We changed the light, and everything shifted.

After one week of:

• No screens in the morning
• Evening firelight or infrared heat
• Quiet music and drawing before bed

…our whole house was calmer. My kids fell asleep faster and woke up happy. I felt less anxious, more rested, and more myself.

I’d heard for years that blue light affects sleep. But like most people, I shrugged it off. It felt like one more thing I should care about, but didn’t have time to act on. Then I listened to Dr. Andrew Huberman explain how light affects everything from hormone cycles to child development and mental health. And it finally clicked.

So I decided to experiment. Nothing fancy. Just a few intentional shifts in our routine.

What We Actually Did Differently

• No TV in the mornings
• A 30 to 40 minute walk outside in the morning without sunglasses
• TV turned off at least 30 minutes before bed
• Classical music playing in the background in the evening
• Quiet drawing or reading time, all together in one room
• Sat by an infrared heater one night and a real fire the next

It wasn’t about doing everything perfectly. It was about creating rhythm and softness in our evenings.

What Happened

The kids went to bed without resistance. They stayed asleep. They woke up cheerful and calm.

There were no last-minute meltdowns or dragging feet. Just a natural flow toward rest, and then into the next day.

And I slept better too. I woke up without a tight chest. I didn’t feel flustered or overwhelmed before work. The whole mood of the house changed.

Why It Works

Here’s what I learned.

• Morning light exposure (without sunglasses) helps set the circadian rhythm for the day
• Blue light in the evening suppresses melatonin and disrupts sleep signals
• Firelight, candles, and red-spectrum bulbs trigger a natural shift toward rest
• Infrared light helps calm the nervous system and support deep cellular recovery

This isn’t just wellness advice. It’s physiology.

If you’re curious, I highly recommend listening to Dr. Andrew Huberman’s episodes on light and circadian health: 

Try This Evening Light Reset

Start simple. Choose just a few and build from there.

• Turn off all screens 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime
• Use a salt lamp or amber light bulb
• Play instrumental or ambient music
• Create a quiet shared space for drawing, reading, or talking
• Go outside in the morning without sunglasses for at least 10 minutes

Try it for 3 to 5 days. See how your sleep and mood respond.

The Missing Link

We already ate well, moved our bodies, and managed screen time during the day. But the light in our home was still out of sync with our biology.

When we changed that, everything else began to flow more easily.

It wasn’t a new supplement. It wasn’t a rigid schedule. It wasn’t a parenting trick.

It was light.

Looking to go deeper?

You might also like: Why Melatonin Isn’t the Answer—And What to Do Instead