Do the changing seasons have your kid’s sleep schedule thrown for a loop?
As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, parents are eager to help their children adjust to school schedules and reap the rewards of a full night’s rest. One often-overlooked factor that can make this transition smoother is the lighting within your child’s environment. Let’s help you get ready for daylight savings time with some scientifically-backed tips.
The right lighting can play a pivotal role in nurturing healthy sleep cycles and routines, ensuring your child’s well-being remains our top priority.
Importance of Proper Lighting for Children’s Sleep
The human body’s sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm, is primarily regulated by light. Exposure to natural light during the day and low-intensity or no light during the night helps maintain a balanced sleep-wake pattern. This is especially important for children, as their growing bodies and brains rely on consistent sleep to develop properly.
Proper lighting for children aids in establishing a consistent sleep routine and can mark the transition between wakefulness and bedtime. Furthermore, it minimizes sleep disturbances. Harsh, bright or blue-toned lights, when not managed, can be disruptive to a child’s sleep cycle. They can hinder the ease of falling asleep, maintaining a deep slumber, and ultimately waking up refreshed. Equally important, soft, warm lighting contributes to creating a tranquil and soothing environment and helps cue the human body to produce melatonin, thus preparing them for a night of peaceful and restorative sleep. Read published studies by the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai here: https://publications.light-health.org/ and by Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute here: https://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/lighthealth/LightatNight.asp
Tips for Creating the Perfect Sleep-Friendly LightingChoose the Right Color Temperature:
- Opt for bulbs or lighted room decor with a warm color temperature, typically around 2200-2700K, for bedtime. These warmer hues mimic the soft, golden glow of the setting sun, which sends a powerful signal to your child’s body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Selecting the appropriate color temperature promotes healthy sleep cycles, aligning with the body’s natural circadian rhythm. You can find a large selection of light bulbs in our store. Our favorite selection? Lighted, soft LED animals with a remote control! Shop in store for bear, unicorn, owl, bunny or cat. These safe lights can be placed next to your child at bedtime and on the amber setting will not disrupt her sleep cycle.
- Smart Bulbs for Personalized Lighting: Embrace the convenience of smart bulbs, which can be controlled via smartphone apps. These innovative lighting solutions allow you to tailor the brightness and color temperature to match your child’s unique sleep routine. This level of customization promotes healthy sleep cycles by creating an ideal sleep environment that adapts to your child’s changing needs. Explore our carefully curated selection of smart bulbs to find the perfect fit for your child’s room.
- Nightlights: For young children who may have a fear of the dark, low-intensity nightlights are invaluable. These gentle sources of illumination offer comfort and security without disrupting healthy sleep cycles. Nightlights guide children through the night, allowing them to navigate their surroundings and find solace in a sleep-friendly environment. Check out the subtle nightlights by Legrand. These night lights are perfect for hallways or children`s bedrooms where the addition of a subtle wall nightlight provides comfort and visibility. It provides a soft glow of light to dark spaces.
- Use Dimmers: Installing dimmer switches in your child’s bedroom is an excellent way to customize the lighting according to their specific needs. As the evening approaches, the dimmed lights create a cozy atmosphere conducive to relaxation. This dimming capability facilitates the wind-down process and helps initiate healthy sleep cycles by gently signaling that it’s time to rest.
- Bedside Lamps: Provide a bedside lamp equipped with a soft, warm bulb to foster a bedtime reading routine. This routine encourages a love for reading and serves as an effective wind-down activity. The lamp’s soft glow promotes a calm and relaxed atmosphere, allowing children to ease into sleep. This nurturing environment nurtures healthy sleep cycles, ensuring your child’s rest is restorative and harmonious.