Red lights for sleep help? For real? What happen to soft and familiar shades of blue, green and purple lulling our little ones to sleep? Well, lucky for us, our fabulous scientific communities (who love their sleep too;) are in constant pursuit of new and improved ways to provide sound sleep. In their most recent findings, experts unveiled the power the right night’s glow can have on our sleep cycles. Now, for parents battling bedtime wake up calls, we understand the small, innocent shimmering nightlights are not so innocent after all. In fact, the faint purple, white, blue or green glow could be negatively impacting your child’s sleep quality. So, how do we know which light to choose for sleep help? Never fear! We’re here to provide you with the sleep help you need. Here’s the skinny on red verses blue:
Red Light
At first glance, a glimmering red light source in your child’s bedroom may feel awarded. But did you know this vibrant hue stimulates the production of melatonin, a sleep enriching hormone we produce naturally? It’s true! Similar to our innate hunger cycle telling us when to eat, these sweet sleep hormones have an instinctive rhythm to produce when our surroundings are dark. Fortunately for us, we now know we can further enhance melatonin secretion with slumber friendly red lights:):)
Here are a few enlightening facts about Melatonin, Red Lights and Bedtime
*When our eyes see darkness, melatonin automatically begins producing
*Melatonin is created in our amazing brain’s cone shaped Pineal gland
*The Pineal gland also regulates our wakefulness, producing less melatonin during the day
*Melatonin supports our bodies ability to regulate body temperature, blood pressure and glucose levels
*Sleeping with a red nightlight generates melatonin to its highest level
*Melatonin creates muscle relaxation, easing our bodies stress for sound sleep
*Red lights construct a unique wavelength frequency different from other lights and colors
*NASA deems red as the optimum sleep soothing light
So, as you can see, there are many benefits when switching to a red night glow.
Note: Experts do mention during the initial switch, it may take your child a few nights to acclimate to the higher melatonin production. So, give your child a few nights to fully benefit from the new hue:):)
Now that we have learned why sleep therapists and physiologists recommend red lights for sleep help, let’s take a look at why Blue tones, daylight and fluorescent glows have proven to disrupt our much needed slumber.
Blue Light
During this Corona Virus pandemic, online schooling via zoom has spiked the American families daily intake of blue light from our computers. Most definitely, the recommended 1 to 2 hours of screen time has tripled overnight in our household! And, opposite of red light waves that produce relaxing melatonin, blue light waves act as a stimulant. boosting reaction times and attention. Yep, if we use blue waves or white lights before bedtime, the pineal gland is easily tricked into thinking it’s still daylight. And if our Pineal gland thinks it’s daytime, the natural nighttime production flow of melatonin stops. That’s why it’s important to stop any screen watching, even television, at least 1 hour before bed. Now I get it! Our Pineal gland natural melatonin production corresponds to the light. And if it’s bright, it ain’t night;)
At Tucked+ Covered, our mission is better sleep for the whole family. If your kiddos are waking at night, try a red nightlight. If red seems odd, put a fun spin on the change, telling them all superheros use red nightlights to build up their super strength;) It may be the missing link to your child’s sound sleep. And we all know when your kids sleep, then YOU sleep. It’s that simple:).