We’ve all seen them – more and more RVs being manufactured are coming with ever-brighter exterior lights and, according to some studies, this is a problem. In fact, based on the results of some studies, it’s actually a rather significant issue.
There were several studies I looked at for this article, but my own empirical data is that I sleep better when it’s dark. It’s one of the reasons I like boondocking and camping in forests and other places where there isn’t a lot of light.
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All about melatonin
One study summed it up as follows:
“Darkness is essential to sleep. The absence of light sends a critical signal to the body that it is time to rest. Light exposure at the wrong times alters the body’s internal ‘sleep clock’ – the biological mechanism that regulates sleep-wake cycles – in ways that interfere with both the quantity and quality of sleep. Melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain’s pineal gland, is often known as the ‘sleep hormone’ or the ‘darkness hormone.’
“Melatonin influences sleep by sending a signal to the brain that it is time for rest. This signal helps initiate the body’s physiological preparations for sleep – muscles begin to relax, feelings of drowsiness increase, body temperature drops. Melatonin levels naturally rise during the early evening as darkness falls and continue to climb throughout most of the night, before peaking at approximately 3 a.m. Levels of melatonin then fall during the early morning and remain low during much of the day. Evening light exposure inhibits the naturally timed rise of melatonin, which delays the onset of the body’s transition to sleep and sleep itself.”
You can find countless articles and studies to this effect. One such article appeared in the Washington Post, where they cited that people don’t necessarily need more sleep, they just need more darkness.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also cited that light absolutely affects one’s circadian clock in this article, which was shared by the CDC.
So what are the issues with lights?
I am seeing an ever-increasing number of RVs with fairly bright lights on them. That’s terrific until the point where you figure your fellow RVers are trying to sleep and those lights are not helping.
Furthermore, it seems there’s a new trend of laying out LED strips under RVs. Oftentimes these colorful lights might look cool, but they definitely brighten up a site and shed pretty significant amounts of light into the adjacent sites. What inspired me to write this was a very bright strip of LEDs under a motorhome in my neighboring campsite that were left on all night.
But plenty of travel trailers now are coming with lights that were originally designed to assist with hitching in the dark. I’ve seen many owners leave these on all night.
The practice seems to be ever more common and it’s part of the reason some campers are bemoaning all the newbies out there. It seems the experienced campers just don’t do this, or aren’t as likely to.
Campgrounds: It’s you, too
I can’t just blame my fellow campers. Some campgrounds, too, are bringing on the light. In fact, one of my favorite campgrounds has those high-pressure sodium lights all over the place. At one group campout I attended someone actually managed to find the source of power for the sodium light over their RV and, for some reason, it never worked the entire rest of the time they were camped there.
See. It’s not just me.
While a certain amount of light is probably a good idea, lights in campgrounds can be situated so that they don’t shine on or hover over RVs. In fact, the campground I’m staying at as I write this has fixtures that aim the light down and utilizes bulbs in those fixtures that aren’t very bright.
It’s actually pretty ideal as we are near a Dark Sky area. The light from the campground is not disturbing but still provides guidance. Well, until someone decides to lay out a strip of blue lights under their motorhome and leaves them on all night long…
And then I’m the d-bag for asking them to shut them off after dealing with it for a couple of days.
What can you do?
The body needs time to prepare for sleep. A sleep routine that includes a gradually darkening environment can help. Dim the lights a full hour before bedtime to encourage your body to begin its physiological progression toward sleep.
If you’re fortunate enough to have dimmable lights inside your RV, perhaps dim the lights a bit an hour before you go to bed.
Avoid screen time the hour before bed: Turn off the television, power down computers and tablets, and put your phone away for the night. The light from digital devices contains high concentrations of blue light, a wavelength of light that research has shown is especially detrimental to sleep.
Many RVs have thin folding shades like the ones in my own RV that do little to block incoming light. Perhaps consider replacing these with blackout shades (here are a bunch of options for RV blackout shades).
