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A reading light for bed can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to the comfort and atmosphere of your bedroom. Stylish LED reading lights can not only make it more comfortable to read and relax in bed, but they can elevate the look of the room. Below, we will discuss LED reading light fixtures and their many uses and benefits.
What is an LED Reading Light?
Modern LED reading lights are reading lights that use LED bulbs, as the name might suggest. They are good for illuminating books as well as the immediate area around you in bed. Bedside LED reading lamps tend to have a compact design that shines just enough light without sticking out too far and getting in the way.
From a wall mounted bedside lamp to headboard reading light fixtures, there are plenty of styles of LED reading lights for bedroom spaces. Whereas they were once primarily seen in hotels, they are increasingly becoming more popular in homes.
What Are The Different Types of LED Reading Lamps You Can Use?
There are several main types of book reading light options to choose from. Ultimately, the best reading light for bed comes down to a matter of personal preference. Some of the most common types include:
- CLIP-ON LIGHTS – These lights attach to the headboard or other similar areas by the bed. They come with little clips that can stick on the edge of a headboard or similar items. This makes them quite portable and easy to move around, meaning they are also good to take along when traveling.
- FREESTANDING LIGHTS – This type of light usually sits on the table beside the bed. Such lamps are usually larger and can cover a wider spread of space around the bed if you want more general lighting.
- WALL MOUNTED READING LIGHT – Much like the name suggests, wall mounted reading lights are lamps that affix to the wall itself. These lights are permanently attached to the wall in a location of your choosing, which frees up the space on your bedside tables. A wall mounted reading light for beds is one of the most popular types of reading light, if not the most popular.
With the versatility of being able to place the reading wall lamp virtually anywhere, many consider them to be the best bedside lamp for reading, especially for those who share a bed with a partner. When it comes to bedside lights, wall mounted options allow both partners control over their own light, so the other isn’t disturbed if one is awake for longer.
- HEADBOARD MOUNTED LIGHTS – Besides the ever-popular wall mounted bedside lamp, many people enjoy attaching the reading light directly to the headboard as well. Much like wall reading lights for the bedroom, headboard mounted lights can either be attached directly to the surface of the headboard or recessed into the headboard if it is deep enough to accommodate them.
Why is it Important to Have Good Lighting When Reading a Book?
A wall reading light fixture is an important part of any bedroom lighting design when at all possible. At night, when it is dark and hard to see, you can cause unnecessary strain on your eyes by not having adequate lighting.
Reading in dark rooms can cause discomfort and lower your ability to concentrate all the same. Beyond that, some people have even experienced dry eyes from reading on an e-reader or tablet in a dark room. The eye strain caused by doing so has the potential to dry out the eyes and make them grow fatigued more easily.
Proper reading lights can not only decrease eye strain — they may actually make you a more productive reader. Without your eyes having to constantly adjust to the low light, you can focus better on the words on the page.
Why Are LED Lamps The Best Choice For Reading Lighting?
Energy efficient LED lighting has been making its way into many aspects of home lighting, including reading lights. One of the reasons they are particularly well-suited for reading is the ability to choose their brightness and colour temperatures.
Different colour temperatures in lights have the potential to drastically affect your eyesight and even your brain. Warm white light has been shown to reduce strain on the eye and even improve sleep quality after reading.
To achieve this effect, it is recommended that you choose a reading light somewhere between 2700k and 3000k. If you choose light that is too cool, such as lights in the 5000k to 6500k range, it can inadvertently wake you up and make you feel more alert.
Indoor LED lights also come in varying lumen counts. Lumens are an indicator of the brightness of a light. By having the ability to choose how bright or dim you want the light to be, you can remain in control over your comfort level.
Unlike traditional halogen bulbs, LED lights do not get hot to the touch. Traditional bulbs use up most of their energy as heat, as this is what generates the light. LED bulbs, on the other hand, bypass the need for heat to generate illumination. Instead, LEDs consume far less energy and turn almost all of that energy into light.
Applications For Reading Lights
There are many different applications for reading lights for you to consider besides having a light to read by in bed. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Reading lights used as task lighting for working or studying
- Reading lights used for traveling
- Reading lights for outdoor use, such as when camping in a tent
- Reading lights for children to use when winding down for the night
- Reading lights for visually-impaired or elderly people to reduce strain on their eyes
- Reading lights for tablets and e-readers to avoid dry eyes
What to Consider When Buying a Reading Light
When you are looking to purchase a reading light, there are a few main points that you should consider:
- LUMEN COUNT – Lumens indicate how bright or dim a light will be, with a higher lumen count indicating a brighter light. You will want a light that is bright enough to easily read without it being so bright that it wakes you up. On the other hand, you don’t want it to be too dim that it makes it hard to read.
- LIGHT ANGLE – Directional lighting is one of the main draws of LED light bulbs. Many of these lights provide a more focused and dedicated beam of light that shines right down onto the book. Others have a wider angle of light that covers more space. Ultimately, it comes down to preference.
