Do you need a night light to help with diaper changes in the middle of the night, or does your child need a night light to help keep them asleep at nightIn order to avoid scary things from happening, it is important to avoid some sleep-destroying pitfalls that may come with the introduction of light in your baby’s dark and comfortable sleeping space. To learn all about the dos and don’ts of night lights for babies and toddlers, read on!
Do Babies and Toddlers Need a Night Light?
Many parents and children find it beneficial to have a night light. A night light allows you to feed or change your baby’s diaper in the middle of the night without having to turn on the intrusive, bright desk lamp or overhead light. The night light also allows you to sneak a peek at your sleeping baby without disturbing them. Toddlers and preschoolers often feel great comfort with night lights. Pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp points out that children tend to feel safer if they wake up in the middle of the night to see a familiar environment, rather than a dark abyss. In fact, if your child is experiencing nightmares, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a night light if it can make them feel better. (For help choosing the perfect night light, check out our guide to finding the best night light.)
Do Not Place Your Child’s Night Light Next to Them.
Placing your child’s night light next to the bed can be distracting and distracting. Instead, keep your child’s night light out of their line of sight, and it may even be partially obscured by some furniture. This way, your child can benefit from comfortable lighting, but they won’t be exposed to the light that can turn a short nightly awakening into a full-fledged, house-wide experience.
Please Choose a Calming Color for Your Child’s Night Light.
Want to know what color night light is best for kids? It might surprise you! While red light may not make you scream “sleep,” it’s widely believed that exposure to red light stimulates the production of melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone. On the other hand, exposure to white or blue light (which is standard for most night lights) may disrupt sleep and inhibit the release of melatonin. This means that you need to choose a night light that emits a warm, red, or orange glow. The award-winning SNOObie night light and speaker lets you choose from eight soothing colors, including red and orange to help you sleep.
Don’t Think Your Baby Needs a Night Light.
While newborns fresh out of the womb can easily settle down in bright light and bustling rooms, it doesn’t take long for these babies to crave dark and white sleep noise.
A dark room stimulates the release of melatonin and reduces stimulation for babies, which will help them sleep peacefully. So, instead of setting an overnight night light in your baby’s sleeping space, consider using a click-on night light that you can use whenever you need a little light to check on your child. Or use a dim night light with a timer so you know it’s going to turn black when your baby dozes off.
Please Keep the Night Light Dim.
Anyone who has ever tried snoozing in the early morning when the sun hits their face directly knows that bright light can easily disrupt sleep! This also applies to night lights that are too bright. The ideal baby and big kids night light should provide a soft, comfortable glow rather than a dazzling beam! Even better: choose a night light that allows manual dimming and has an internal light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness according to the ambient light. Happiest Baby’s SNOObie smart pacifier has both of these unique features, plus its night light can be dimmed after being tucked in.
Don’t Choose a One-Size-Fits-All Night Light.
All kids are different, and so is your choice of night light. To make sure the night light you choose is right for your child, choose one that is adjustable, programmable, and versatile. For example, SNOObie allows for manual and programmable activation and dimming, which ensures that all eight light colors of SNOObie are always at just the right brightness levels. In addition to being a customizable night light, the SNOObie is capable of playing 12 soothing sounds, including white noise, lullabies, and boos. SNOObie is a sleep coach and mindful breathing coach who wakes up with ease!