light to have on in the evening or as a cozy night light. The sounds of the ocean mingled with the sounds of the air conditioner, clearing my mind. I would sleepily wonder if certain sounds I heard were coming from the clock or my air conditioner. That’s the kind of boring, fruitless thinking that quickly sends me to sleep.

Playing sounds to help you fall asleep is clearly not new (some of my earlier memories are of falling asleep to a Lady and the Tramp cassette). These days, many would rather use an app or play a long video than buy a $170 alarm clock for the experience. Still, the convenience of setting up repeating routines on a device that’s meant to be a clock proved to be an advantage. It’s also nice to be able to start a routine by pressing a button on the device instead of having to use my phone to play sleep sounds.

But the idea that the clock’s lights and sounds will help me wind down in the hours before bed would only work if I were there by the clock when I was winding down. I usually spend my last waking moments in my living room. So unless I’m willing to change my habits or buy a Restore 2 for the living room, this feature is lost on me.