Light up Your Life: How to Get a Home Lighting Scheme that Improves Your Mood
Perhaps now more than ever, our homes have taken on a wide range of roles in our lives. In addition to being where we sleep, relax, cook, eat, and entertain, people are increasingly building home gyms and doing full-time work in their home offices.
No matter what we’re doing, lighting has a tremendous practical impact on how we go about these daily tasks. But it also has an impact on our frame of mind; in this way, our lighting choices can help us be more productive, get better sleep, and greatly improve our moods and emotions.
In this article, we’ll shed light on the best lighting options to have in your home, how they can improve our well-being, and how you can enlist a professional electrician to help make your lighting set the right mood all day long.
Lighting For All the Right Moods
Different types of lighting can either support or hinder us depending on what we’re doing. For example, if we’re trying to sleep, surrounding ourselves with blue lighting will make it more difficult for us to fall asleep. On the other hand, dim red lighting has been shown to help us sleep.
Knowing what kind of lighting can help us achieve our goals can be extremely beneficial for our mental health. Here are 6 different types of lighting and their benefits:
Bright Lighting Amplifies Feelings
Bright lighting has been shown to heighten emotions. This could be useful for gearing up for a workout and getting motivated to do your best. Also if you’re already in a positive mood, bright lighting can make you feel positive or happy feelings more intensely.
But if you’re feeling angry or sad, bright lighting can enhance those feelings as well. So it’s good to be aware of your emotions and be ready to switch to a warmer and dimmer lighting scheme when you need relaxation.
Warm, Ambient Lighting for Relaxation and Comfort
Yellow and warm lighting has been shown to aid tremendously in relaxation. A warm glow helps us feel more comfortable and can help create a cozier feel in any space. It’s no wonder why we seem to be naturally drawn to dimmer lighting as we’re winding down from a long day.
So if you’re looking to relax, make sure you have some ambient lighting in your home. Dimmable switches are great for having easy access to this in every room.
Cool Toned Lighting
Cooler toned lighting like blue light can help us feel more focused and alert. Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a study that proved blue light stimulates the brain more than any other light. In that study, participants reported having quicker reaction times, and fewer attention lapses with blue light.
It’s also important to be aware that blue light can affect your circadian rhythm and disrupt sleep, so it is not recommended close to bedtime.
Green Lighting
Green light has been shown to help some people with chronic pain and headaches. The reasoning for this is still unknown by researchers. But many people have spoken up about the benefits of green light and how it helps relieve pain.
Red Lighting
Red lighting has been shown to help us sleep at night, and may even combat depression. Researchers suggest keeping a nightlight in the bathroom or bedroom that gives off a red hue rather than a white hue to help you sleep.
Learn about how different lighting options can affect your mood and well-being in your home. You can make many lighting improvements as DIY projects but some require consultation with your local electrician pros for help.
Call an Electrical Pro to Realize Your Lighting Plan
It’s always tempting to try and do things yourself in order to save some money, but when it comes to something as important as installing lighting in your home, it’s often best to leave it to the professionals. While changing out a light bulb may be easy enough, light fixture and switch installation can be a tricky process that should only be done by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Not only will a professional electrician install your lighting safely and securely, but they can also use their expertise to make your home more sleek and stylish. Plus, all of their work will be up to code! With a professional’s help, you can rest easy knowing the job is done correctly.
Electricians can Ensure Lighting is Installed Correctly and Safely
With proper installation by a qualified electrician, a home lighting system can provide years of safe, reliable service at an affordable price.
An experienced electrician can make sure the job is done correctly and safely, protecting your home from safety hazards like short circuits, electrocution, and even fire. Electrical malfunctions are one of the top 3 leading causes of house fires, making up about 6.3% of house fires.
Electricians play an important role in ensuring that home lighting is securely mounted and functioning properly. Electricians will use their expertise to make sure the electrical boxes are securely mounted to the wall, that all wiring is connected properly, and that any cover plates or screws are fixed tight.
It is always better for electricians to check the connections, rather than homeowners attempting to install a lighting fixture themselves without proper knowledge of electric codes and safety regulations. This reduces potential hazards such as electric shocks or short circuits which could ultimately result in costly repairs or even a fire.
