Method for illuminating an interior of a motor vehicle with a multiplicity of lighting means (10, 11, 12), having the steps: (i) illuminating the interior with a first of the multiplicity of lighting means (10, 11, 12) with a first predeterminable brightness value over a first predeterminable period of time, subsequently (ii) progressive reduction in the brightness of the first lighting means, (iii) as soon as the brightness of the first lighting means undershoots a predetermined brightness threshold value, progressive increasing of a brightness of a previously switched-off second of the plurality of lighting means (10, 11, 12), until the level of the brightness of the second lighting means corresponds to a second predeterminable brightness value, (iv) illuminating the interior with the second lighting means with the second predeterminable brightness value over a second predeterminable period of time, subsequently (v) progressive reduction in the brightness of the second lighting means, (vi) as soon as the brightness of the second lighting means undershoots the predetermined brightness threshold value, progressive increasing of the brightness of a previously switched-off third of the plurality of lighting means (10, 11, 12) until the level of the brightness of the third lighting means corresponds to a third predeterminable brightness value, subsequently (vii) illuminating the interior with the third lighting means with the third predeterminable brightness value over a third predeterminable period of time, subsequently (viii) progressive reduction in the brightness of the third lighting means, (ix) multiple repetition of steps (i) to (viii), characterised in that the first predeterminable period of time is shorter than the second predeterminable period of time and the second predeterminable period of time is shorter than the third predeterminable period of time or the first predeterminable period of time is longer than the second predeterminable period of time and the second predeterminable period of time is longer than the third predeterminable period of time. (i) illuminating the interior with a first of the multiplicity of lighting means (10, 11, 12) with a first predeterminable brightness value over a first predeterminable period of time, subsequently (ii) progressive reduction in the brightness of the first lighting means, (iii) as soon as the brightness of the first lighting means undershoots a predetermined brightness threshold value, progressive increasing of a brightness of a previously switched-off second of the plurality of lighting means (10, 11, 12), until the level of the brightness of the second lighting means corresponds to a second predeterminable brightness value, (iv) illuminating the interior with the second lighting means with the second predeterminable brightness value over a second predeterminable period of time, subsequently (v) progressive reduction in the brightness of the second lighting means, (vi) as soon as the brightness of the second lighting means undershoots the predetermined brightness threshold value, progressive increasing of the brightness of a previously switched-off third of the plurality of lighting means (10, 11, 12) until the level of the brightness of the third lighting means corresponds to a third predeterminable brightness value, subsequently (vii) illuminating the interior with the third lighting means with the third predeterminable brightness value over a third predeterminable period of time, subsequently (viii) progressive reduction in the brightness of the third lighting means, (ix) multiple repetition of steps (i) to (viii), characterised in that the first predeterminable period of time is shorter than the second predeterminable period of time and the second predeterminable period of time is shorter than the third predeterminable period of time or the first predeterminable period of time is longer than the second predeterminable period of time and the second predeterminable period of time is longer than the third predeterminable period of time.