I love having a light on at night, as I find it comforting and it helps me fall asleep. If the room is completely dark, my heart rate kicks up a notch. I’m wide awake and my thoughts start to churn. My husband**, however,** hates any additional light (even the minuscule light from an internet hub annoys him) and now wears a sleep mask to block out any light to accommodate me. My glow preference has me wondering: Am I the weirdo? I did some deep diving, and it turns out that I am not alone.
If this sounds familiar, you are part of a significant, though often quiet, segment of the population that finds it easier, safer, and faster to fall asleep with a light on.
Society—and a whole lot of sleep scientists—tell us that total darkness is the gold standard for rest. We hear endless warnings about blue light, melatonin production, and circadian rhythms. So, if darkness is so good for us, why does it feel so wrong to so many people?
It turns out, needing a little nocturnal glow isn’t childish behavior. It’s a complex psychological and physiological response.
Here is a look into why some of us need the light to let go.
1. The Primal Instinct: It’s Not About Ghosts
The most obvious reason is often labeled “fear of the dark,” or nyctophobia. But for adults who prefer a nightlight, it’s rarely about fearing literal monsters under the bed. It’s more evolutionary than that.
For thousands of years of human history, darkness meant vulnerability. We don’t see well at night; predators do. The dark is where unseen dangers lurk.
Lying down to sleep is the ultimate act of surrender. You are unconscious for eight hours. For some people whose fight-or-flight systems are naturally tuned a bit higher, total darkness triggers a primal alarm bell that says, “It is not safe to power down right now.” A light acts as a subconscious security guard, allowing the vigilance center of the brain to finally clock out.
2. The Anxious Brain and Visual Anchors
For many, the issue isn’t what’s in the dark—it’s what the dark represents: a vacuum.
When the lights go out and sensory input stops, the brain suddenly has a lot of processing power available. For those prone to anxiety or overthinking, the brain happily fills this void with intrusive thoughts, worries about tomorrow’s meeting, or replaying an awkward conversation from 2014.
In total darkness, these thoughts feel louder and more consuming because there is nothing else to focus on.
A light provides a “visual anchor.” By being able to see the outline of a dresser or a stack of books, your brain has something concrete to process. It’s just enough sensory input to distract the anxious mind from spinning out of control, acting as a mild form of grounding that allows sleep to arrive.
I suspect I fall into this camp. Light calms me. I have actually referred to my nightlight as the sun, and I equate it to drifting off to sleep on a warm sunny beach. My husband still thinks I’m nuts.
3. Combatting Loneliness with Artificial Presence
Nighttime can be profoundly isolating. The world goes quiet, and you are left alone with yourself.
Light is often associated with warmth, life, and activity. A lit lamp can subconsciously mimic the feeling of daytime safety or the presence of others. It makes the bedroom feel less like an isolation chamber and more like a cozy, inhabited space. For people who live alone, or perhaps those whose partners travel frequently, that small pool of light can feel like company.
The Caveat: The Melatonin Trade-Off
While understanding why you need the light is validating, it is important to acknowledge the science that argues against it.
Your body relies on darkness to signal the pineal gland to produce melatonin—the “sleep hormone.” Bright, white, or blue-toned light seriously suppresses melatonin, which can disrupt your sleep cycles, leading to shallower rest or waking up groggy.
So, we have a conflict: The light helps you fall asleep (psychologically), but it might prevent you from staying deeply asleep (physiologically).
Finding the Middle Ground
If you are a “glow-worm” sleeper, you don’t have to force yourself into terrifying blackness just because sleep articles tell you to. But you should optimize your glow so it doesn’t wreck your health.
The goal is to find the minimum amount of light needed to soothe your anxiety, without tricking your brain into thinking it’s high noon.
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Ditch the Blue: The worst offender is the blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and cool-white LED bulbs. Swap these out immediately.
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Embrace the Red Shift: Red or amber light has the least impact on melatonin production. A dim red bulb, a Himalayan salt lamp, or a smart bulb set to a warm sunset orange can provide comforting visibility without disrupting your hormones as severely.
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Location Matters: Put the light source low to the ground (like a hallway nightlight) rather than on a bedside table shining directly onto your eyelids.
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Use a Sleep Timer: If you only need the light to initiate sleep, get a smart bulb or an outlet timer that automatically fades to black after 60 minutes.
The Final Verdict
Sleep is deeply personal. If a little bit of light is the tool you need to feel safe enough to close your eyes, then it is a valid tool. Stop feeling guilty about the lamp on your nightstand. Just maybe swap the bulb for something a little warmer tonight.
