There are many people who sleep with the television and room lights on. However, these lights can have a negative impact on our sleep patterns, with some studies showing our health.
This also relates to ambient lighting. Ambient lights are the primary source of room illumination. It promotes a warm feeling and comfort.
After doing research to answer the question above, I found some conflicting answers. Most credible sources claim that sleeping with any light source can affect your brain, circadian rhythm, and health. While some believe that sleeping with red light can increase melatonin and improve your overall sleep.
One thing is certain, sleeping with blue light will negatively affect your sleep pattern. Thus, in this post, I will explore the impacts of sleeping with ambient lighting.
Why Do People Sleep With The Lights On?
People sleep with the lights on for a variety of reasons, including:
Some are afraid of the dark.
-They want to feel safe from any noises or possible intruders.
Many have trouble falling asleep without some sort of light in the room.
-Some have trouble waking up in the morning and need a little extra help knowing it’s time to get up.
Light And Darkness: How They Affect Our Sleep?
Light is a powerful stimulus that can influence your mood, alertness, and general health in both positive and negative ways.
The human body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm, which influences our daily cycles. Light and dark—influence this cycle. Bright light stimulates our circadian rhythm, while dim light suppresses it.
Darkness can also affect our melatonin levels — a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. It signals our body to produce more melatonin at night, which helps us fall asleep.
Light at night can have a negative effect on your sleep by suppressing melatonin production and keeping you awake at bedtime.
This means that many people find it harder to fall asleep when there are bright lights on in their room. However, how does ambient lighting affects our sleep?
What Is Ambient Lighting and its Impact On Sleep?
Ambient lighting is the illumination of a room that comes from all directions. It’s a style of lighting that’s meant to create a relaxing and soothing atmosphere.
It features a color temperature of 2200K- 2700K which produces warm soft light. While these lights are considered moderate, they can still increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome according to the Science Daily.
Therefore, it is best to sleep in a dark room or use blackout curtains and an eye mask to prevent light intrusion. For people who want the additional security of lights, consider dimming the bulb on its lowest setting and facing it to the floor.
It is also recommended to sleep with a yellow and red light because it put less stress on the brain.
The Effects Of Red Light When Sleeping
The color of light you’re exposed to at night can have a big impact on your sleep quality. The best color of light for sleeping is red.
Red light therapy can help people fall asleep faster, increase their melatonin levels—which helps them stay asleep longer—and reduce daytime fatigue.
Research shows that red light therapy has these effects because it stimulates the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep.
In a study, a small group of people was exposed to red and ambient lights in the afternoon. The outcome was they were more alert and their sleep was improved drastically.
Therefore, ambient light can help you sleep, but it depends on the color.
Which Is Best Sleeping In Dim Ambient lighting Or Sleeping In Darkness?
Above, we look at the effect sleeping with lights has on the brain and its melatonin production. We know that sleeping in darkness is better. However, what about the people who can’t sleep in total darkness? Is the risk of sleeping with light outweigh sleep deprivation?
The National Sleep Foundation has found that chronic sleep deprivation increases your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and cancer. Sleep also helps regulate your immune system and memory function.
So, for the people who need some sort of light to sleep, consider using yellow or red light. You can get this functionality by investing in smart LED bulbs.
To Sum,
While sleeping in light can negatively impact your sleep and health, sleep deprivation is even worse. Hence, if you have to sleep with light, consider using red light or a dim fixture that is facing the floor.
