🌙 Light Matters: How Lighting Affects Your Sleep

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You’d think sleep would get easier with age. You’ve earned it—decades of work, kids, and pretending to care about your boss's vacation slides. But no. Somewhere between hormones, hot flashes, and the irresistible glow of your phone, you’re wide awake at 2 a.m., wondering if sleep is just another youthful memory, how lighting affects sleep is important.

Let’s start with the one thing you probably haven’t blamed yet: You're lighting and how lighting affects sleep.

Why Light Rules Your Sleep (and Your Mood)

Your body runs on a built-in clock called the circadian rhythm—a fancy term for “your brain’s daily schedule.” It tells you when to wake up, when to eat, and when to drift off. The problem? Modern lighting doesn’t play nice with that schedule.

Your brain uses light—especially blue light—as a signal that it’s daytime. So, when you’re watching Netflix in bed or scrolling TikTok under the glow of your phone, your brain goes, “Oh! Morning already? Let’s stay awake!”

Translation: You’ve tricked your body into thinking it’s brunch time at midnight.

The Menopause Connection

As if hot flashes and mood swings weren’t enough, fluctuating hormones during menopause already mess with your sleep cycles. Lower estrogen levels can make you more sensitive to environmental factors—like light—so even a little bedtime brightness can send your sleep hormones into chaos.

The good news? You can outsmart it with a few tweaks that don’t require sleeping in a cave or throwing your phone out the window (though tempting).

Dim It Down, Darling and See How Lighting Affects Sleep

Let’s be honest — nothing kills a sleepy vibe faster than lighting that feels like you’re about to get a cavity filled. If your bedroom lighting screams “interrogation room” instead of “cozy retreat,” it’s time for a glow-up.

Swapping those harsh white bulbs for soft, amber evening lights is one of the easiest ways to tell your brain, “Hey, it’s chill time.” Think campfire glow — warm, soothing, and just moody enough to make you forget the 47 tabs still open in your brain.

💡 Sleep-Saver Pick 1: Govee Smart Light Blubs These are my go-to for creating the perfect nighttime atmosphere. With just a tap on your phone (Alexa or

Google Home), you can adjust brightness, color temperature, and even schedule your lights to gradually dim as bedtime approaches. Imagine winding down in soft amber light, then waking up to a gentle sunrise glow — no blaring alarms required.

I use them in my own bedroom, and honestly, they’re a total sleep-saver. Between the timers, color presets, and cozy vibes, it’s like having a personal lighting assistant that actually understands what “relax” means.

Block the Blue Like a Boss

If late-night scrolling is your toxic trait (no judgment — same), it’s time to fight back with some blue-light blocking glasses. Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs messes with melatonin — that precious sleep hormone that menopause already has on a short leash. No wonder your brain thinks it’s party time at midnight.

👓 Sleep-Saver Pick 2: Livho Blue-Light Blocking Glasses These stylish frames filter out the harsh wavelengths that keep your brain wired when it should be winding down. They’re not only practical but also give off serious “chic and sleep-smart” vibes. Bonus: that sexy librarian look totally works in bed.

I wear mine every night because, let’s be real, I’m always on my tablet before bed. They’ve made a noticeable difference — fewer headaches, less eye strain, and a much smoother drift into sleep.

Let the Morning Light In

Ironically, you do want bright light—just not at night. Morning sunlight resets your circadian rhythm and helps regulate melatonin.

So throw open those curtains (after your first coffee, obviously) and let your body know it’s time to rise and shine. Step outside feel the awesome energy of the sun.

Bonus Tip: Beware the Bathroom Light Trap

Nothing kills a sleepy mood faster than a 10,000-lumen bathroom bulb. Swap it for a motion sensor nightlight like this one from GE Motion Sensor Nightlight at only 40 -lumes. A much better choice for those late-night trips.

You’ll thank yourself when you don’t have to re-convince your body it’s bedtime at 3 a.m.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not You—It’s the Light

If you’ve been blaming your hormones, partner, or the neighbor’s barking dog for your insomnia, it might be time to look at your lamps instead. Light shapes your sleep more than you realize—especially during menopause, when your body’s signals are already a bit confused.

So tonight, dim the lights, slip on those blue-light glasses, close the curtains, and let your body remember what nighttime feels like.

Because let’s face it: sleep is sacred. And if your lighting’s wrong, even the best pillow won’t save you.

Loved this? Head over to The Midlife Shop for the tools, favorites, and little upgrades that keep midlife running (mostly) smoothly. 

 

Don’t forget to join The Sisterhood Circle—our cozy corner of the internet where we talk honestly, laugh loudly, and stay one step ahead… which you’re already doing because you just read this.   

 

And stay tuned… next up we’re diving into The Power of Sisterhood During Menopause: Laughing, Crying and Thriving Together