If you’re in a pinch, you can take a black contractor’s garbage bag and cut it to the shape of your windows. Then simply wet the windows with water and the garbage bag will actually adhere to the window. When you’re ready to remove it, it’ll come right off.
An eye mask worn at night can help deepen darkness and protect against intrusive light. Choose a mask that is soft, comfortable, and flexible. Wearing an eye mask can take a little getting used to, but it is a highly effective tool for limiting your light exposure at night.
Being aware of light’s effects on the body will lead you to pay more attention to the light that surrounds you, both day and night. Taking a little time to ensure a dark sleeping environment is one easy and important way to protect and improve your nightly rest.
##RVT1022
I’m in the “turn your exterior lights off at quiet time” (whatever time that is in the RV Park or campground, generally 10/11PM). They aren’t cool when left on all night. If you’re going to be out late invest in a cheap motion sensor light that will provide enough lighting for you to get inside. There’s another trend not discussed in Tony’s article and that’s keeping your trailer running lights on all night. This is easily accomplished by placing a fuse between two specific pins in the 7-way plug. It’s not cool! You’re neighbors don’t like it.
You’re outside, enjoy it how it was created which is dark after sunset.
Have no problems. With our RV bedroom shades down and the wrap around valances, it stays super dark. I thought all rigs had this feature? We camped right next to a fully lit RV, couldn’t tell from in our bedroom.
We think it looks nice and adds a certain element of safety. Red lights would be best since it is easiest on the eyes.
I have a very expensive Prevost with all the horns and whistles, lights everywhere and DO NOT use them, I don’t need any more than a simple small, dim, light when outside at night, never use the exterior sound or tv system, enjoy a nice quiet campsite, I don’t care about others and their lights, when I go to bed our blinds block out all light, I feel bad for those that can’t do that and have to deal with the city folks and their rudeness.
The blue lighting that the rv manufacturers put in rv’s bother my eyes. I never use mine. The only light I leave on out side is the tongue jack to light up the three American Flags I have mounted to the tongue jack.
I can deal with the outside lights; we have blackout shades. It’s the inside lights that drive me crazy! The control panel’s blue light reflects off of the fridge. The microwave has a bright blue light with the time. The tv has a red light that stays lit when it’s off. The radio unit has lights on it that can’t be turned off. The CO2 monitor has a bright green light directly across from the bed. Even the reclining chairs have a little green light on the arm. I’ve had to cut up thick black drawer liner from Harbor Freight and rig it with Velcro. Before we go to bed I have to lower all the pieces to cover the lights and it’s still not 100% dark. Really? They can’t think about that when they make these rigs?
I too dislike all the lights left on a night.
I prefer dark skies and stars.
We put a motion detecting light by our RV door. That way if we are out after dark when we return to the RV, our headlights will stay on long enough for us to walk to the RV, they then auto shut off. By this time we have approached the RV door and the motion sensing light has turned on to allow us to get inside.
…it’s nothing more than light pollution. A total nuisance.
Mousetrap Monday on Youtube disproves the “lights repel rodents” myth.
Many RV Parks have more ambient lighting than this photo. You sound like a bunch of cranky old men. Besides, get some blinds. No one wants to see you running around in your underwear inside your RV.
Mousetrap Mondays test wasn’t much of a test. The rodents are conditioned to humans and reside inside his building where there are no predators. I, and others, have tested lighting used for rodent control on tractors, pickups, and RV’s in the deserts around Tucson and have found they are the only way to keep them at bay. Might not be the same result if you stay in one place for long periods of time, but a LED light in the engine compartment of our tractor for 1.5 years kept the rodents out. It had been repeatedly ravaged before. Same with truck and 5th wheel.