Electricians also have the knowledge to design an appropriate wiring layout according to the specific situation within your home. Because of this, they are also able to help make sure the electric circuits are not overloaded, which can increase electric bills or cause irreversible damage.
They are also knowledgeable about ensuring all of the necessary legal requirements are met during the installation process. Having an electrician install your home lighting ensures that you get flawless results without any risk of dangerous consequences down the line.
Moreover, electricians can provide valuable advice on which lights will look best in each room for optimum performance and aesthetic appeal.
They Can Help Install a Dimmable Switch
A dimmable switch can add ambiance and atmosphere to any indoor space. An electrician possesses the knowledge, skills and experience that are necessary for these undertakings – from understanding how to properly hook up the wiring in your walls to testing the finished product and making sure it works correctly before leaving your home. While you might be able to do this yourself, a professional can accomplish this task quickly.
They Can Install Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is a popular electric feature that is often employed in modern homes for its aesthetic as well as functional benefits. It is installed in floors, ceilings, or walls and requires special fixtures and electrical wiring to function properly. Electricians are essential to ensure recessed lighting is installed correctly, safely, and capable of being enjoyed to their fullest.
Lighting Installation will be Up to Code
Home lighting is essential for safety, security, and comfort. Thus, electricians must ensure that the lighting system in any given home is installed up to code. This includes making sure the wiring is done properly and the fixtures are properly grounded and secure.
Electricians need to be aware of particular technical codes relevant to each jurisdiction so as not to exceed voltage limits or overload circuits. The electrician should also inspect outlets and wires for burning odors or damage due to rodents as part of the periodic checkup on a home’s lighting system. Moreover, proper installation can prevent headaches that might come up down the road in the event that an improper installation prevents you from getting a permit for later work or adds disruption to an otherwise-smooth home sale.
Your Time to Shine
With all the joys, labors, stresses, and triumphs that come with our daily lives, it’s nice to know how a carefully chosen lighting scheme can have the power to ease our troubles, make us more productive in our work, more restful in our relaxation, and brighten our joys.
Whether you’re interested in changing up the lighting scheme for your kitchen, living room, dining room, garage, home office or kitchen, we know there is a lighting solution for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional to help your dream lighting solution become a reality.
I want to replace my incandescent lights with LED equivalents. What’s the best way to know I’ve found an led that’s equally bright?
The best way to compare light brightnesses between bulb types is to compare their lumens, which is a unit of measurement for brightness used for both traditional bulbs and LEDs. LEDs will typically provide the same amount of lumens at a lower wattage than traditional lights, which is why they save on energy costs. Don’t forget to confirm that your new LED bulb will fit your light fixture!
How do I know how ‘warm’ the light from a bulb will be before I install it?
The best gauge of light color warmth is the Kelvin ‘temperature’ of the light bulb (abbreviated as K on lightbulb boxes). 2000K-3000K lights emanate a warm, comforting light suitable for most indoor purposes. Lights in the 3100K-4500K range produce a ‘cooler’ white light that is perfect for task-oriented workspaces. Lights in the 4600K-6500K range produce a crisp “daylight” color. These lights are best when you need a bright, clear light, but are less relaxing than warmer lights.
Can I replace an overhead light fixture myself?
Many homeowners can learn to replace light fixtures themselves, provided they follow instructions carefully, have the proper mounting hardware, and are willing to take the time necessary to learn. Still, most people prefer to call an electrician to get the light in swiftly.
I purchased lights that are dimmable, but I only have an on and off switch on my wall. What’s the best way to make my lights dimmable?
The best long-term solution for getting your dimmable lights working is to install a dimmer switch in the place of that on/off switch. It is possible to install a dimmer switch yourself if you are comfortable with turning off power to your current switch, cutting and stripping wires that lead to it, and reattaching with a new switch. However, most homeowners prefer to call a professional for these services.
I want an overhead light fixture in a room that has none. Can I install a new fixture myself?
Wiring for a totally new light fixture—one that isn’t a replacement for an existing fixture–requires a level of care best left to the professionals. If you are installing a new light fixture in a place where there has never been a light installed before, we highly recommend calling a professional, since that will require complex wiring knowledge, and present potentially dangerous situations, and possibly drywall cutting as well.
Hire a Trusted Local Electrician
If you need professional help with any of your home’s lighting installation or repairs, then don’t hesitate to contact a local electrician using the phone number or form on this page.