How sleeping with lights on — even if they’re dim — may affect your sleep quality

Sleeping with lights on — even dim ones — may impact the quality of your slumber, according to sleep experts. While fairy lights or warm illumination may create a cozy, Instagram-worthy atmosphere, they can disrupt the body's natural sleep cycle. Dr Pooja T, a Senior Pulmonologist at Aster RV Hospital, warns that any artificial light during sleep can interfere with the brain's ability to enter restorative modes.

This is because exposure to light at night can suppress melatonin production, a hormone that signals the body it's time to sleep. As a result, you may wake up feeling unrefreshed and tired throughout the day. Even dim lights can interfere with your body's circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates sleep and wake cycles.

Cooler and brighter lights, such as blue or cool-toned LED fairy lights, have a stronger impact on melatonin suppression than warm yellow or amber tones. Additionally, bright or flickering lights placed close to the bed can disrupt sleep, causing more frequent awakenings and lighter, fragmented sleep. To preserve sleep quality, experts recommend keeping bedrooms as dark as possible and using very dim, warm-coloured night lamps if extra light is needed.