How should you light a bedroom for better sleep?
Two things: in the last hour before bed, use only warm, low lamps; after lights-out, make the room as dark as you can. Research shows ordinary room light delays melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep.
Well researchedWhy it feels uncomfortable
Researchers found that spending the evening in ordinary room light delayed the start of melatonin and shortened it by about 90 minutes, and that room light during usual sleep hours cut melatonin by more than half (Gooley et al. 2011). So it's not only about whether you sleep with a light on; the last hour before bed matters too.
What tradition says
Feng shui says a bedroom should be dark and sheltered, and that evenings should wind down. That points to the same thing as the research.
Three ways to fix it
- Do it nowAdd a warm, low lamp by the bed and switch off the ceiling light an hour before sleep.
- Move some furnitureGet blackout curtains and cover standby lights with tape.
- If you can't change itIf you're used to sleeping with a light on, start with a very dim night light near the floor, then try an eye mask.
FAQ
What about getting up at night?
Use low motion-sensor night lights that point at the floor, not the bed. They're safer and don't wake anyone else.
Do smart bulbs' sleep modes help?
Lights that dim and warm automatically are handy. What matters is that the light really does go down before bed.
Related questions
Sources
This page draws on traditional ideas about the home and on environmental psychology research. It is for everyday reference, makes no predictions, and is not medical advice. If you sleep badly for a long time, please talk to a doctor.