Gina Johnson
The color of light in your environment can significantly impact your sleep quality. Blue light, for instance, is known to negatively affect sleep by decreasing melatonin production and disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle. On the other hand, warmer hues like red, orange, and yellow promote relaxation and prepare the mind and body for sleep. Red light, in particular, is often recommended for improving sleep quality and reducing sleep inertia upon waking. Understanding the connection between light and sleep can help create a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Light that helps sleep | Red, Amber, Warm light |
| Light that hinders sleep | Blue, Green, Violet, White, Cool light |
| Factors that affect sleep | Brightness, Hue, Saturation, Color temperature |
| Sleep-inducing light bulbs | Twilight Red Light Lamp, NoBlue Amber Sleep Lamp, Red Plugin Night Lights |
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What You'll Learn
Red light helps you sleep better
While blue light from electronic devices can negatively impact your sleep, red light may help you sleep better.
Red light causes your brain to produce melatonin, a hormone that helps you relax and fall asleep. Melatonin levels are traditionally controlled by sunlight, with the body producing more melatonin at night and less during the day. However, with the advent of modern technology, artificial light from sources like lamps and electronic devices can disrupt your body's natural rest patterns.
Research has shown that red light can improve your sleep quality, melatonin levels, and endurance performance. A 2019 study found that using a combination of red and ambient white light in the afternoon improved participants' circadian rhythm and increased alertness after lunch. Another 2017 study on mice found that red light at an intensity of 10 lux or higher had the potential to induce sleep.
Red light therapy has also been found to be beneficial for skin health, wound healing, hair growth, and pain management. While some claim it is useful for sleep, others argue that more research is needed to understand how red light affects sleep.
If you want to try red light to improve your sleep, choose products that emit red light wavelengths instead of bulbs that are simply tinted red. Additionally, try to expose yourself to bright lights during the day and dimmer lights in the evening, creating a dark environment when it's time to sleep.
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Blue light is bad for sleep
Blue light is a portion of the visible light spectrum that can influence alertness, hormone production, and sleep cycles. Blue light is emitted by electronic devices and artificial lights, such as LED and fluorescent lights. During the day, blue light can improve performance and attention, and boost alertness, reaction times, and mood. However, blue light exposure at night can disrupt the body's biological clock, or the circadian rhythm, and negatively impact sleep quality.
Blue light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that controls the body's natural sleep-wake cycles. Research has shown that blue light suppresses melatonin for about twice as long as green light. Blue light also shifts the circadian rhythm, enabling the body to maintain alertness and potentially causing sleep deprivation. The body's melatonin levels are traditionally controlled by sunlight, with the sun inhibiting melatonin secretion during the day and more of the hormone being released at night. With the advent of artificial lighting, blue light exposure in the evening can interfere with the body's ability to fall asleep.
Blue light exposure from screens is relatively small compared to sun exposure. However, there is concern about the long-term effects of screen exposure from digital devices, especially when it comes to eye strain and age-related macular degeneration. Blue light from screens can damage retinal cells and cause vision problems. Additionally, blue light exposure at night can trick the brain into thinking it is still daytime, disrupting the sleep-wake cycle and reducing sleep quality.
To improve sleep quality, it is recommended to limit blue light exposure at night. This can be done by avoiding electronic devices with screens, such as smartphones, computers, and televisions, at least one hour before bed. Blue light blocking glasses or apps that filter the blue/green wavelength can also be used to reduce exposure. Instead of blue light, red light is recommended for night lights as it is less likely to shift the circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin.
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Orange light is good for sleep
Light plays a critical role in regulating our sleep and wakefulness. Blue light, emitted from many artificial lights and electronic screens, can negatively impact sleep quality by suppressing melatonin and disrupting the circadian rhythm.
Orange light, on the other hand, is a warm colour that can promote better sleep. It has a lower colour temperature and does not stimulate our brains to respond to its wavelengths, making it ideal for transitioning from daylight to night without interrupting the sleep cycle. Orange is also the closest colour to red on the light spectrum, and red light stimulates melatonin production, helping us relax and prepare for sleep.
In fact, some experts recommend switching to warm lights in the evening, as they promote a cosy atmosphere and can help signal to the body that it is time to wind down. This is in contrast to cool colours, which signal to the body that it is time to wake up.
While a dark room is ideal for sleep, if you need some light, choosing warm colours like orange or amber is recommended. This is because they have little impact on the circadian rhythm and may increase melatonin production compared to cooler colours.
Additionally, exposure to orange light before bed can help prepare your eyes for darkness. This is why pilots are briefed under red light before night raids, as it allows their eyes to adjust to the dark before they fly.
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Yellow light helps you relax
While blue light from electronic devices is known to disrupt sleep, warm-colored lights like red, amber, and yellow can help lull you to sleep.
Yellow light, in particular, is a good option to use at night as it has little impact on the circadian rhythm. It also gives off a natural, cozy, and inviting atmosphere.
Yellow is often perceived as a high-energy color, associated with vitality, optimism, and freshness. It can evoke a lot of different psychological reactions, which are unique to individuals. For example, a reader, Fred, shared that being in a bright yellow math classroom made the atmosphere cheerful and enjoyable, and everyone's grades seemed to go up.
However, yellow can also create feelings of frustration and anger. It is the most fatiguing color to the eye, and people are more likely to lose their temper in yellow rooms. Therefore, yellow light is best used in small amounts, such as in lamps on your nightstand.
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Bright light is bad for sleep
Bright light negatively impacts sleep quality, especially blue light, which is emitted by electronic devices and energy-efficient light bulbs. Blue light suppresses melatonin production, disrupts the circadian rhythm, and reduces sleep quality by tricking the brain into thinking it is still daytime. Additionally, green light can negatively affect melatonin levels, and violet light may have similar adverse effects on sleep as blue light.
The human brain is wired to stay awake during daylight hours and fall asleep in darkness. Bright, natural light helps one stay awake, while dim, dark environments aid sleep. Exposure to bright light during the day boosts sleep quality at night, as well as mood and alertness. However, excessive exposure to bright light, especially before bedtime, can be detrimental to sleep.
Blue light exposure in the evening interferes with the body's ability to fall asleep. It is recommended to avoid blue light sources and electronic devices for at least an hour before bed. Blue light blocking glasses have been shown to improve sleep among people with insomnia.
Warm colours like red, amber, or pink may promote better sleep. Red light stimulates melatonin production, helping the body relax and prepare for sleep. It has a lower colour temperature than regular sunlight, making it ideal for transitioning from daylight to night without disrupting the sleep cycle.
In summary, bright light, especially blue light, negatively impacts sleep by disrupting the body's natural sleep-wake cycle and suppressing melatonin production. To improve sleep quality, it is advisable to minimise exposure to bright light before bed, especially blue light, and create a dim, warm-coloured lighting environment that promotes relaxation and sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
Red light is best for sleep, as it increases melatonin production and does not affect the circadian rhythm.
Blue light is bad for sleep. Blue light from electronic devices can trick your brain into thinking it is still daytime and disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.
Warmer light colors, such as yellows and oranges, are preferable to cooler light colors in the hours before sleep.
Bright lights and cool-toned colors, such as blue light, should be avoided before sleep as they can inhibit melatonin production.
Pink light is a good option for a child's bedroom. It provides a fairy tale feel and is soothing.
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