Parents Love Nightlights. Kids Love Nightlights. Experts Are Divided.
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A few weeks ago, while testing and researching the best nightlights for kids at the Good Housekeeping Institute, I fell down an internet rabbit hole. I had assumed nightlights were a relatively uncontroversial parenting topic. However, I stumbled upon Reddit threads where parents were engaged in heated debates about whether children should even use nightlights at all — a consideration that had never crossed my mind.
Questions like "Will adding a nightlight impact [my child's] sleep?"and "To nightlight or not to nightlight?"were being debated, with arguments both for and against these common bedroom fixtures. The transparent volume of discussions prompted me to pause my research and return to the fundamental question: What's the current consensus on providing soft lighting in children's bedrooms at night?
The study that (needlessly) scared everyone
When I worked for American Baby magazine back in 1999, a study from the Scheie Eye Institute at the University of Pennsylvania released a study claiming, "Children who sleep with light on may damage their sight."
The findings caused a big kerfuffle, despite the study's limitations: it included only 479 children and relied solely on asking parents to remember their children's nighttime light exposure — a notably unreliable method. I could go on, but the point is, the study has since been dismissed by the pediatric community.
"There's no concern that low-level lighting in a room interrupts nighttime sleep," explains Andrew Bernstein, M.D., an Evanston, Illinois-based pediatrician and official spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). "The bigger concerns are children's use of electronic devices 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and inconsistent bedtime routines."
Still, not all experts are fans of nightlights
I reached out to Jennifer Walker, R.N., B.S.N., co-founder of Moms on Call and mother of three, who regularly advises parents on this topic. Her stance on nightlights, particularly for infants, is clear: She doesn't recommend them.
"Babies have recently transitioned from the womb, where they experienced total darkness with constant, soothing background noise. Therefore, they sleep better in completely dark environments at night," Walker explains.
She adds, "While nightlights aren't inherently wrong for toddlers, we often think we're helping to ease their fears. In fact, the light creates a more stimulating nighttime environment. This increases the likelihood that they'll become fully awake and seek interaction, either verbally or otherwise."
Others say a dim nightlight is fine — and there are benefits
While I get what Walker is saying, I'll admit my bias: As someone who dislikes waking up in total darkness, I decided to seek additional pediatric expertise, hoping to validate that a small nightlight could be acceptable for children.
"I think nightlights are generally safe when you choose true nightlights — the small plug-in variety that provide soft, dim light," explains Binal S. Kancherla, M.D., medical director of the Children's Sleep Center at Texas Children's Hospital and mother of four.
Dr. Kancherla continues, "The primary concern with nightlights is that bright light can prevent you from falling asleep. The theory suggests it might interfere with circadian sleep-wake rhythms. However, standard nightlights and true dim lights marketed for this purpose are perfectly safe to use."
The AAP endorses nightlight use for children experiencing frequent nightmares, a position supported by Dr. Kancherla. "It is very normal for kids to be afraid of the dark," she says. "While a nightlight won't necessarily cure those fears, it can help. It's important to acknowledge their fears and talk about them openly to make sure there's not underlying anxieties about school or other issues. Using a nightlight as a temporary solution in these situations is not a bad idea."
What about "time to wake" clocks?
A new generation of nightlights has emerged, different from the traditional plug-in varieties typically found in bathrooms. These bigger, modern devices function as illuminated clocks that can display different colors to signal to your child that it's okay for them to get out of bed in the morning.
"These devices are cool and can serve as useful tools in certain situations," notes Dr. Kancherla, though she emphasizes that children with proper sleep habits shouldn't need them. For instance, she recommends toddlers' bedtimes fall between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. "When you establish age-appropriate bedtimes and implement sleep-conducive pre-bedtime routines — no electronics — children should naturally sleep 10 to 12 hours and wake up on their own," Dr. Kancherla advises.
Some children naturally wake with sunrise, though — even when the sun comes up at 6:00 a.m. and you'd prefer they sleep in longer. So I consulted Emily Edlynn, Ph.D., author of Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children and mother of three. She believes that time-to-wake clocks can be beneficial — for the right kids.
"These types of clocks can promote a child's independence and self-regulation," says Dr. Edlynn. "The big caveat is that the child needs to already have some strong self-regulation skills for it to 'work.' I have known kids who thrive with these types of clocks and others who were not ready to self-soothe or rest independently." (By not ready, she means they woke up and popped into their parents' room no matter what the clock indicated.)
"If a child is developmentally ready to stay in their room on their own, a wake-up clock can be a great tool," says Dr. Edlynn. "If not, parents may just have to try again in a few months."
The bottom line
None of the newer bedroom lighting options for nurseries or children's rooms are essential. While some features might be fun or convenient — particularly if your child responds well to time-to-wake clocks — traditional plug-in dim nightlights remain a perfectly sound choice.
However, my research revealed an important consideration: color selection matters. According to the Sleep Foundation, bedroom lighting colors fall into a clear hierarchy: red is best, while blue is worst. Their experts compare red light to candlelight's natural evening glow, whereas blue light mimics daytime sky illumination.
For optimal results, select nightlights that emit red or orange hues. But Dr. Kancherla strongly advises against the LED strip lights popular among teenagers and college students when it comes to sleep — the same type I recently helped my mother purchase for my young nieces. (Oops.)
"The strip lights and strobe effects are fun, but they're potentially detrimental to sleep quality. These should be avoided, especially anything with blue light. Blue wavelengths tend to be the most intense and very alerting," Dr. Kancherla cautions.
Oof — lesson learned.
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