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There’s been a lot of talk about the best type of night light to install in your baby’s room, with many people leaning towards blues and purples and so on. But is this mainly a personal preference, or is going for a red night light for a baby backed by science?
In this article, we’ll answer several questions that might be on your mind regarding this curious topic.
Let’s dive in!
Are Red Lights Better As a Night Light?
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We were surprised to discover that the answer is yes!
Red lights help promote melatonin, which is important for a peaceful and untroubled sleep. On the other hand, other light spectrums can have the opposite effect.
Take blue light, for example. It’s been proven that long exposure to blue and white light keeps the mind alert. This is why these lights are mostly used in office spaces, hospital rooms, and other places where people need to concentrate on their tasks.
So, the bottom line is that warmer colours, such as red, yellow, and orange, can help your baby relax faster and have a good night of rest. Since red is the warmest of all, it’s the best option out there.
This fact has also been proven by several studies, including this experiment. After a team of basketball players were exposed to 30 minutes of red night light during sleep over two weeks, the scholars performing the study noticed the following:
- An improved sleep quality
- Higher melatonin levels
- Better endurance performance during practice
If this doesn’t speak volumes about the effectiveness of red night light as a sleep stimulant, we don’t know what does!
What Is Melatonin and Why Is It Important for Sleep?
Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies produce naturally, especially in the presence of darkness.
The main job of this hormone is to organise your sleeping patterns and fight off restlessness and insomnia. In fact, adults who have trouble sleeping at night can be prescribed man-made supplements of melatonin to help them fall into a deep sleep.
Melatonin also reduces the effects of jetlag and makes it less likely for someone to wake up during the night.
So, Should I Only Use Red Night Lights?
If your number one goal for installing a night light in the nursery is to keep your baby company at night and encourage restful sleep, then yes. Only use red night lights in this scenario – or at least red spectrum lights (oranges etc).
However, you should know that babies like a wealth of colours in their rooms, and they might enjoy looking at green, blue, or purple light. So, you can still use other light spectrums in the baby’s room, but only turn them on when it’s not time for sleep.
What Can I Use As a Red Night Light for My Baby?
There are countless market options that you can use as a red night light for your baby. Here’s a list of items you may want to shop for:
- Red light bulbs
- LED baby night lights with a red mode
- Automatic LED red night lights with sensor
- Salt lamps – we use these with a red bulb
- Red lava motion lamps
- Night light projectors
Anything that produces a red or orange glow should be good enough for this job!
Darkness Is Best
Even though red light can be a great addition to your baby’s room, nothing is better than complete darkness. Some babies don’t mind the dark, and they sleep peacefully with no light source nearby.
If that’s the case with your little fellow, you may not need to purchase a red night light after all.
Conclusion
A lot of parents choose to place a small lamp next to their baby cribs to ward off darkness and help their babies feel safer. If you’re considering doing that, it’s a wonderful idea to buy a red night light for your baby.
This warm light can help your baby fall asleep faster and keep restlessness and discomfort at bay. Because it encourages the production of melatonin in the human body, red light should be your top option for a night light.
When your baby isn’t ready to sleep yet, you can always put an eye-catching display of other lights such as green, yellow, blue, and purple. Your baby will probably just love those!
