Who Should Set Up Smart Lights for Winter?

But the further you head away from the equator, the bigger the variance gets.

Offsets for Daylight Saving Time can make the change feel even more pronounced.

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Which Smart Lights Should I Use?

With that in mind, the gold standard for our purposes is thePhilips Hue platform.

Without a doubt, you’re free to useother smart lights.

A sun graph showing the earliest and latest sunrises and sunsets over the course of a year in Detroit, Michigan.

timeandate.com

from Wind Hover Manufacturingthat offered programmable sunrise simulation using regular lights.

What Smart Routines Should I Consider?

What makes smart lights shine over a simple bulb and timer setup is the adaptability and the automatic changes.

A Philips Hue smart light hub.

Philips

The Iris makes for both a fun accent lamp and a great addition to your sunrise/sunset routine.

Whatever time you settle on, the key is consistency.

Evening Lighting

I was an early adopter of the whole sunrise alarm thing.

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Hue is the gold standard for smart bulb lighting for a reason, and a perfect fit for the rise and shine and then unwind and relax routines dark winter days call for.

So why not have some or all of your lights turn on at dusk to combat that gloominess?

There are a myriad of ways to configure your smart bulbs to accomplish that end.

No special Hue Labs addon is required; that functionality is built right in.

A person using a the Philips Hue app.

Philips

Now you might be thinking, “Isn’t that an expensive waste of electricity?”

Bedtime Routines

Bedtime routines are trickier than morning routines and turning the lights on around dinner time.

Mixing roommates, a significant other, or kids into things can complicate the situation, too.

A woman waking up in the early morning, with a Hue smart light on her nightstand.

Philips

Perfect to use as sunrise alarm and ambient mood lighting during the evening.

Why limit yourself to just dimming the lights when it’s possible for you to get a sunset experience?

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The Iris makes for both a fun accent lamp and a great addition to your sunrise/sunset routine.

A living room with Hue smart lights illuminating it in the evening.

Philips

A woman prepares for sleep, looking at a glowing Hue Go smart light on her nightstand.

Philips

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The Go is like the Iris, but with a battery so you can easily move it. Perfect to use as sunrise alarm and ambient mood lighting during the evening.