{"id":41797,"date":"2021-11-23T13:14:12","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T13:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/babogue.com\/?p=41797"},"modified":"2023-01-24T15:36:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-24T15:36:30","slug":"how-lights-affect-baby-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/babogue.com\/how-lights-affect-baby-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"How lights affect baby sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If your baby is struggling to settle at night, you might think that it's down to colic, sleep regression or sleep deprivation. However, the problem might actually be your night light if you are using one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sleep experts are beginning to understand how lights affect baby sleep and that the type of light we encounter before and during our sleep can have a negative effect on our slumber. It is understood that blue light exposure before bedtime is the most damaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue light isn't always light that is blue, it's a type of light that is present in certain wavelengths. It tricks our bodies into thinking that it is daytime, and even a short burst of blue light exposure can have a drastic effect on sleep lasting up to an hour and a half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Harvard study showed that exposure to blue light suppresses the body's production of the sleep hormone melatonin, causing surges in energising hormones and impacting the body's biological clock. The end result is a more alert and awake baby after exposure to blue light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your baby's eyes don't filter blue light as well as yours do, so just a short amount of exposure to blue light can be enough to significantly affect your baby's bedtime routine. It is for this reason that many sleep consultants recommend limiting blue light exposure for two hours before bedtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Studies from around the world have shown that exposure to blue light is associated with later bedtimes and disruption of your baby's sleep. While more research is needed to fully understand the cause and effect of blue light, many studies in adults have proven that light exposure in the evening drastically impacts sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This evidence, combined with the data showing that children have an increased sensitivity to light strongly suggests that blue light disrupts your child's sleep patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue light, like other colours of visible light, is all around you. The sun is the most natural form of blue light, although almost most forms of artificial light emit blue light. Humans are now exposed to more blue light than ever because of the widespread use of electronic devices that rely on LED technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bear in mind that you and your baby may be exposed to blue light even if you minimise screen time before bed. Tiny sources of artificial lighting, such as a streetlight, alarm clock with white or blue numbers or even your baby\u2019s night light, can be enough to disrupt your child's sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some forms of fluorescent and LED lighting can also have wavelengths that fall into the blue light spectrum. Many parents are having issues because their city has changed street lights from the older yellow style to newer energy-efficient styles with blue light. This can mean that even when you eliminate all other forms of blue light, your child is getting exposed to it through gaps in their blinds or curtains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n