While we want bright light with a high blue content in the morning and during the day to signal our body "It is daytime," in the evening and at night, we want a dimly lit environment with low blue content in the light spectrum. Otherwise, we actively inhibit our body from executing the biological processes that are intended for this time of day, causing us to feel tired and fall asleep well. With the wrong light at the wrong time, we can actually unconsciously program ourselves to be a "night owl," which can lead to poor sleep and struggling to drag ourselves out of bed in the morning.

Even small amounts of light (over 2 LUX) during the night are sufficient to have a significant impact on our melatonin production and negatively affect our circadian rhythm and sleep.

I was still looking for a suitable solution for my evening lighting at home to healthily and dimly illuminate my bathroom for nighttime short visits.

In this article, I will show you why I chose the battery-operated night lights from Lichtblock (€49 for 3 lights), how I use them, and whether I would recommend them.

Transparency notice: I paid for the lights myself, but we are now partners of Lichtblock.

My starting situation

An hour before my bedtime, my bathroom lighting consisted of 2 small LED candles (purchased at Depot), which I had to turn on and off manually. Perfect for me while brushing my teeth, etc., but when I wanted to quickly use the toilet or grab a drink of water at night, it became cumbersome. I had to fumble around first to find one of the LED candles and then the small on/off switch. This made me a little more alert every time, which I obviously didn’t want at this time.

My goal was to light the bathroom as well as our second, separate toilet. A solution with a motion detector, that provides me with adequate visibility without negatively affecting my circadian rhythm.

Another reason that was very important to me: My husband always turns on the normal bathroom light late in the evening and at night. With automatic night lights, I wanted to do something good for his health by preventing him from having to turn on the ceiling lights.

My solution path – Amico battery-operated night lights from Lichtblock

Initially, I searched for cheaper alternatives on Amazon but wasn’t really satisfied with the selection. Either they were not red or orange and thus not suitable for my purpose, had no battery, did not appeal to me visually, or were so cheap that one would suspect they were worthless.

Some time ago, I came across a recommendation for the German company Lichtblock and discovered the Amico night lights. Generally, I really like the product range from Lichtblock, which is why I’ve been curious to test their products for a while. The Amico night lights seemed like a good entry point.

What I find particularly convincing are the scientifically based descriptions on the website, which is why I trust these lights much more than the offers I saw on Amazon.

The Amico night lights from Lichtblock are offered in 2 variants: with battery (rechargeable via USB-C) in a pack of 3 for €49 or with plug for €39 – also only available in a pack of 3.

In the separate toilet, I have no outlets, so the version with a plug was already off the table. In the bathroom, I have outlets near the floor and near the sink. The outlet near the floor was not an option for me, as I have 3 cats that would constantly turn on the light, which unnecessarily consumes battery.

Therefore, I opted for the more expensive, battery-operated version.

Shipping/Packaging

The products from Lichtblock are only available in their own

webshop

For shipping to Austria, there are shipping costs of €6.90, so I paid a total of €55.90 for the 3 lights. That’s €18.63 per piece so I can see a little at night when I need to use the toilet 😅

This way, the light doesn’t mess with my hormonal balance, as other lights might. So it’s a small investment in my health. The hashtag depicted on the packaging fits quite well: #saveyoursleep

Contents

The 3 night lights are individually packaged in boxes but are delivered together in an outer box. Each box contains 2 self-adhesive magnetic points and a USB to USB-C charging cable. So 3 charging cables per package. Personally, I find this a waste of resources, as one cable is absolutely sufficient, and one can almost assume that everyone already has at least one USB-C charging cable. The only positive aspect I can draw from this decision is that one can take one of the boxes directly and give it as a gift, and the recipient has everything they need. I actually only needed two and gave away the third one.

I still wonder: Why are there exactly 3 pieces in one package? The night lights are not sold individually.

The lights are attached using magnets. Either you have something magnetic on site, or you attach one of the self-adhesive magnetic points to the wall or your furniture. With two magnetic points per light you can either change the positioning flexibly (e.g., if you want to take the light from one room to the next and attach it there) or you need your second point if you didn’t choose the first placement - like I did - ideally.