- FLEXIBILITY – Some reading lights are fixed in place, while others attach to a flexible arm. The latter allows you to move and twist the light in the direction of your choice, which makes it attractive for many.
- DIMMABILITY – If you want to be able to dim your reading light, it is important that you choose a light with such a capability.
How Does an LED Reading Light Help to Improve Sleep Quality?
Reading lights pose their own benefits beyond the main goal of providing illumination by which to read. They can also have a positive impact on your sleep quality. This is due to their ability to reduce your exposure to blue light. Blue light is a wavelength of light that comes from screen, which has been shown to make it harder to fall asleep.
Other ways reading lights may improve sleep quality include:
- RELAX AND UNWIND – Having a smaller wash of light instead of a bright overhead ceiling light can help you to relax more easily. Your body and mind can more efficiently transition from work mode to rest mode, and you won’t even have to get up and turn the light out like you would an overhead light.
- DIMMABLE LIGHTS – If the light has an adjustable feature, you can turn it as bright or as dim as you need it to be, so you can be more comfortable as you read.
- SEPARATE LIGHTING SOURCE – You can limit your exposure to unnecessary levels of lighting by having a focused beam of illumination from a reading lamp. This can promote relaxation and rest and get you acclimated during the transition of light to dark.
- MINDFUL DISTRACTIONS – When you read, you can shift your focus to the story being told instead of the worries and stresses of the day. This can help turn your brain “off” and allow you to let go of thoughts that might otherwise keep you tossing and turning at night.
Night Reading Light Ideas
For a more modern, chic look, the LWA317 3 Watt LED Beech Wood Wall Mounted Reading Light is a great choice. This reading light crafted out of genuine beech wood features a circular base that attaches to the wall. At the end of the handy flexible arm is a matching ring of wood. The light comes in either black or black and chrome finishes to suit your taste.
The product outputs 120 lumens of 3000k warm white light that is gentle on the eyes but still bright enough to read easily. The light shines at a 30-degree beam angle to provide you with helpful directional lighting. It measures 120 millimeters across the backplate with a 90-millimeter-long head.
Perfect for couples who share a bed, the LWA225 Twin 2 Watt Chrome Wall Mounted LED Reading Light is designed to be mounted on the wall in the centre of the bed. Each light can be independently controlled and has a flexible arm, so you can point the illumination directly where you want it. The polished chrome backplate and aluminium arms give the light a modern, sleek look. Each one of the bulbs outputs 140 lumens of warm white light.
Enjoy a stylish contemporary reading light when you choose the LWA544 3 Watt Recessed Bedside LED Reading Light. This light instantly modernises the room with its crisp lines and angles as well as its minimalistic appearance. When the light is in use, the head pops out from the wall and can be twisted and tilted to fix it into the desired position. When it is not in use, it sits flush with the backplate for a sleek appearance.
The light outputs 120 lumens of 3000k warm white light at a 30-degree beam angle and is turned on and off using the switch on the backplate. It is crafted out of high quality aluminium that comes in your choice of either black or white finishes.
With the LWA539 3 Watt Bedside LED Reading Light with USB Port, you can create a stylish, modern bed area while providing ample light for reading. This contemporary reading light attaches to the wall and features a slim head that can be twisted and tilted into the preferred position.
The 120 lumens of 3000k warm white light shines at a 30-degree angle, which is ideal for reading. Turn it on and off using the rocker switch on the backplate, which is crafted out of high quality aluminium. Choose from either a black or white finish.
Dress up your bedroom with the ultra-modern addition of the Elegante Square Recessed LED Bedside Reading Light. This recessed light can be recessed into the wall or headboard depending on your preferences. It features a square backplate that houses the round head that you can tilt outward to turn on. When the light is off, it sits flush in the fixture for a minimalistic look.
The sleek light outputs 206 lumens of 3000k warm white light from a durable aluminium body, which comes in black, white or silver finishes. It requires an 80-millimeter hole cut-out to install and measures 110 millimeters by 110 millimeters.
Take control of your nighttime reading environment with the versatile LWA298A 6+3 Watt LED Chrome Wall Mounted Bedside Reading Light. This reading light features a standard lamp and shade design that outputs 600 lumens of light. It also has a flexible arm that shines 120 lumens of light, so you can choose the kind of light you want on any given night.
There are two switches that you can use to control the lights individually. Both bulbs output 3200k warm white light, which is perfect for reading. The fixture measures 482 millimeters in height, including the flexible arm.
Using the LWA418 3 Watt LED Wall Mounted Reading Light With USB and Wireless Charging, you can not only provide yourself ample illumination, but also the convenience of a charging port. This wall mounted reading light features a light head that outputs 120 lumens of indirect light. A halo backlight also generates 400 lumens that shine back onto the wall.
On the light itself, there is a USB charging port that sits right above the small shelf, which makes it easy to store and charge your phone overnight. The entire fixture is crafted out of high quality aluminium and comes in your choice of black or white finishes.