Babies are just like us; they sleep best in the dark. Why? Light is stimulating to your baby's brain, while darkness promotes sleep. That means light is perfect for awake time, but darkness is best for nights and naps.
Infants are affected by what surrounds them, now more than ever. The lights that surround them affect an infant's sleep patterns and brain development. Light stimulation is important for newborns to help their brains develop correctly. However, it can cause harm as well.
At birth babies are sensitive to light (and don't pick up on color differences), but by 2 weeks of age their pupils enlarge and they're able to experience a wider range of dark and light shades of color.
Infants eyes let in more light and are much more sensitive than adults' eyes and so just a short blast of bright light can suppress melatonin and its sleep promoting effect. No screens at least 2 hours before bedtime is ideal and should be the norm.
MYTH: Babies are scared of the dark.
If you have a young baby who is overstimulated or overtired, putting them in a pitch black room (with white noise) will be very calming for them. Babies do not need night-lights, as any light will be stimulating for them and can prevent them from falling asleep or staying asleep.
A darker room means less stimulation around your child. This will help calm and settle them. A darkened room also tells your child that it's time for rest. Once your child is in bed, they'll sleep better if the amount of light in the room stays the same while they're asleep.
Some parents suggest that a nursery should be light during the day time, during naps for example, and dark at night so as to avoid confusion. The short answer is yes, babies should sleep in a dark room, for all sleeps.
While it does depend on the baby of course, Dr. Jay Lovenheim, D.O., of Lovenheim Pediatrics in West Orange, New Jersey, tells Romper that at first, until about 4 months, complete darkness may be the way to go to make sure your baby sleeps well.
Their eyes are now becoming more sensitive to light. At 3 months, an infant's light detection threshold is only 10 times that of an adult. You may now want to dim the lights a bit more while they're sleeping.
A dark, quiet environment can help encourage your baby to sleep. Put your baby to bed drowsy, but awake. Before your baby gets overtired or cranky, you might try singing soft lullabies or swaddling or massaging him or her. Eventually, your baby will learn that these activities mean it's time to rest.
Your child will soon learn that you are simply in another room. If your baby awakens in the night for feeding, don't turn on the lights. Keep the room dark and quiet. Use night lights, if needed.
Light is stimulating to your baby's brain, while darkness promotes sleep. That means light is perfect for awake time, but darkness is best for nights and naps. Even though darkness is best for sleep, you don't have to lock yourself in the house every time your baby needs to nap.
Still, it's normal to worry that staring at a lightbulb could somehow cause vision damage. In fact, your baby is probably staring at the lights because his or her long-range eyesight is still developing (depending on the age, of course), and lights provide wonderful contrast between bright and dark.
It is recommended that babies under 12 months are kept away from direct sunlight when UV levels reach 3 or above. When UV levels are below 3, sun protection is generally not required and a few minutes of direct UV exposure is considered safe and healthy for babies.
A newborn is sensitive to bright light, and their main focus is on close objects about 10 inches away from their face. A newborn baby also does not have the eye muscle strength to track objects well. During their first month, your baby's eyes may appear crossed. That's because their eyes are not yet well coordinated.
The fact is children may experience persistent sensitivity to light for a variety of reasons, but most often it can be attributable to a chronic condition—from migraine to concussion or even glaucoma.
Seeking visual stimulation
Certain objects are more visually stimulating for young babies. They are naturally attracted to high-contrast items, bright colors, bright light, and different patterns. Your baby is developing their visual skills when they stare at these objects.
The 'arms up' behavior observed in babies is closely related to the Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex. This involuntary response is part of a baby's developing nervous system and serves as a protective mechanism.
In addition to regulating our melatonin levels, sleeping in complete darkness helps lower the risk of depression.
If you keep white noise at a safe level and at a safe distance from your baby's ears, there's absolutely nothing to worry about. Of course, it should go without saying that you not blast your white noise machine at max volume right next to your little one's head all night long.
Around 3 months old, your baby's body will begin producing melatonin. Melatonin is the sleepy hormone that helps induce sleep and helps your baby fall into more of a regular sleep cycle. When your child is in a dark room, their pineal gland in the brain begins to produce melatonin.
Your baby can't put into words how they feel, so it's up to you as a parent to find the right room temperature for them. You don't want your baby's room to be either too hot or too cold. It's recommended that the best temperature for babies is between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 22 degrees Celsius.
Amber and red are the best color night light for newborns and babies. Due to their having a longer wavelength than other colors, they are less likely to disturb your baby's natural sleep cycle. On the other hand, blue light has been proven to have a "hyper alert" effect.
Pediatrician Dr. Gina Posner, M.D., says newborns are definitely not scared of the dark because they've spent their entire lives in the dark up until now. “Having spent the last nine months in the womb, newborn babies are very used to being in the dark,” adds Norland-trained nanny Paula McLaren.
Babies have shorter sleep cycles than adults and spend more time in light sleep, meaning that there are more chances for them to cry, grunt, or make other noises in their sleep.