Module 13

Blue Light Audit Worksheet

Catalog every source of blue light in your home and create a plan to neutralize them

Blue light (wavelengths 450-490 nm) isn't inherently bad — it's essential during the day for alertness, mood, and cognitive performance. The problem is blue light at the wrong time. Evening blue light suppresses melatonin production, delays sleep onset, reduces sleep quality, and disrupts growth hormone release. Children are 2-3x more sensitive to this effect than adults because their larger pupils and clearer lenses let more blue light reach the retina.

Room-by-Room Audit

Walk through each room in the evening (after dinner) and catalog every source of light. Include overhead fixtures, lamps, screens, LEDs, appliances — everything.

Living Room / Family Room

Overhead lights— Bulb type? Color temperature? Can they be dimmed or switched to warm?

TV screen— Size, typical evening viewing distance, night mode available?

Tablets / phones in use— Who uses them, when, how close to face?

Gaming console / monitor— Screen type and blue light output

LED indicator lights— Router, TV standby, power strips, smart home devices

Lamps— Bulb type and color temperature (check the label or packaging)

Living room — sources identified and planned fixes:

Kitchen

Overhead / recessed lights— Often the brightest (and bluest) in the house

Under-cabinet lights— LED strips are often cool white (5000K+)

Appliance displays— Microwave, oven, dishwasher, refrigerator

Phone or tablet on counter— Used for recipes, timers, etc. during evening cooking

Kitchen — sources identified and planned fixes:

Child's Bedroom

Overhead light— This should NEVER be on during the bedtime routine

Nightlight— Color? Blue/white nightlights suppress melatonin. Switch to red/amber.

OK-to-wake clock— Many emit blue or green light. Look for red/amber-only models.

Monitor camera— Many have visible LED indicators. Cover them with tape.

Tablet or screen— Should not be in the bedroom at all. Period.

Hallway light visible through door cracks— Light-blocking door seal or draft stopper

Window light leakage— Streetlights, car headlights, neighbor's porch. Blackout curtains.

Child's bedroom — sources identified and planned fixes:

Bathroom (Bedtime Routine)

Vanity / overhead lights— Bathrooms are often the brightest room. Install a dim amber nightlight or red bulb for evening.

Fan light combo— Can you separate the fan from the light? Use fan only at night.

Nightlight— For middle-of-night bathroom trips. Amber/red only.

Bathroom — sources identified and planned fixes:

Parent's Bedroom

TV in bedroom— Remove it, or at minimum no use within 1 hour of sleep

Phone charging on nightstand— Charge in another room. Buy an alarm clock.

Alarm clock display— Bright LED displays disrupt sleep. Cover or replace.

Smart home devices— Echo, Google Home — LED indicators should be covered

Blackout curtains— Both for your sleep and for modeling good sleep environment

Parent's bedroom — sources identified and planned fixes:

Solutions Toolkit

Problem	Solution	Cost
Cool white overhead bulbs	Replace with 2700K warm LED bulbs or install dimmer switches	$2-5 per bulb / $15-25 per dimmer
LED indicator lights	Black electrical tape or LightDims stickers over every LED	$5 for a pack
Blue/white nightlights	Replace with red or amber LED nightlights	$5-10 each
Evening screen use (unavoidable)	Blue-light blocking glasses (amber/orange lenses, not clear 'gaming' glasses)	$10-30
Bright bathroom for bedtime routine	Install a single amber/red bulb or nightlight for evening use	$5-10
Early morning light leakage	Blackout curtains + Velcro edge seal or travel blackout shades	$25-60 per window
Phone as alarm clock	Buy a simple battery-powered alarm clock with no display light	$10-15

Priority Action Plan

Top 3 blue light sources to fix this week (highest impact):

Items I need to purchase:

Start Here

The single highest-impact change for most families: remove all screens from bedrooms and replace bathroom overhead lights with a dim amber nightlight. These two changes alone can shift a child's melatonin onset by 30-45 minutes earlier.