Keeping some lights on can help, but you don’t want the house to look like a stage. The smarter approach is to use outdoor motion-sensor or timer-based lighting instead of leaving everything constantly on. A sudden light that turns on when someone approaches a door or window is both practical and a bit surprising for anyone with bad intentions.
Inside the home, one or two small lamps on timers can create the impression that someone is awake or moving around at different times, especially if you’re away. Leaving every light blazing all night wastes electricity and doesn’t necessarily make you safer; it can even announce that nobody is switching them off.
Outside, focus on lighting near the main entrance, back doors, and dark side areas where someone could hide. The key idea: avoid deep shadows right next to doors and windows. Balanced, directed lighting plus secure doors is more effective than just burning one bright bulb the whole night.
