How does the color of light affect well-being?

When choosing the type of lighting for your home, you should be guided not only by aesthetic considerations, but also by personal preferences. Therefore, you need to check carefully whether every detail harmonizes with the rest of the arrangement, creating an attractive composition. However, in the case of choosing the right sources and bulbs for a previously purchased luminaire, it is necessary to change this approach. It is important to be aware of the huge impact that light intensity and its color have on human well-being, health and concentration. Choosing the right light sources is of great importance not only for the aesthetics of the interior, but also for the comfort of the household members.

Daylight vs. artificial light

The dynamics of daylight can be largely recreated with appropriate lighting, which, if it is similar to natural light, improves well-being. The natural rhythm of the day begins in the morning, at sunrise, when warm-colored light prevails, gradually changing to daytime colors with a temperature of about 6500K. From around 2 p.m. the color temperature of light begins to decrease. In the afternoon and evening, the amount of blue light drops significantly, which means that warm colors predominate. Such a change in lighting, adapted to the natural cycle of sunlight, affects people's comfort and well-being.

Lack of adequate light and its impact on the human body

Winter evenings can be tiring, especially when there is no hot tea and a favorite series. Early sunsets during this period deprive the body of the ability to produce serotonin and melatonin, which are responsible for well-being and the quality of sleep. The more serotonin the body produces, the better the well-being, and a high level of melatonin promotes better rest. Winter is nostalgic for many people, often spent in a thick scarf and with a cup of cocoa in hand. This is the effect of the short cycle of the sun, which appears during the day for only a few hours and disappears in the afternoon, affecting our well-being and daily rhythm.

The appropriate dose of light provided during the day has a positive effect on human well-being. It helps maintain focus and concentration, which in turn affects the efficiency of everyday activities. Light also supports the proper functioning of metabolism, helps maintain a healthy weight and appetite. Additionally, it keeps eyesight in good condition and is extremely important in the process of preparing for the night's rest. Thanks to the appropriate exposure to light during the day, it is possible to better regulate the circadian rhythm, which translates into the overall quality of life and health.

Differences in the selection of lighting for specific rooms

The choice of lighting in the apartment should be adapted to the tasks performed in a given room. The appropriate color and intensity of light allow you to adjust the lighting to the mode of the day or work, which helps to avoid problems with concentration or constant fatigue. On the other hand, poorly selected lighting can negatively affect the health and condition of the eyes. For example, a cold color of light in rooms intended for relaxation and falling asleep can be stressful, while a warm color in a home office can lead to fatigue and difficulty concentrating. It is important to learn more about the selection of light color, as well as to understand what neutral and warm light is, in order to be able to use it effectively in your home environment. You can read about it in our article: What light color to choose for the living room?

How does the color temperature of LED lighting affect a person's well-being?

In rooms for relaxation, i.e. bedrooms, living rooms or dining rooms, warm white light is completely sufficient. It promotes calmness and relaxation, thanks to its similarity to the light of the setting sun, which can help prepare for sleep in the evening. Warm light is often found in restaurants, cafes and places related to broadly understood culture, where it creates a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere, conducive to relaxation and spending time in comfortable conditions.

Light with a natural white color temperature is intended for intellectual work, reading, working with documentation and working on a computer screen. It perfectly highlights details, makes reading easier and reproduces colors well, supporting concentration and helping to maintain the condition of the eyes during an intensive working day. It is also used in displaying clothes, working well in a private dressing room and fitting room, and also helps in preparing the right makeup.

Light with a cool white colour temperature has properties that make it unique. Its main advantage is its high light efficiency, which means the lowest power consumption while providing the most light of all colour temperatures. It is recommended to use this type of light in outdoor lighting or in situations where we need to wake up, for example before a night drive or during a morning walk to training. However, this light should be avoided at dusk when we are getting ready to go to bed, as it can disrupt the secretion of melatonin, which is detrimental to the falling asleep process. Cold light can be harmful to the eyesight, especially when its source has a poor angle of incidence and is the only type of lighting in sight.

The impact of light colour on well-being - summary

When shopping, it is worth paying attention to the packaging and instructions for the product, which should include the declared colour temperature and the colour rendering index. For warm white temperature, the range should be from 2700 to 3300 Kelvin, neutral white should be between 3300 and 4500K, and cool white from 5300 Kelvin and above. It is recommended to adjust the light colour to specific times of the day, dividing it into three parts - the time of preparation for activity, where cool white is best, the actual activity, during which natural white works best, and preparation for night rest, where warm white is preferred. In this way, LED lighting and the colour temperature it provides have a special impact on our well-being and efficiency.

The latest solutions on the market are those that allow you to change the colour of light, examples of such products are e.g. modern LED mirrors, as well as other lamps with the ability to control the colour and intensity of light, e.g. 48V magnetic lighting lamps