Can Red Light Really Improve Your Sleep?

If you spend any time on Instagram, TikTok, or other wellness-heavy corners of social media, you’ve probably noticed that red-light therapy is everywhere. It shows up in everything from red-light masks to large glowing panels. We’ve written before about products used for skin care, hair growth, and pain relief, and in some situations there is solid evidence that red-light therapy can help.

More recently, though, red-light devices have started promising better sleep. The basic idea is that blue light — the kind the sun gives off — tells the brain to stay awake and alert, and that too much exposure to it at night may interfere with sleep. Since red light sits at the opposite end of the visible spectrum, some people argue it may be more sleep-friendly. The claim sounds scientific enough to seem plausible, so I checked in with S. Justin Thomas, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurobiology and director of the behavioral sleep medicine clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and also tried a few red-light lamps myself.

What does the evidence say?

Not very much, at least so far. Thomas says there haven’t been many clinical trials, so there is no strong evidence that red-light therapy improves sleep. Still, there is some reason to think red light may be less disruptive than blue light because of how the circadian system works. Specialized cells in the eyes send light information to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain, which then helps regulate melatonin production. Blue light — and even nearby wavelengths such as green — can suppress melatonin, while evening darkness tells the body to begin ramping it up. Because screens and other lights are often used at night, that process can be interrupted. That is part of the thinking behind blue-light-blocking glasses and the move toward red light.

Thomas said it is better to think of red light as something that may do less harm to sleep than brighter, full-spectrum light, rather than something that actively boosts sleep. Using a red lamp at night before bed may be less disruptive to circadian rhythms, but it does not do anything special beyond that, and it will not increase melatonin production. “You could also turn your lights down to a very dim lighting and do relaxation strategies for 30 minutes and achieve the exact same result,” he explained. In his view, red light is mainly a way to minimize interference, much like simply avoiding coffee before bed.

Is there any downside?

Probably not much. If a red light helps you feel calmer at night, Thomas considers that a positive. He does note, however, that brightness matters too, since bright light of any color can affect circadian rhythms. And sleep experts consistently emphasize that complete darkness is best once you are actually asleep, so there is no reason to leave a red lamp on overnight.

He also stressed that anyone dealing with real sleep problems should talk to a doctor. Adjusting bedroom lighting will not fix conditions such as sleep apnea or insomnia.

Are these devices worth buying?

Thomas says red-light devices may make sense for people who spend a lot of time in brightly lit rooms after sunset and feel that the light is hurting their sleep. Even so, he would not make them the first purchase to solve the problem. Dimming lights or lowering the overall brightness in your space is just as effective, he says. He also recommends getting enough bright blue light during the day, ideally outdoors, to support a healthy circadian rhythm.

My own experience testing red-light products was mixed. The sleep-focused versions are basically bedside lamps, and I tried two of them: the Melalight and the Helight. The Melalight is more like a standard lamp, while the Helight is smaller and designed to fade gradually, mimicking a sunset. The Melalight has a timer but no fading feature. The Melalight emits 660-nanometer wavelengths, and the Helight emits 630-nanometer wavelengths, both within the red spectrum. Both companies make similar claims about red light and circadian rhythm, including the idea that it “supports” melatonin production.

Three glowing red lamps.

Both lamps were much dimmer than my regular bedside light and did create a pleasant atmosphere in the bedroom. But that lower brightness also made them less practical as actual lamps. They were not bright enough for reading or for lighting the room while getting ready for bed, so I still had to turn on other lights, which undercut the point of using red light in the first place. Before bed, I usually want either enough light to read or no light at all; I do not really need a very dim in-between option. If I had to choose between the two, I would give a slight edge to the Melalight because its larger size makes it more effective as a lamp, especially if you keep one on each side of the bed.

That does not mean they are useless. I sometimes find them helpful on dark mornings when I am getting ready for the gym before work, since they let me have a little light without waking my husband. They could also work well for meditation, stretching, or other calming pre-bed routines that do not require much brightness. As an accent light, they can be pleasant, similar to a Himalayan salt lamp. But at $169 for the Melalight and $139 for the Helight, they probably are not a smart buy for most people hoping to meaningfully improve sleep.

Can Red Light Really Improve Your Sleep?