We leave the led lights under our trailer on when we leave after dark so we can see while walking to the truck and when we return as well. We also turn them on when we go out to walk dogs before bedtime. Don’t leave them on all night though. Honestly the blue light is not very bright at all and basically just puts a very dim light under the trailer that helps us see to walk.
I like some lites under my motorhome. Keeps mice & other critters away. One trip I killed nine mice in eleven days until I finally found their entry point. Lites help.
We use the lights on chassis at night if we leave to go out in evening. Easier to find our coach when we return, then we turn them off as we enter.
We call all those lights under and around rigs “Las Vegas”. We can’t stand them and don’t appreciate the lights. All the better to boondock to get away from it. We did stay at a state park that has a dark sky policy. All lights out at 10.
Some campsites remind me of a carnival on the 4th of July. Always figure they are newbies, don’t know any better or don’t care.
This article is NOT on The RV Travel face book group . Can you make it so???
Sure glad this country is still free and you can have lights or not!
Yes Brian, our country is still free for those that think only of themself and don’t care about their unnessary wants and desires.
Brian, we are also free to do the decent thing. Look out fir others. Place others before our little desires.
Exactly!
We are snowbirds and I like the lights around RVs. We stay in an RV park (825 sites) on the Colorado River in AZ for 5 months. It’s dark early in the winter and the lights on RVs are festive. We have coyotes, donkeys and other animals that roam our park. I like to have some visibility when out at night. The blinds in our RV can make it very dark so we have nitelights for the nightime visits to the can.
Rod I bet 820 of those campers hate seen your RV it’s more about thinking of others.
I believe there is a switch to turn on the lights when you need to be out. Along with a switch to turn off when you’re not out or looking out.
As for as festive. I’m sure you’re fine with fireworks in your neighborhood on July 5th. 6th, 7th……..
That goes with January 2nd, 3rd, 4th…….
Ditto !!!!!!
Over the decades we’ve tried all the usual pest prevention remedies to keep pests (rodents) out of vehicles and RVs. The only thing that has worked is running a LED rope light around the base of our 5th wheel and then our motorhome. For over 4 years rodent free. Don’t need to use bright rope, we use a dark blue rope light.
At home the only thing that kept rodents out of our vehicles were lights on a photocell and left it in the engine compartment. Prior to using the light it was a constant struggle with frequent incursions.
Sealed bottoms are not going to keep rodents out. Even if not chewed through to allow access, there are jacks which aren’t sealed, areas around where the wheels are mounted, there are holes in the frame where slide rams are mounted.
I picked up the idea using light from a 4×4 outdoor adventure company close to our home. Vehicles are parked in the desert. All vehicles have lights. Since using lights there have been no rodent problems.
Lights don’t bother us as bad as noise. I use lights outside but if I can see that our neighbors may be close enough for them to be bothered by them, I turn them off at bedtime..
Thank you!
I want to comment about LED Lights under a Motorcoach on the ground. I have run into a problem at our Florida RV center that we stay at during,Winter. The RV CENTER has over 350 full hookup sites. It has a 18 hole Golf Course & 4 swimming pools. Very clean. It is adjacent to nearby heavy vegetation. Some small animals wander the sites at night. Without lights under the Coach they chew through electric wiring & air brake lines that costs big $$ to fix. Any comments to that about lights under a RV??
I have never seen actual evidence that these lights are effective in preventing this. Plus, don’t virtually all RVs have sealed underbellies?
Our is the plastic material that is like cardboard. It is partially sealed, but with wires and pipes, very hard to completely seal the under area of a trailer.
What studies I have seen say rodents are unimpressed by lights,
Our new 42′ 5th wheel came with a 40′ string of LED lights. So, I bought a small battery-operated light with a dimmer for a porch light. I know my neighbors appreciated keeping the aircraft landing lights at a minimum. The manufacturer needs to add the conventional small orange porch light. Campgrounds should have timers for their street lights, automatically shutting down at 10:00 p.m.