Appearance, Material, and Processing

The round shape of the night lights is nice by itself, and the white color is certainly a “safe bet” for most bathrooms, but they are not necessarily a visual highlight.

I didn’t buy them for their aesthetics, but my co-founder made a very valid point. He said, if a light looks really good, it would create curiosity and lead to conversations, thus creating more awareness for circadian healthy light. The design could perhaps be enhanced by replacing the white, light-blocking front with a thin metal or wooden plate, or providing a colorful illustration for children's rooms.

The night lights are completely made of plastic but give a quality impression.

Functionality

There are - not surprisingly - 3 modes: ON/OFF/AUTO, which can be selected with a sliding switch. On the back is also the magnet for mounting, as well as the USB-C port for charging. What the arrow indicates remains a mystery even after consulting the user manual.

Light Color

Lichtblock uses 630 nm red light for the Amico night lights. Upon request, they provided me with the results of the light spectrum measurement:

It can be seen here that the produced light contains no blue components (460–480 nm) that would negatively affect our sleep. The same result could, however, be achieved with orange light, which, for example, my co-founder would prefer for aesthetic reasons. I'm quite satisfied and find the color kind of cool. However, I might change my mind once I have a direct comparison with orange night lights.

Use in Everyday Life

The motion detector in “AUTO” mode works very reliably. When movement is detected within range and it is sufficiently dark, the red light turns on for 30 seconds.

In the evening when getting ready for bed (removing makeup, brushing teeth, etc.), my night light in the bathroom automatically activates, but I also turn on my white LED candles for a bit more light.

The combination of the red of the Amico night lights and the white light of the LED candles is visually a bit unusual. I will surely adjust this in the future. Other than that, I'm satisfied.

Positioning

I initially positioned my night light about at eye level. I cannot recommend this. At night, I was so close to the light that I had to turn it off because it was too bright.

In our separate toilet, the motion detector doesn’t work ideally. I placed the battery-operated night light in a corner where the light does not shine directly when I open the door. The sensor detects darkness and my movement and turns on before I can manage to turn on the normal light. Usually, it's still early enough that the blue component in the light wouldn’t worry me. This means the night light unnecessarily turns on and consumes battery. I’ve often caught myself turning off the night light and then forgetting to turn it back on for days. I’ve repositioned the night light and was able to resolve the “problem.”

Initial placement in a corner where the night light often turned on unnecessarily because it was still light, but the daylight didn't shine in.

New attempt, hopefully saving battery, because the daylight directly shines on it when the door is opened.

Battery Life of the Amico Battery Operated Night Lights

Used in AUTO mode for 2 months: 2x charged. Works!

Conclusion

For the current price of €50 for three battery-operated night lights (excl. shipping), you get a reliable product in the mid-price range that allows you to move around completely without blue light in your environment at night. Thanks to the pure red light spectrum and low light intensity your body receives no "time to be awake" signals. This won't unnecessarily wake you up during nighttime toilet visits and helps you fall back asleep faster.

If you have outlets in suitable spots, I recommend the €10 cheaper plug-in night lights instead.

If your sleep health matters to you, an Amico night light from Lichtblock is, in my view, a completely sensible and worthwhile investment.

Good to know: If you order with the code, you not only support your inner clock but also us – we receive a small commission for it. Thank you!

What I particularly like (Warning, a bit childish!)

My night light in the bathroom always turns on absolutely reliably when I need it and somehow gives me the feeling of looking after me and my sleep. "Oh, Niki is here; I better turn on the light for her so she doesn’t trip. And since I am red, I send no signals that wake her up. I’m the guardian of her sleep health." With that, my night light has earned a name – it has been called Leuchti.

Does my husband still always turn on the light in the bathroom?

Did my plan work to keep him from turning on the light with the automatic night lights? To be honest… not really. He still turns on the light but is more mindful to close the door first. This way, at least the light doesn’t shine directly in my face when I’m already lying in bed.

When I told him I bought the light for him so he wouldn't have to turn it on, he said, "So? Did it work?" which made us both laugh.

If you have good experiences with other night lights, I look forward to your message (niki@love-mornings.com), to learn about alternatives!