How home lighting can help your mood
Red lights in the bedroom may help a restless sleeper, while dimmers keep it steady
Lighting alters more than the esthetic appeal of your home — it also affects your mood. Light that is too blue, bright or artificial can have a negative impact on your health. If you struggle with lying awake at night or feeling exhausted during the day, you may want to rethink your home lighting.
Feeling anxious? Try dimmers. If your emotions tend to get the best of you, installing dimmer switches around your home could help. Studies show that bright light intensifies your emotions, while lower light can keep your feelings at a steady level.
Need sleep? Try red light. You probably encounter blue light on a regular basis thanks to computer screens, fluorescent bulbs and LED lights. Unfortunately, blue light is known to stop melatonin production in your brain, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Take a look at the bulbs in your bedroom and replace blue tones with red, amber or yellow light for more restful sleep. Feeling sluggish? Try a circadian lighting system. If you find yourself feeling truly sluggish in the morning, it could be because your sleeping pattern has been messed up. Investing in a circadian lighting system may be a good option. Circadian lighting systems get your body back on track by mimicking the sun’s normal light path. Not only will an artificial sunrise help you wake up in the morning, but dimmer light toward the end of the day will make it easy for you to wind down. Feeling blue? Try natural light. The darker your home is, the more difficult it becomes for your brain to produce serotonin — a mood-boosting hormone triggered by daylight. So, if you’ve been feeling down, more access to natural light could help. Consider installing windows or skylights. If you’d like to preserve your privacy, check out light tubes — cylindrical pipes that channel light from your roof and reflect it into the rooms of your choosing. Feeling a style void? Try finishes. No matter which new lighting scheme you try, make sure your home finishes work with your design. Installing natural light won’t help much if you decorate with dark paint colours and espresso-toned floors. Instead, amplify brightness with white walls and pale furniture. If you prefer dimmer ambience for relaxation, feel free to play up light-absorbing shades. And for a more flexible lighting atmosphere, neutral colours will get you a happy medium.