Light–Sleep Protocol: Morning Sun, Evening Darkness & Smart Nightlight Use

The Concern

Viewers frequently ask about the ideal timing and duration of morning light exposure, strategies to reduce blue light in the evening, and solutions for sleeping in total darkness, especially for those with anxieties about it or living in areas with extreme seasonal light variations. They also seek recommendations for artificial light alternatives.

The Tip

Expose yourself to 2–10 minutes of natural light, ideally direct sunlight outdoors, immediately upon waking to effectively set your circadian rhythm. In the evening, drastically reduce all light exposure 1–2 hours before bed by dimming lights, using blue-light blocking glasses, and blacking out your bedroom. If total darkness is not possible due to fear, use a low-intensity red nightlight.

Creators Addressed

• Bryan Johnson — turns on a 10,000-lux light for a few minutes upon waking to signal wakefulness and enhance mood/energy; avoids midday sun (10 AM–4 PM) due to UV; uses Flux, blue-light glasses, and blackout sleep environments or masks while traveling.
• Matthew Walker — emphasizes darkness at night by dimming or switching off most lights in the last hour before bed; device screens before sleep delay melatonin release.
• Andrew Huberman — highlights sunlight exposure in the morning and near sunset as crucial for setting circadian rhythms; recommends 2–10 minutes of direct outdoor morning light and advises avoiding bright light between ~11 PM–4 AM; notes melanopsin cells respond even through clouds and some light can penetrate eyelids.
• B.C. Marx — recommends sunlight to reset the circadian rhythm; reduce blue light levels at night (dark mode or blue-light glasses); make the room as dark as possible with blackout curtains or an eye mask.
• Doctor Mike — advises decreasing blue light exposure in the evening, increasing early light exposure, and making the bedroom pitch black; acknowledges red nightlights for those who fear total darkness.

Related Raw Comments

• “Can you provide links for the sleep watch tracker and the daylight lamp? ... Half the year it is very dark in the morning up until late. The summers are very bright at night, so the lamp might help.”
• “Does making the room totally black help ?”
• “What is the time window one should view the natural outside sunlight (safely) in the morning to trigger these neurons, ultimately influencing the CR? Just sunrise? Or can a 10am viewing time also work?”
• “For people like myself, who live in a deep valley with big mountains on either side, the actual sunrise and sunset is quite different from what it would be without the mountains.”
• “i cant sleep in complete darkness because im scared , so what do i do?”

Quick Summary (Do This Tonight)

Go outside within 10 minutes of waking for 2–10 minutes (20–30 if cloudy). After sunset, dim or turn off overheads and use lamps; avoid bright screens 1–2 hours before bed. Make your room dark (blackout curtains or eye mask); if darkness causes anxiety, use a very dim red nightlight placed low and away from your eyes.