Night lights are a great way to help your baby feel secure and comfortable. They provide a warm and natural comforting light designed to help ease them into a restful sleep.
Many children use night lights at some point in their lives and parents have recognised the benefits it can provide in encouraging independence. Hence, it's no wonder that many of us introduce night lights to our baby or child at a young age to establish a secure and comfortable bedtime routine.
There are many factors to consider before buying a night light for your little one as there are several features you should look out for. We’ve put together this list of dos and don'ts, so you know exactly what to look out for when shopping around for a night light. We also help you determine whether lights help babies sleep.
Baby Night Light Do's
Adjustable Brightness
The brightness setting of a night light is a significant factor to consider when it comes to choosing the right night light for your little one.
The level of brightness in the room can play a big role in how much sleep your child gets. If you're using a dimmer switch, make sure you adjust the brightness accordingly to ensure your child falls asleep easily.
When it comes to shopping for a night light, look for one with an adjustable brightness setting. This will allow you to adjust how bright or dim the night light is depending on whether your child is awake or asleep.
Colour Lighting
You may also want to invest in a night light with multiple warm colour settings such as yellow and orange tones and natural light. These different colours will help to create a calming atmosphere for your child.
The colour and brightness of a room have been known to affect a person’s mood. Studies have found that certain colours work better than others when it comes to creating a positive or relaxing atmosphere.
Therefore, if you’re planning on putting a night light in a nursery, choose a night light that matches the colour scheme of the room.
Versatile Modes and Features
A night light with versatile modes and features can make all the difference for you and your baby. Having a choice of features can make it easier for you to use the night light.
For example, having a night light with a timer function means you won't need to manually turn off the night light every time your child goes to bed.
If you're looking for a night light that offers more features, you could try a night light with a motion sensor feature. This allows you to set the night light to automatically turn itself off after a period of time.
Another option is a baby air humidifier that also features a night light, making it serve dual purposes in your nursery in one convenient device.
Make sure the night light has multiple modes such as wake-up mode, night light only, and auto-shutoff. This will give you more control over the lighting options available to your child.
Automatic Shut-Off Feature
Consider purchasing a night light that has an automatic shut-off feature. This will automatically turn off the night light after a certain amount of time.
This will also prevent any unnecessary wake-ups from your child. It will also save energy which is always a good thing!
Additional Safety Features
It is important to take safety precautions when it comes to selecting the best night light for your child. Make sure the night light meets all relevant safety standards. You'll find these standards listed on the packaging of most night lights.
Also, be careful about where you place the night light. Keep it away from high traffic areas such as stairs, doorways, and changing areas.
Night lights are essential for babies who are just starting out sleeping independently. They provide them with a sense of security and comfort while they learn to fall asleep by themselves and establish a secure bedtime routine.
Baby Night Light Don’ts
Stark Light
Avoid overly bright or stark night lights as this could be damaging and distressing for your baby. Overly bright lighting can cause eye strain and headaches. Keep in mind that children are sensitive to light and may experience migraines or other health issues due to exposure to too much light.
If you notice that your baby seems distressed or upset when using the night light, then consider replacing it with one that is less harsh or put it behind a piece of furniture or something that obscures the light a little.
Noisy Night Light
Another thing to keep in mind is that loud noises can disturb your baby and cause them to cry. Avoid choosing a noisy night light as this might lead to unwanted distress.
Position
Be sure to not place the night light too close to where your baby is sleeping as this could interfere with their sleep cycle.
Cool Colours
Similar to the effects of bright light, night lights that consist of cool colours can create a soothing environment.
Colours such as bright white and blues should be avoided. Blue light is known to suppress melatonin production which can disrupt your baby’s natural sleep pattern.
Best Baby Night Lights
Finding the right night light can be a challenge if you don't know what to look for. To give you a helping hand, we've shared our favourite 5-night lights that have worked wonders and are ideal for your baby.
Check out our top 5 recommendations.
OUR TOP PICK
This portable table lamp offers both ambient lighting and motion-sensing features. With its sleek design, this lamp looks great anywhere in the room.
The touch sensor allows you to adjust the brightness level and set the timer with an auto-cycle setting. It even has an automatic shut-down. This night light is gentle on the eyes with a dim and anti-glare light.
Pros
- Chargeable via USB
- Adjustable light settings
- An auto-cycle setting for convenience
Cons
- Quite large
EDITORS CHOICE
The Cloud B Calming Night Light provides soothing ambient light therapy to help calm your baby down during those middle-of-the-night feedings.
With its warm glow, this night light helps soothe your little ones and promote healthy sleep patterns.
This night light not only produces an ambient light but also features great additional features such as an automatic shut-off timer to preserve energy and a safety feature that prohibits it from heating up.
Pros
- Soft ambient warm LED light
- Automatic shut off timer
- Additional safety features as it doesn't heat up
Cons
- Shorter battery life
Also available at Cloud B
BEST VALUE
The LOHAS Dimmable White Night light is designed to provide soft white light without any glare. This night light has been tested to ensure that it does not emit harmful UV rays. It is ideal for use in nurseries and bedrooms.
It comes equipped with a dimmer switch allowing you to adjust the brightness level as well as an automatic shut-off sensor. You can easily set the time interval between each adjustment.
Pros
- Dimmable warm white LED light
- A light detection sensor chip
- Energy efficient
Cons
- 1 m distance required between the two night lights
RUNNER UP
The PAMANO LED Nursery Night light is a smart nursery night light that produces a warm soothing light with a calming glow that is gentle on sensitive eyes. This night light features a choice of 9 different colour settings which can be easily adjusted or set on a timer with a remote.
Pros
- Adjustable dim light settings
- Up to 15 hours of light
- USB chargeable
Cons
- No automatic shut-off
RUNNER UP
The G Keni Nursery Night Glow Light is a bright and colourful night light that emits a soft glow. This easy touch sensor lamp provides a gentle and dim background light perfect for helping your baby get to sleep.
This unique night light features a brightness memory setting to ensure that you don't have to keep readjusting the setting. This LED lamp is cordless for convenience and features a built-in rechargeable battery that enables 50 hours of dim light.
Pros
- Adjustable brightness settings
- Brightness memory setting
- Rechargeable setting
Cons
- No colour setting
Final Considerations
Night lights come in many shapes and sizes, so there should be plenty of options available for you when it comes to finding the perfect night light for your baby.
Baby night lights are important because they can significantly help your baby fall asleep and stay asleep longer offering a safe and comfortable environment for them to develop independence.
When choosing a night light, make sure that it is safe and meets all the requirements that you need. Also, consider how much space you have in your bedroom and if you want something that is portable.
There are some great options out there that will fit into almost any room and won’t take up too much space or produce a stark light.