Home Assistant Sleep Mode Automation with mmWave Presence and IR Climate Control
A good smart bedroom should not require a voice command every night. It should know when the room is occupied, when lights should stay soft, when the air conditioner should shift into a quieter mode, and when everything can turn off after the room is empty.
This guide explains how to build a Home Assistant sleep mode automation using mmWave presence sensing, local IR control, and simple comfort rules. It is designed for bedrooms, nurseries, guest rooms, small apartments, and any room where a normal motion sensor turns lights off too aggressively.
Why Sleep Mode Needs More Than a Motion Sensor
Traditional PIR motion sensors are useful for hallways and quick pass-through areas. In a bedroom, they often fail because people stop moving. Someone may be reading in bed, resting, watching a screen, or asleep. A PIR-only routine may decide the room is empty and turn off a light, fan, or climate scene at the worst moment.
mmWave presence sensing gives Home Assistant a better signal for this type of room. Instead of asking, "Did someone move recently?", the automation can ask, "Is someone still present in the room?" That difference is what makes a sleep mode feel calm rather than annoying.
Keep lights gentle
Use presence and time conditions to switch from bright room lighting to low night lighting after bedtime.
Control AC locally
Use IR commands for compatible AC units so the room can shift into a quieter sleep temperature scene.
Avoid false vacancy
Use mmWave presence and a longer vacancy delay so Home Assistant does not shut the room down while someone is still resting.
Recommended Device Roles
The right setup depends on whether the room mainly needs flexible placement, combined presence and IR, or higher precision sensing. A bedroom does not need every device. It needs the right signal in the right place.
| Device | Best role in sleep mode | Why it helps | Internal link |
|---|---|---|---|
| eMotion Air | Flexible bedroom presence testing | Battery-powered placement helps test shelves, walls, desks, bedside areas, and rental spaces before committing to a permanent location. | View eMotion Air |
| eMotion Pro | Presence plus IR climate control | Useful when one device should detect presence and send compatible IR commands to AC, TV, fan, or media devices. | View eMotion Pro |
| eMotion Ultra | Higher precision room awareness | Fits rooms where presence stability and stronger sensing logic matter more than flexible battery placement. | View eMotion Ultra |
| eRemote HA | Dedicated local IR control | Use it when the room already has a presence sensor but still needs local Home Assistant control for AC, TV, projector, or fan scenes. | View eRemote HA |
Sleep Mode Automation Blueprint
Start with a simple state machine. The goal is not to make one giant automation. The goal is to make the room shift through clear states: evening, bedtime, sleep, wake, and empty.
Define the sleep window
Use a time helper such as 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM. This prevents sleep rules from triggering during daytime naps unless you intentionally add a nap mode.
Confirm room presence
Use the mmWave presence entity as the main signal. If presence is detected during the sleep window, Home Assistant can dim lights, reduce fan noise, and prepare the room.
Add a quiet lighting rule
When the room is occupied and lux is low, switch to a soft lamp or night light instead of full brightness. Keep the brightness fixed and predictable.
Add IR climate control
If the room is warm and occupied, send a compatible AC command through eMotion Pro or eRemote HA. Use conservative settings that avoid overcooling at night.
Use a longer vacancy delay
Do not turn everything off immediately when presence clears. A 10 to 20 minute delay is usually safer for bedrooms because people may move out of the sensing zone briefly.
Example Home Assistant Logic
The exact entity names will depend on your setup. Treat this as a planning pattern rather than a one-click configuration.
Trigger: - bedroom presence changes to detected - bedroom temperature changes - time reaches sleep window Conditions: - time is between 22:30 and 07:00 - bedroom presence is detected - optional: bedroom lux is below night threshold Actions: - set bedside lamp to low brightness - send AC sleep temperature command through IR - keep media or fan scene quiet - after vacancy delay, turn off lights and IR devices
Keep it comfortable: sleep automation should be conservative. Avoid aggressive temperature changes, loud alerts, or bright lights. The best automation is the one nobody has to think about after the first week.
Scene Ideas for Real Bedrooms
Reading mode
If presence is detected after bedtime and the bedside button or dashboard scene is active, keep a reading lamp on at low brightness. Do not let the room switch to full sleep mode until the manual scene ends.
Night comfort mode
If the bedroom is occupied and the temperature is above your comfort threshold, send an AC or fan command through eMotion Pro or eRemote HA. Add a cooldown period so Home Assistant does not send repeated IR commands too often.
Middle-of-the-night path lighting
If presence shifts from bed area to room exit during the sleep window, trigger very low hallway lighting. This is especially useful when paired with a local Home Assistant gateway such as iSG Box SE or a visible room interface such as iSG Display Max.
Placement Tips
- Avoid pointing directly at moving curtains or fans. mmWave is sensitive enough that poor placement can create false presence.
- Test before permanent mounting. eMotion Air is useful for testing because battery placement makes experimentation easier.
- Use the bed and bedside area as the main activity zone. Do not aim the sensor at the doorway if the room logic depends on in-bed presence.
- Keep IR line of sight in mind. If the device controls AC or TV, make sure the IR path can reach the appliance reliably.
How This Differs from Energy Saving Automation
Energy saving automation asks how to reduce waste. Sleep mode automation asks how to make the room feel calm while reducing unnecessary actions. That means fewer triggers, softer lighting, longer delays, and more careful IR commands.
If your main goal is lowering heating or cooling waste, read the Home Assistant energy saving automation guide. If your main goal is choosing sensors across several rooms, read the Best mmWave Presence Sensors for Home Assistant guide.
FAQ
Can Home Assistant create a sleep mode automatically?
Yes. Use time, room presence, light level, and optional IR climate rules to let Home Assistant shift the room into a sleep mode without a voice command.
Why use mmWave instead of PIR for bedtime?
mmWave is better for rooms where people stay still. It can help Home Assistant keep the room active while someone is reading, resting, or sleeping.
Can eMotion Pro control AC during sleep mode?
Yes. eMotion Pro combines presence sensing and built-in IR, so it can support compatible AC, TV, and fan commands as part of a Home Assistant scene.
When should I use eRemote HA instead?
Use eRemote HA when you already have a presence sensor but need a dedicated local IR hub for AC, TV, projector, or other infrared appliances.
Build a Calmer Home Assistant Bedroom
Start with one bedroom. Add presence sensing first, then lighting, then IR climate control. Keep the rules simple for a week before expanding the same pattern to other rooms.