Saw a Class A with 2 light show projectors aimed at both sides of the rig. Of course there was plenty of spill over for everyone else to enjoy. Ran all night. What a jerk.
Keith, you’re not seeing the bigger picture. The owner of the light show is special. You’re not.
That sums up what’s going on in America right now. I long for the 50’s!
Sleep masks can work, but I have been using a dark hand towel draped over my eyes for years. Started with a wash cloth, but it fell off too easily. The wife wants to stay up half the night reading in bed with her light on, no problem. The towel even works with a CPAP. A bonus is that on really cold nights, if you cover your whole head, it keeps you warmer. Otherwise fold it or whatever to just cover you eye area.
This is such a pet peeve of mine. There have been so many times that my trip was impacted by other camper’s lights. The worst was when I was camping at Furnace Creek in Death Valley a few years ago. The campsites are far apart there. However, a guy across the street and 3 campsites down decided to leave his bright LED awning lights on plus he ran those stupid rope lights all underneath his 5th wheel. Even though we were a ways away, there was so much light in our trailer it was like the sun was up. The worst part is there was no moon the first few nights we were there and myself and some other campers were looking forward to trying some astrophotography as the night sky was amazing. Instead of being comfy and photographing from our campsites, we had to go drive somewhere. One of the other campers asked the guy to shut his lights off and he said “No, he wanted to keep the snakes away.” Finally, the other camper got the ranger on him and he turned them off.
The blue light are the worst! All light should be turned off at quiet time or dimmed.
But wait, it is a free country, I just read that in this thread….free to crank up the generator, free to crank up the outside entertainment center, free to bless your neighbors with your blue, red, green, whatever…..under rig lighting (to keep rats, mice, armadillos, badgers, wolves, small bears, snipes, pythons, feral cats, feral kids, rabid lizards, and telemarketers at bay) and thus protect your new cardboard travel trailer, fiver, or MH), free to crank up the music system on rig to share the latest in hiphop with the appreciative neighbors. And I am sure glad the “light people” can seal out the light from inside their rig…….screw the neighbors, of course (see….”free country” discussion above). When the skinny jeans crowd gets weary of being a “nomad” things might get back to normal
Larry N – thank you for your wry and hilarious comments! I particularly laughed at feral kids and telemarketers, both of which are much more prevalent, and more annoying than wildlife. We need another thread on parents who default on their responsibilities and let children run wild. It is not uncommon to find 2-3 year old toddlers standing alone in the traffic lanes.
We all need grace, and owe it to others, but the Golden Rule seems to be out of fashion.
I can’t stand the blue light Jayco puts in the travel trailer bathroom ceiling for a night light. I never turn on any blue lights. I agree the interior LED lights are to bright. Lived in the Poconos in a wooded recreational community. When security would tell home owners to turn off all the exterior lights around their house at night. The guys would say their city wife’s from New York and New Jersey we’re afraid of the dark.
Somewhere someone in the RV industry bought a container load of blue lights and they’ve been telling us how wonderful they are. Unfortunately the blue light spectrum is not so good for circadian rhythms. More proof that the people who build RVs don’t actually use RVs.
I’ve been putting out Philipps LED ‘rope lights’ for about a decade when we stay someplace for more than five days. Three strands of white lights, and the rest are multi-color. They are on a timer in the storage bay and turn off from about 2330 until around an hour before sunrise – depending on the time of year. My rope lights are about 1/3rd (or less) as bright as the lights built into the awnings of new rigs, but I try to be respectful. I upgraded the ‘patio light’ in my kitchen slide to a motion sensing LED to keep down the annoyance. It’d be nice if manufacturers would integrate this technology into the Awning LEDs, or maybe a ‘HUE’ type app so you can control it via bluetooth.
I guess I don’t understand why you need the lights on at all? Other campers want to see the stars, not their neighbor’s led lights.
The lights under the rig keeps mice, rats, and other animals from coming into your rig at night. It might also save your wires from the ones that like to chew on things.
