Light design is a great way to decorate and customize the space of your bedroom. But do you know it also affects you health? Have you ever wondered what color light is best for sleep?
During 24 hours a day, the human body follows what is called a Circadian Rhythm. This is a series of processes naturally happening. It’s the rhythm the brain follows in order to get up and fall asleep. This was extremely easy centuries ago: the Circadian Rhythm followed the sun, but now our lives are full of artificial sources of light.
How can we use them to lead a healthier and more balanced life? Simply understanding the connection between light and sleep. When searching for the perfect Italian design modern light fixtures for your bedroom, keep some simple rules about color and temperature in mind.
What color light is best for sleep?
You will probably be surprised by the answer: the best color light for helping you sleep is red. Especially an orange-sunset red, warm and rich and extremely calming. This is the perfect nuance to stimulate the Circadian Rhythm, probably because it reminds us of the natural sunset (time to go to bed without artificial lights).
Research studies discovered red to be the best color light to help you sleep, because it increases production of melatonin as well as full darkness. On the other end of the spectrum, blue is the worst. Despite being a calm-inducing color on most occasions, blue is not suitable for lighting a bedroom. In fact it’s quite the opposite: blue lights throw the sleep cycle off and decreases the production of melatonin. That’s why smartphones, tablets and desktop screens, all rich in blue light, should be avoided at night.
Red has been discovered to be helpful in inducing sleep, as well as the individual’s favorite color. Of course, lighting a bedroom only in red would be difficult and confusing for other activities, but you can choose changing-color led light fixtures to help set the mood when it’s time to sleep.
What if you can’t install a colored light in your bedroom?
Even if lighting design has improved a lot in the last decades and colorful lamps are available everywhere, maybe a simpler choice would be best for your bedroom. Modern pendant lights can have a warm or cold light. You should prefer white, bright light for studying and working, while a warmer tone of yellow is best for relaxing while reading a book and preparing for bed.
Temperature is also a crucial factor in a healthier sleep cycle. In order to help creating a peaceful and soothing atmosphere, You should opt for a light color temperature below 3000K; this is the reason why Axolight, beside its standard 3000K offer, provides the possibility to produce its lighting offers in 2700K. You can also choose dimmable led lamps for maximum autonomy in creating the right light.
In this case, Orchid or Float is the right choice. Their touchpad helps you regulate the light intensity and they come in different models (floor lamps, modern and large, table lamps, wall or suspension battery lights), right for every space in your room. Manto is another Axolight solution for the perfect balance of sleep and light. Its three elements are in constant dialogue, where simple geometry meets shapeshifting and dimmable intensity.
How to create the perfect atmosphere for sleeping
After choosing the right color light that helps you sleep, changing the lamps to a lower temperature and exploring the many options of led technology, there are some other things you can do to sleep better.
- Avoid blue screen lights such as those from tv, smartphones, pc or tablets.
- If you can’t do that, use special glasses that protect the eye from the blue part of light.
- Choose acoustic lighting solutions in order to decrease noise.
- If you can’t install a new chandelier, opt for small sized lamps with an orange or yellow light to put on the nightstand.
- Block lights from outside with blackout curtains or a sleep mask.
- When needed, choose an emergency light or a kids’ lamp in bright warm colors.
All these little things will help you sleep better and have a healthier life as a whole. Remember, your interior design choices should make your house beautiful but also comfortable. This is your sanctuary, the place where you can relax and be at ease. You deserve nothing less.
FAQs
Research studies discovered red to be the best color light to help you sleep, because it increases production of melatonin as well as full darkness. On the other end of the spectrum, blue is the worst.
What light color is best for sleep? ›
The best night light colors for sleep are red and amber, as they are warm and soothing colors that promote a good night's sleep. It's thought that colors close to red on the light spectrum stimulate melatonin production. Red light has a lower color temperature than regular sunlight, making it ideal for sleep.
