05/08/2026
"Intensity, not colour, does most of the damage in a brightly lit evening space ... colour temperature alone is a poor guide to a lamp's real circadian load". These are the words of Adriano Dos Santos, University of Oxford, The Circadian Nutritionist.
The two hours before you go to sleep can have a powerful influence on the quality of your sleep throughout the night. During this time, your body is preparing for sleep by increasing the production of melatonin, often referred to as the 'sleep hormone'.Melatonin naturally begins to rise around two or three hours before bedtime, signalling to your body that night is approaching. However, light can disrupt this, and research now suggests that it is not just colour, but the intensity.
Deep sleep is essential for repair and restoration, and circadian disruption can put you at greater risk of metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric disorders, compromised immune function and cancer, GI and hepatic disease and reproduction and hormonal disorders.
In order for the body to carry out it's many functions during the night, it requires darkness. Light from standby buttons, a charging phone, Wifi, street lamps, can all disrupt this essential process.
Just as important, is getting daylight as soon as you wake, even for as little as half an hour. This helps to reset the clock and can have a positive effect on how quickly you fall asleep and how deeply you sleep.
Solutions: Dim lighting if possible 2-3hrs before bed. Reduce bright screen exposure or lower screen brightness. Use warm/soft lighting. Keep your bedroom dark and restful. Get daylight as soon as you can on waking.
