The melancholy lightness of summer

Light affects our mood. Especially daylight. Because that is not only responsible for the production of vitamin D in our body. It also makes us more alert and agile. Now that summer is over and the days are getting shorter, autumn can quickly hit your spirits. But you can remedy this with luminaires that emit the right light. We have put together a few tips for you on how you can counteract the autumn blues with well-thought-out lighting.

How much light affects our mental well-being is best demonstrated in the medical field. Because depression has been treated here for many years not only with psychotropic drugs but also with light. People with seasonal depression respond very well to such light therapy. Many people without this so-called winter depression also notice the lack of light. It is harder to get out of bed in the morning, dragging yourself through the working day, being tired, and perhaps lacking drive, while in the evening it is easier to ponder and then perhaps even have trouble falling asleep. The lightness of summer is over. The dark languor of winter also spreads inside.

To counteract this, if there is no medical cause, one does not have to resort to light therapy immediately. Your mood and inner swing can be increased permanently and sustainably by using the right light in everyday life. In the lighting industry, Human Centric Lighting has been an increasingly important topic for several years. Here light with its color temperature and intensity is used in interplay with the illuminated materials and human perception. That might sound complicated at first and is also quite complex when it comes to the entire implementation. But you can use one or the other basic rule of Human Centric Lighting for yourself with very simple means.

In the morning, light can get you going

The key to greater emotional balance is an orientation towards the course of daylight, which significantly influences our sleep-wake rhythm. It is not for nothing that we get out of bed earlier and, above all, more effortlessly in summer or get tired more quickly in winter in the evening. Our modern life, which is often stressful, now only adapts to this natural biorhythm to a limited extent. The result is usually a lack of sleep, which affects our performance as well as our mood. With the right color temperature, light can be very helpful.

Let's start with getting up. The alarm clock rings much too early, especially on weekdays. In autumn and winter, it is usually still dark outside. Anyone who shuffles from one dark room to the next will find that it doesn't seem to get going. So instead of getting ready in the semi-darkness, you can put on “holiday lighting” in the morning. Dimmable lights are particularly suitable. So you can gradually intensify the light.

If you then still have the choice between warm white (3000 Kelvin) and extra warm white (2700 Kelvin) light, opt for the first variant. Because the higher the Kelvin number, the stronger the blue component in the light. Exactly this throttles the melatonin production in the epiphysis and ensures that we are more alert. As absurd as it sounds, a morning glance at the smartphone can help because the blue component is particularly high here. And accordingly makes you particularly alert. In the end, this is exactly the reason to activate the night shift function in the evening so that you are not kept artificially lively.

The ideal light in the office

The day-to-day work that most people take in an office is similar to the morning. When it's too dark, concentration quickly drops and you get tired. In addition, not all offices are always equipped with windows and consequently depend on a supply of artificial light. Regardless of whether with or without a window: warm white light is also generally suitable for basic lighting. In the form of recessed or surface-mounted spotlights, for example.

In addition, each workstation should have its light source. Table or even better floor lamps that were made especially for office work are ideal, for example, because they usually have not only 3000, but even 4000 Kelvin, which gives off a neutral white that boosts serotonin production with its blue component. So you are not only more alert, but also more balanced. Some office lights now even have a daylight sensor. You can use it to set a target brightness for the luminaire, which then automatically regulates the light so that it is constantly bright in the office despite falling darkness.

Atmospheric light at night

When you come home in the evening, one thing counts above all: a cozy lighting atmosphere. Here it is worthwhile to consistently rely on warm white light on the one hand, which can also be dimmed. On the other hand, we recommend having not just one, but several light sources, especially in the living area. Cold light from the ceiling should be avoided. It is much better if floor or table lamps with diffuse light are used. Indirect lighting in showcases or on cupboards can also create a very friendly atmosphere.

In general, warm and glare-free light arouses emotions and increases the feeling of wellbeing. Whether that happens with floor or table lamps, with cove lighting, or other indirect light sources, is solely due to your taste and preferences. If you are unsure yourself which cozy light works best where in your home, SUNMORY will be happy to help you find the right luminaire for your needs. So the notorious summer blues has no chance with you.