No, it doesn’t. It’s just your justification for using those annoying lights. I’ve been RVing for 36 years in TTs, Class C and A gas, and Class A diesel. No outdoor or under coach lights, and never had anything chewed up.
I’m not the Tony you replied to but lights don’t keep rodents away, if it did why do people see rodents scurrying around in a lit room? Rodents don’t want to be around people very much so if trying to keep them away the best thing for you to do is sit outside at night and sleep during the day.
Winner of the best comment.
Try Cinnamon spray. Order online. Spray a few squirts where you think there’s a need. Rodents hate the smell.
I’m having trouble figuring out why you think 2 330 is an appropriate time to turn your obnoxious lights off. What about those of us who may be parked near your rig and are attempting to enjoy the dark sky between sunset and 2330.
Also what is magical about 2330? Not everyone stays up that late.
Imagine how we feel as the tent campers. Respectfully hope our neighbors will dim lights by 10 and off by midnight. Never once had need to run lights all night for rodents or bears. We follow the rules and lock supplies away. The stars and night sounds are breathtaking and worth it.
agree
Us too
Rules are for plebes.
So hush fellow plebe.
I replaced all the cheesy RV blinds with cellular day/night blinds. Beside excellent insulation, these blinds block out all outside light. It’s DARK inside my rig at night. Can’t see your hand in front of your face, lol. Now if I could stop all the driving in & out in the middle of the night. 😐
You did the right thing Rebecca! You fixed what you can control. One can’t control other folks. I was wondering why folks who are so bothered by light don’t do as you and fix the problem.
Why should I have to spend money plus time an effort to fix a problem caused by someone else? Maybe I’ll park my diesel truck next to someone else’s RV and let it run all night. Then that person can spend money to better noise-proof and “smell-proof” their RV!
I’m opposed to all the lights as when camping outside the cities I enjoy Dark Sky and looking at the stars and Milky Way.
Balsam Fir and Peppermint are as effective against mice as are lights.
People put those rope lights under their rigs to keep rodents out. That’s why you see them at HipCamp — non-paved places. Even more in places pack rats frequent. Lights in your engine, lights under your rig.
Why can’t you wear something over your eyes? Why not install room-darkening curtains? Why must everyone else change for you?
Honestly, the amount of kvetching on this site turns readers off.
Some have the lights because of rodents; others think they look nice. I hate ’em. Many of us prefer dark at night. Why have cutesie lights and make everyone else change and wear something over eyes or install curtains?
Agree
Honestly, your definition of “kvetching” is “anyone who doesn’t agree with you.” Why should people who have been camping in the dark for 30-40 years [1986 for me] have to change for YOU?!?
It has been shown that lights don’t work for that. The only thing running bright lights all night keeps away is the people who would talk to you if you weren’t such a jerk. I guess you also think that the people who have some sporting event on their outside tv going full blast and cheering till late at night / early morning is also good, and the rest of us just need to get ear plugs. Very bright lights and loud tv’s or parties after quiet times are nothing but inconsiderate to your fellow campers. But some don’t seem to care for anyone but themselves.
It’s more like a siren call for others of a like mind – like I’m ready to tailgate.
My wife and I were at a camp ground in Iowa and we had neighbors across the street that had two 500 watt flood lights ( not spot lights but FLOOD lights) – adults of I would say 35 – 45 yrs old being loud,drinking, letting their dog run loose and playing bean bag toss till at least midnight. I think it’s rude that the campgrounds don’t outlaw all of these bright lights.
Who ever thought a tv on the outside of a RV would be a good idea
I believe those lights would help you see the rodents…. But once it’s nice and quiet and you are asleep trust me they could care less about a little light especially under the protective cover of an RV.
Double so in an RV park full of light to begin with. They are quite used to it. Think of a super bright moonlight night.
