A lighting detox is one great way to improve your health and wellbeing by assessing and maximising light in your home. Even small changes can have a big impact over time. Health and wellbeing have never been higher on our agendas. From our homes to our workplaces, we’re getting better at looking after our minds and bodies and yet most Brits are still ignoring the impact of light on their health and wellbeing. A survey by Ledvance shows that almost one in five adults admit to suffering from an ailment due to making the wrong choices when it comes to lighting in their homes.
Good lighting is a key element of healthy living
From the time we wake up to when we close our eyes at night, light is an essential part of our day. The right lighting influences our mood, our behaviour and perhaps more importantly, affects our wellbeing. The crucial role light plays in helping the body to function cannot be disputed; it is literally in our DNA to react to different types of lighting. The hormone melatonin, which is produced by the brain, is directly affected by light; it increases or decreases in production depending on the amount we are subjected to. Bright lighting stimulates production, while dimmer light provokes drowsiness.
Our wellbeing can be enhanced by being more mindful about how we use light in our home. Your lighting detox should start with an audit of the lighting in your home and whether it matches your personal lighting ‘need’, be that to relax, cook, read or study. Designer Rhiannon Southwell specialises in design for homeware, accessories and women’s and children’s wear. She suggests five steps for undertaking a lighting detox in the main rooms of your home:
Living room lighting
Most of the time it’s the place for relaxing, but how do you create that feeling through lighting? Start by looking at what you already have in the room. If the majority of your light comes from a large ceiling fittings the effect can sometimes be quite stark. Consider replacing your ordinary bulb with one of a low wattage (40w) and installing a digital dimmer switch so you can match the lighting to your activity, for example: brighter light for socialising and dimmer for watching the TV.
Having a combination of lighting in your living room spread around its corners, such as floor and table lamps also help to change the glow in the room. These are traditionally of a lower wattage and so will create a relaxing glow that aides winding down.
Kitchen lighting
It’s all about getting it done. You need bright lighting here for food preparation and cooking. Most kitchens tend to have overhead lighting, with modern homes often being filled with ceiling spotlights which facilitate optimum illumination and therefore suited to somewhere which is full of activity. The key to maximising light in a kitchen is flexibility. Under cabinet lighting, for example, can help to brighten up dark spots on the kitchen surfaces. Also, if your kitchen is open plan or a kitchen-diner then floor lamps or table lamps can help change the lighting to create a more intimate feel when using the space to enjoy a cosy meal with family or dinner party with friends.
Dining room lighting
It’s all about ambience. Consider what mood you are trying to create and whether your lighting helps you to achieve that. If you do a lot of entertaining you might want a centrepiece light with a high wattage. Placed in the middle of the room with a dining table underneath will draw your guests in. However, if the area is mainly used for smaller family meals then you might want the lighting to reflect a more relaxing space with lamps and perhaps wall lighting.
Bedroom lighting
It’s all about relaxing and aiding sleep. Warm white light helps to create a comforting ambience and this is best achieved through bedside lamps with lightbulbs which have a much lower wattage than those used in a living room or kitchen. This isn’t the place for a stark overhead light with a high wattage, which can contribute to anyone struggling to sleep. People naturally need a dimmer level of light before they nod off.
Bathroom lighting
It’s about all about function. The lighting needs to be bright to give you high visibility. An overhead light helps to fill in any shadows on the face whilst lighting around or to the side of a mirror helps provide the best light for washing, shaving or putting on make-up.
So banish those winter blues – show #bluemonday the door as it’s all about #BrightMonday every Monday ; )
Natalia xo
This post has been sponsored by OSRAM
Lighting is so important for mood and practicality. I suffer with