Red light for sleeping

[Triliza]

I was looking to buy some night light, something that can be left all night on occasionally, for the kids bedrooms. There is the notion based on some studies that the best non-disruptive color for sleep is the red color. And not just any red color that can be produced by color-switching LEDs, but special 100% blue and green light free. Something like this for example:

https://www.blockbluelight.co.uk/collections/sleep-enhancing-lighting/products/red-night-light

Any thought and experience about this, is it worth it, does it work?

 

[ZolaIII]

Try with sunset orange as next in the spectrum and more natural for us as red is to much perceptualy for most if you wish of course.

 

[Triliza]

Try with sunset orange as next in the spectrum and more natural for us as red is to much perceptualy for most if you wish of course.

Red color seems too much to me also, but I guess you get used to it. What's not clear to me is if this claim about 100% blue and green light free is indeed a real thing or just a marketing trick. Sunset orange sounds like a good alternative, thanks.

 

[voodooless]

Just learn the kids they don’t need this

 

[ZolaIII]

It's dark almost going out orange that pulls to red.
Take a look at something like this (diffuse and with good dimming):

https://www.amazon.com/Projection-Light-Multiple-Christmas-Decoration/dp/B095CFCZ7W/ref=pd_aw_ic_dpcp_m_1_m_3?pd_rd_w=uaVyL&content-id=amzn1.sym.bd0fdf53-c22e-4ccf-9db7-c2aba5cf5188&pf_rd_p=bd0fdf53-c22e-4ccf-9db7-c2aba5cf5188&pf_rd_r=A2MQY3SEA6Q5DH1Q0QSQ&pd_rd_wg=FSz2R&pd_rd_r=b9378c5d-1a2f-43b0-b693-f3d0d2a781d0&pd_rd_i=B095CFCZ7W

Edit: Sorry for a mile long URL

 

[Blumlein 88]

Best Color of Light for Sleep: What Works for Adults and Kids

It's well-documented that blue light can have a negative impact on your melatonin levels. But does any light help you get to sleep faster?

www.healthline.com

Actually limited quality info on the subject. Only thing clear is that blue light is bad for sleep. Everything else is less than clear cut and repeatable. In one study athletes given red light prior to bedtime had better sleep than dark or white light. In another yellow was found to be detrimental. In others people had preferences and were rounded up for each primary color and it was found the preferred color even blue helped them fall asleep faster (but this didn't test for best sleep over the night). Some studies found no difference unless light levels experienced are 10 lux or higher.

Oh and about that blue light. Some tests on humans indicate if you aren't exposed to it for 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime it doesn't make a difference.

I too find red kind of creepy, and would prefer a dull orange like those Himalayan salt block lights. Then again, my night lights except in the bedroom (which I keep dark) are blue because I think it looks cool.

https://www.amazon.com/Syntus-HM065-Himalayan-Decoration-Purifying/dp/B01N9MP4SX/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2TLH71XRI4AB5&keywords=salt+block+night+light&qid=1662187670&sprefix=salt+block+light%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-2

 

[Triliza]

Just learn the kids they don’t need this

Damn right, I'll get them a torch and some iron-flint if they need to go to the toilet

It seems an orange like color may be the best way to go about this. The idea of a red light doesn't sit well with me also, I haven't used one but I think I'd be more tensed that relaxed, who knows. I prefer by far total darkness for sleeping. If someone can attest that the red works on the kids though, I'd take it, I'd give an arm and a leg for a good night sleep.

 

[ZolaIII]

It's hard to capture one...

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/dark-blood-orange-sunset-in-dallas-tx-david-ilzhoefer.jpg

Just that you have idea what I am talking about.
@Triliza a tip for a good night sleep for you and kids which might require just that (arm and a leg). Get kid's out to a playground with bunch of other kids so that they can run around and have fun, stick with them and make it last until you all get tired and don't worry you will all sleep good.

 

[Blumlein 88]

It's hard to capture one...