Unless you are talking some retina burning, brighter than looking at the sun, industrial grow lights. I suspect if bright enough to induce pain that might help.
I would suggest sealing any holes in your RV and keeping area clean of any possible food instead.
Why can’t you dim your lights, check to make sure they are not reflecting right into someones bedroom window, it goes both ways. Why must someone play their TV program or music so loud we all must listen to it. Must the person trying to sleep put themselves into a light and sound proof container just to get a nights sleep. Why do parks have quiet hours, because it is politeness to be quite as your neighbors try to rest. Why is a request for community politeness seen as a imposition on you, after all night time hours are a generally recognized time period that the majority of the community is expected to be resting.
I have camped in the desert, for extended periods and various places, camped overall for many decades. Never put lights out, never had rodent problems or chewed wires. I saw people come into parks and see what others had done then just copied the trend. Never had anyone prove that it takes a string of bright lights to deter a pest/packrat. I don’t buy that excuse.
If I want to see city type lighting all night I would not be camping, I would just stay home in the city. My wife and I go camping to enjoy the star lit nights, not the rope lit ground
LOL
You expect others to put up with excessive and unnecessary lighting so that you can show off your Light Show.
We have to change or do without natural nature viewing and night star glazing so that you may sit or sleep inside your concoon. While we get the glare.
Lorraine, self reflection is not your strong suit.
I have a string of little Christmas lights from my door to the back wheel set on a timer. Why? Because my dog needs to go out at night. The porch light is too bright. The string of lights allows enough light so I don’t fall on the steps. Otherwise they are for safety.
If you are respectful and have one light not much brighter than fifteen-twenty or so candles I don’t think you are what anyone here is talking about.
Doesn’t take much for light to leave your campsite and be noticed by others so everyone really needs to be aware of the issue (great article here) and then make judgment calls on the trade off by taking into account your neighbors. Use amber not blue. Use dim not bright. Diffused light facing down, not a beam in my face when I walk by. Use a timer so they are off during sleeping time but can be back on in AM for you to let dog out. Etc.
I take my dog out at night on a leash, as required by every campground I’ve been in. I use a flashlight! I do believe rvgrandma is respectful of fellow campers in her approach!
We stayed at a farm in Kansas through Hip Camp. It was fabulous. The nearest RV was 1/4 mile away. But come dark, that thing was lit up like Times Square shining across the farmer’s field. I just could not understand why those folks would bother to come to a remote and beautiful spot to camp and then block our view of the stars as well as their own.
The excuse I hear a lot from under RV string light uses is that it keeps vermin away. I’m not sure I believe that. I complained on another RV site where I could upload a picture of my neighbor’s trailer with LEDs all over it – and I was BOMBED with comments on how I should just move if I didn’t like it. I was told that there might be all manner of reasons FOR leaving a ton of outside lights on. I should cool up to the new normal camping experience.
And this is why we boondock almost all the time.
Everyone trying to keep up with the joneses…
It seems RV manufacturers and owners are attempting to irritate their fellow campers with outdoor entertainment centers and ‘ cool’ lights. The idea to camping is to get away from all the noise and light pollution.
Close your eyes.
But then I couldn’t read these comments.
The light pollution in campgrounds is out of control. It’s a part of camping to be able to look up and see the stars. Lights left on all night are a disgrace to the spirit of camping.
Agreed.
Agree
Lights on all night; scared of the dark? Possibly not cut out to be able to embrace Mother Nature? I can blackout my trailer interior, it’s wearing ear plugs for the noise addicted jerks and their barking pets that are up all night that’s a real pisser. Biggest bad Joke at R/V parks: “quite time”.
Leaving your outside LED lights on all night, gets to the heart of the current state of America. We only think of ourselves and disregard everyone else.
Agreed. It’s the same with the outdoor “entertainment” systems.
Couldn’t agree more.
Eye mask to the rescue! I wear one every night, actually have 2 in the RV. Really helps.