This $16 Book Light Actually Gets Me Into Bed at a Normal Time
It's become the unlikely solution to my sleep woes.
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Earlier this year, my therapist suggested I get a book light. I was struggling to fall asleep at a reasonable hour (before 2 a.m., to be exact) and she, not unreasonably, thought snuggling with Instagram rather than my pillow might have something to do with it. Her advice seemed intuitive enough...and yet I was hesitant to commit. You see, there’s something addictive about the way social media feeds offer up a healthy dose of FOMO before bed.
We spent the rest of the session entertaining other solutions to help me enforce my own bedtime, going through the familiar laundry list of wellness-approved activities: CBD, more exercise, guided meditations. My grandmother seemed to get along just fine with a glass of wine. But I had been needing a bedside lamp, so I figured maybe a book light could double as one.
After a quick purchase on Amazon, I was met with my sleek companion, the Luminam. Her subtle curves and dim lighting were better than I anticipated; after all, the last memory I have of a book light was the chunky mustard-and-red-colored thing I owned as a child.
After a solid three minutes of playing with the touch settings on the lamp, I cut off my bedroom light, book in hand. At the time I was reading Sally Rooney’s Normal People, like every other 20-something in New York City. Amused by the Dublin scenery and sex-infused chapters, I inhaled Rooney’s words (the same way her characters would cigarette smoke). And then, just like that, it was 9 a.m. the following day, and my book light had done what no other insomniac fix could—it had sent me to bed on time. And I was delighted to discover that, night after night, I could rely on this thing, and only this thing, to help me maintain my sleep schedule.
My new bedfellow has a stable clip for attachment, a flexible neck that can turn every which way, and a slim head with a slender rectangle that graciously sheds light on my reading material of choice. And the light itself is also fully dimmable, in increments from 0 to 100. Plus, the clip conveniently hooks to my side table, transforming it into an impromptu lamp that’s the best I’ve owned to date. While I’m navigating quarantine, Luminam has also become my most intimate travel companion (I simply roll up the neck and drop it into whatever pouch I have on hand).
All these features set this book light apart from the version I remembered from childhood, and make me feel that this was $16 well-spent. Sure, there are bedside table lamps that are a little sleeker than this one, but my Luminam reminds me of childhood: A nod to the fourth-grade kid who just wanted to finish Zusak’s The Book Thief tucked under a crepe knit blanket. And it fits comfortably into my life now. Thanks to my therapist’s recommendation, I’ve rediscovered what it’s like to race through dinner for the sole purpose of going to bed to read. I find myself wanting to say, “Yeah, your rosewater face mask is nice, but have you tried reading a book?” I’m happy to leave my computer and phone outside of my bedroom, knowing that I have a date with Luminam for the night.
Not only do I feel like an adult for choosing my humble book light over the flash of the screen, but I’ve also gleaned a few key lessons from my newest companion. For one, trading The Bachelor for Toni Morrison rarely disappoints. You might be behind tomorrow’s meme blasts or a little slow to understand the most recent Twitter thread, but books have shaped conversations since, well, forever.
And then there are the psychological benefits of having a bit of alone time, without the toxic urge to compare your own life to someone else’s. So if you’re looking to get through your bookshelf, indulge your thoughts, and get more sleep all at once…maybe all it takes is a good book light.