Do blue LED lights help you sleep? ›
Light therapy, and blue light in particular. View Source , can help realign the body's circadian rhythms and improve sleep. Inversely, exposure to blue light in the hours leading up to bedtime can hinder sleep. Blue light suppresses the body's release of melatonin.
Is purple LED light good for sleep? ›
The worst colors for sleep are: Blue light: Suppresses melatonin production and pushes back your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep. Green light and violet light: May disrupt sleep, but more research is needed. Any light at night: Can keep you up and be harmful to your health.
Does red LED light help you sleep? ›
Putting red light on before you go to bed is a great idea because red light stimulates the secretion of melatonin, the hormone responsible for making us sleepy. It also improves muscle regeneration which helps with muscle gain. This helps improve sleep quality and therefore improves your performance throughout the day.
What color wakes you up? ›
'Bright shades of yellow and orange are great for helping wake you up in the morning because they are both attention-grabbing, cheerful, and energizing colors that stimulate the brain and make us feel more alert,' explains Vanessa Osorio, a sleep expert and sleep health content specialist at Sleepopolis.
Is green LED light good for sleep? ›
They found that green light produced rapid sleep onset — between 1 and 3 minutes while blue and violet delayed sleep. When the mice were exposed to violet light, it took them 5-10 minutes to fall asleep. With blue light, the onset of sleep took between 16 and 19 minutes.
What color light is calming? ›
Light blues are known to feel more soothing and healing, while dark blue is more intense. Blue light is meant to be relaxing and can reduce anxiousness.
What color light is best for a bedroom? ›
A bedroom requires soft, relaxing lighting. Choose LED or CFL bulbs with a color temperature of 2,700 – 3,000 K (warm white) and a brightness level between 1,000 – 2,000 lumens.
Does yellow light help you sleep? ›
Warm hues of red, orange, and yellow are better for preparing the mind and body for sleep. In fact, some experts recommend switching to warm lights. View Source rather than cold blue lights in the home after the sun goes down. Different colors of warm light from red to yellow can affect the body in unique ways.
The best color for bedroom sleep typically includes shades that are calming and soothing. Blue has serene and tranquil qualities, closely followed by soft greens and earthy tones like beige. These colors tend to lower stress and create a peaceful environment, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
What color helps you stay awake? ›
The colour cyan - between green and blue - is a hidden factor in encouraging or preventing sleep, according to biologists. University of Manchester researchers say higher levels of cyan keep people awake, while reducing cyan is associated with helping sleep.
How to fall asleep fast? ›
How to fall asleep faster and sleep better
- Have good sleep routine (sleep hygiene)
- Relax, unwind and try meditation to help you sleep.
- Try mindfulness for sleep.
- Create the right sleep environment.
- Do not force sleep.
- Improve sleep through diet and exercise.
Research studies discovered red to be the best color light to help you sleep, because it increases production of melatonin as well as full darkness.
Which light is best for sleeping? ›
The best night light colors for sleeping are red light and amber light as they are warm relaxing colors that promote good sleep. Avoiding artificial blue light and bright lights in the evening can definitely help you avoid sleep related issues such as insomnia.
What is the best color light for reading in bed? ›
In conclusion, warm lighting is the best light color for reading and studying at night. If you have traditional lights, you can use a warm yellow bulb. If you have LED lights that change colors, you may find that the best LED light color for reading at night is a deep orange or red.
What color digital clock is best for sleeping? ›
The type of light your alarm clock emits can negatively affect your sleep. Studies show that red or amber hues are better than blue, green, or even white lights. If you have an alarm clock that gives off a cool color light, you may want to try one that uses warmer colors instead.
Which color noise is best for sleep? ›
Brown noise is deeper than pink or white noise because it emphasizes the bass frequencies of sound, which you might find particularly soothing, and all the other frequencies are softer and less audible. Sometimes called Brownian noise or red noise, brown noise is best for a deep and uninterrupted sleep.
What color light is most calming? ›
"Blue lighting accelerates the relaxation process after stress in comparison with conventional white lighting," the researchers confidently declared. "The relaxation time decreased by approximately three-fold."
