Homeowners know that not all light is created equal. It’s a hazard to chop vegetables under dim pendants while staring at a computer in the dark places undue strain on your eyes. Likewise, bright lights in the evening can decrease your sleep quality.
Your home lighting is essential to your overall mood and well-being — the correct lighting can significantly impact your brain chemistry, energy and physiology, whether artificial or natural.
Studies suggest light exposure balances the circadian rhythm, strengthening our cardiovascular system. Daylight also reduces the prevalence of myopia in children as they age, while proper lighting benefits older adults with macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Here are five reasons to consider enhancing your home lighting for optimal health.
1. Improves Visual Performance
Bright light combined with low ambient lighting helps you focus on specific tasks in the kitchen, home office or garage. Task-oriented lighting helps to improve concentration and alertness to complete your work efficiently.
Consider the tasks you do around your home. Do you work remotely? Desktop, floor lamps and side table lamps with a swing arm or three-way bulbs are easy to adjust to your needs.
You could also add under-cabinet lighting, pendant lights and recessed lighting to improve your visual performance in the kitchen or bathroom.
2. Reduces Depression
You might experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) depending on where you live. Approximately 3% of the general population suffers from SAD — about 10% to 20% of those people have depression and 25% have bipolar disorder.
Studies show that only 2.5 hours of natural light exposure daily reduces depressive feelings and antidepressant usage. Generally, people also feel happier.
By boosting your home’s natural light and adding bright light bulbs during the winter season, you can reduce the effects of SAD and improve your mental health.
Swap heavy curtain panels for light sheers so sunlight can shine through the window more easily. White LEDs will also give off more light on cold, gloomy days.
3. Decreases Migraine Episodes
If you experience frequent headaches or migraines, your home lighting could be the culprit. Researchers have long shown an association between light sensitivity and the prevalence of migraines.
Migraines impact nearly 39 million Americans and 1 billion people globally, making it the third most common condition worldwide. Additionally, eight out of 10 migraine sufferers are women.
The type of lighting you have in your home can negatively or positively affect migraine onset. For example, the National Headache Institute says that bright, blue light between 5,000 and 6,000 Kelvins likely triggers migraines. A much better option is softer, warmer light bulbs that are around 2,700 Kelvins.
Consider installing a dimmer switch for better lighting control based on your migraine symptoms.
Tips on office lighting for migraine sufferers
Office lighting can significantly impact migraine sufferers, as certain types of lighting can trigger or exacerbate symptoms. Fluorescent lights, commonly used in many workplaces, are often too harsh and can cause flickering, which may lead to increased discomfort for those prone to migraines. In contrast, warm white LED lights are generally recommended, as they emit less glare and are less likely to trigger headaches. Research suggests that lighting in the 2700 Kelvin range is particularly beneficial for migraine sufferers, providing a softer, more soothing illumination.
Additionally, incorporating desk lamps with adjustable brightness and using green light, which is known to be less irritating, can further help create a migraine-friendly workspace. For those experiencing frequent migraines at work, it may also be helpful to position their desks near windows to take advantage of natural light, which can enhance comfort and reduce reliance on artificial lighting.
4. Increases Safety
Imagine getting a phone call from the hospital that an older parent fell down the stairs because they couldn’t see where they were going — maybe it was even you.
Approximately one out of four people over 65 fall annually — meanwhile, 800,000 people land in the hospital from a head injury or hip fracture due to falling. Falls are also the most common reason for brain injury.
Working in the kitchen in inadequate lighting also has its downsides. According to INSIDER, there were 8,900 emergency room visits for avocado injuries in 2018 — mainly due to those who cut their hands and fingers while slicing.
Proper lighting makes a significant difference when preventing hazards. When you can see what you’re doing or where you’re stepping, you’re more likely to proceed with caution.
5. Balances Circadian Rhythm
A bad night’s sleep will leave you feeling sluggish and unable to concentrate during the day. However, it could all come down to the lighting in your home.
The National Sleep Foundation’s 2020 Sleep in America poll found that 55% of Americans feel tired because they don’t get enough sleep. Those who feel fatigued for five to seven days report higher levels of irritability, frequent headaches and feeling sick.
Dark and light exposure can significantly affect your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep in the evening or stay asleep until the morning. It also reduces your alertness and can weaken your immune system.
The body’s circadian rhythm associates bright light with staying awake — that’s why stepping outside into the sunshine often makes you feel more alert. If you want to sleep better at night, making your room as dark as possible should help.
The circadian rhythm is most impacted by light exposure right before bed. In an age where we’re addicted to screens, shutting down devices with blue light is challenging but necessary.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends dimming the lights in your home about two hours before you go to sleep — dimming the lights if you wake in the middle of the night also helps you fall asleep again faster.
Switch Your Home Lighting for Better Health
Swapping out light bulbs and adding a few lamps can greatly improve your home lighting and health. There are several ways to benefit from optimized lighting, from preventing injury to reducing migraines.