Ambient Mode from Joovv

Ambient Mode from Joovv

Ambient Mode is a setting on Joovv’s light therapy devices that’s designed to support healthier light use and better sleep. Ambient Mode delivers lower intensity red light than a normal Joovv session. It’s designed for use at night and in the morning, as an alternative to bright blue light. 

This article explains what Joovv’s Ambient Mode is, and how it supports sleep and natural circadian rhythms.

What is Ambient Mode?

The type of light you’re exposed to makes a difference for your sleep cycle. Ambient Mode is designed to balance your light use in the home and help you sleep better. 

When you turn on Ambient Mode, your Joovv device utilizes the same LED technology to deliver red light, but it shines at a lower intensity. This is optimal for nighttime use, and a good alternative to bright blue light.

Ambient mode only utilizes red light. Near infrared light is automatically deactivated, so there is no need to wear eye protection.

When To Use Ambient Mode

Ambient Mode is designed to help promote better sleep, and balance the lighting options in your home. Here are some of the best times to use Ambient Mode:

As a Low-Intensity Evening Light: Ambient Mode allows you to use your Joovv as a regular nighttime red light. When you use Ambient Mode to light a room, you can still see and read, but your body and brain aren’t taking in as much blue light from traditional light fixtures and screens. This helps smooth the transition into sleep. 

Before Bed: Ambient Mode is ideal for the hour or two before you go to sleep. Lower intensity red light helps your body wind down and adjust to the natural darkness of the day/night cycle. Going straight from bright lighting to darkness makes it more difficult for the brain and body to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

When You Wake Up: Ambient Mode is also a good way to transition into your day in the morning, after you wake up. Bright light in the first hours of the day can be jarring and make it harder to get a good start. Low intensity red light is much less harsh in the morning.

Why is Lower Intensity Red Light Better for Sleep?

Our natural circadian rhythms are closely tied to the light/dark cycle of the earth. The brain interprets light as a sign of when to be awake. But not all light is created equal, and your brain responds differently to different types of light.

Much of the light we’re exposed to is bright blue light, especially at night. Blue light is used to illuminate our screens and light our homes at night. It has a high color temperature, similar to mid-day sun. Color temperature measures the warmth or coolness of light. Reds are on the low end, in the 1000-3000 Kelvin (K) range, while blue lights can be as high as 6500 K. [1]

Even if it’s well past sundown and you’re getting ready for bed, bright blue light can give your brain the message that it’s time to be awake. This can limit how much sleep-aiding melatonin and cortisol your body releases. [2,3]

Red ambient light is ideal for evenings because it has a much lower brightness than blue light and sunlight. You can be immersed in red light at night without giving your body a jolt and altering your internal clock. Check out this article for more helpful sleep tips.

How to Use Ambient Mode

In the Joovv App, you can turn on Ambient Mode to lower the brightness of the LEDs for up to 90 minutes at a time. Choose the brightness level that’s best for your home with 4 dim options.

Conclusion: Ambient Mode Supports Healthy Sleep and Circadian Rhythms

Ambient Mode is a Joovv feature that gives you the option for lower intensity lighting in your home, so you can live in line with your natural circadian rhythms and enjoy quality sleep at night. You can check out Joovv’s light therapy products here. If you want to see which Joovv device is best for you and your health goals, take this short quiz. 

Sources and References:

[1] Science Direct. Colour Temperature.

[2] Jung C, Khalsa S, et al. Acute Effects of Bright Light Exposure on Cortisol Levels. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 2010 Jun.

[3] Harvard Health. Blue Light has a Dark Side. Updated July 2020.