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/dark-blood-orange-sunset-in-dallas-tx-david-ilzhoefer.jpg

Just that you have idea what I am talking about.
@Triliza a tip for a good night sleep for you and kids which might require just that (arm and a leg). Get kid's out to a playground with bunch of other kids so that they can run around and have fun, stick with them and make it last until you all get tired and don't worry you will all sleep good.

So going by your image, a Himalayan salt block light in a room painted blood red would be perfect.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Damn right, I'll get them a torch and some iron-flint if they need to go to the toilet

It seems an orange like color may be the best way to go about this. The idea of a red light doesn't sit well with me also, I haven't used one but I think I'd be more tensed that relaxed, who knows. I prefer by far total darkness for sleeping. If someone can attest that the red works on the kids though, I'd take it, I'd give an arm and a leg for a good night sleep.

There is always a candle.

You probably are over thinking this. Kids see much better in the dark than adults do. You can probably do just fine with a basic white light as long as it is dim. Think the light of a half moon.

 

[ZolaIII]

@Blumlein 88 it's orange on the bottom of it's spectrum before turning to red and you get there with LED's by dimming.

 

[Berwhale]

Salt lamps give off a nice light, just don't believe the nonsense about the health benefits of negative ions. I put a low power LED bulb in the one in sons room, so it doesn't get warm anyway.

I remember reading many years ago that having a light in a bedroom can increase a child's risk of developing myopia in later life. I don't know what the current thinking is on this, but here's an article from 1999...

"A study of 479 children aged between 2 and 16 years shows that children who sleep with a room light on before the age of 2 are five times more likely be shortsighted than children who sleep in the dark. Night lights were also linked to short sight but not as strongly as full overhead lighting."

Children who sleep with light on may damage their sight

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[voodooless]

Damn right, I'll get them a torch and some iron-flint if they need to go to the toilet

I’m quite serious though. My daughter actually has a small headlight which includes a Red LED in case she needs to go to the toilet (which is super rare anyway). Otherwise she likes a dark room. Kids like headlights anyway

 

[restorer-john]

Damn right, I'll get them a torch and some iron-flint if they need to go to the toilet

That's what our boys had- a reliable bright LED torch they could use if they wanted to and an LED bendable desk type lamp (about 3W of warm white 2700k LED) they could point wherever they wanted. Nightlights only keep kids awake.

I remember my sister had a nightlight in the 70s/80s. It was a tiny neon (orange) in a plug top.

 

[Marc v E]

My kids sleep well with this light:

 

[Stokdoof]

For my sons room I use a Philips hue color lamp on the ceiling. That works well and can be automated to tun off later or set brighter with a different color in the morning

 

[RayDunzl]

My past life in hotel rooms led me to sleep with TV, to better ignore various extraneous noises, and not rethink the day's events or other petty troubles..

I have blue bulbs illuminating the wall behind the tube.

I sleep easily and well.

 

[ZolaIII]

For my sons room I use a Philips hue color lamp on the ceiling. That works well and can be automated to tun off later or set brighter with a different color in the morning

Yes those have a good dimming.

 

[Triliza]

It's hard to capture one...

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/dark-blood-orange-sunset-in-dallas-tx-david-ilzhoefer.jpg

Just that you have idea what I am talking about.
@Triliza a tip for a good night sleep for you and kids which might require just that (arm and a leg). Get kid's out to a playground with bunch of other kids so that they can run around and have fun, stick with them and make it last until you all get tired and don't worry you will all sleep good.

This is for the little one, she is about 2,5 years old and it'll need some time to get used to sleep in her own bed without waking now and then during the night, especially if she gets a nap in the afternoon. It was the same with the older one, now he doesn't need any light and rarely needs the toilet. By yes, having a full day of activities surely help them sleep soundly.

 

[Triliza]

There is always a candle.

You probably are over thinking this. Kids see much better in the dark than adults do. You can probably do just fine with a basic white light as long as it is dim. Think the light of a half moon.

True. I was just looking for a normal night light with playful look and then read about the red light and start looking around but wasn't sure if it is worth buying one.