The mixture of natural and artificial lighting in a home can have a great impact on your home atmosphere and those within it, with an effect on your overall well-being. Find out more about the potential impacts of your home lighting on yourself and others in your home, as well as ways to optimise lighting with roller blinds and window treatments. 

Importance Of Appropriate Lighting

Every light source from the sun’s rays to the glow of a salt lamp produces a reaction in the body. Natural light includes all light that is produced naturally, such as that from fireflies or the Sun. Artificial light, on the other hand, includes any light source that is not naturally occurring. 

Natural and artificial lighting have been found to have a positive effect on mental health. Natural light also improves sleep quality and physical health, while artificial lighting enables productivity. 

As the illumination provided by artificial indoor lighting is generally under 10% that of outdoor lighting, it is important to consider the exposure to natural and artificial light that is available within your home, and the effects this may be having on home inhabitants. 

7 Ways Lighting In The Home Affects You

Artificial and natural lighting can both impact a home and the people within it in a range of ways, including an effect on:

1. Mood

Exposure to natural light, or lack thereof, can influence the mood of those in the home. Natural daylight can have a powerful effect on mental health, increasing production of the mood-enhancing chemical serotonin. Those with low levels of vitamin D have been found to be more prone to depression, establishing a link between vitamin D and positive mood.

2. Health

Vitamin D helps the body to absorb and retain critical nutrients for building bone such as calcium and phosphorus. Studies also show this vitamin can lead to reduced cancer cell growth, and can assist to control infection and reduce inflammation. 

3. Productivity

Sunlight improves health and wellness while working, with a reported 84% reduction in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision symptoms which encourages longer, healthier periods of productivity. 

Artificial light can also promote productivity by allowing you to remain alert in the evening. You should ensure this lighting is not too dim to avoid eyestrain, or too bright as this may cause headaches. 

4. Sleep Quality 

When you are exposed to natural light, this encourages your circadian rhythm to become synchronised with sunrise and sunset, allowing you to remain alert during the day and feel sleepy at night. This allows you to sleep well at night, enhancing sleep quality. 

Artificial light, on the other hand, has the power to negatively affect your sleep cycle. Too much artificial light, or exposure at the wrong times, can impact your circadian pacemaker and misalign your body with the day-night schedule. 

5. Home Atmosphere 

Natural and artificial light can have a great impact on the atmosphere of the home. Taking steps to enhance natural light, determine where golden hour will enter the home or play with reflections and surfaces that mirror it will have a dramatic effect. The addition of lamps or various types of artificial light will also transform a space. 

6. Energy Efficiency 

Daylight can reduce dependence on artificial light, able to save up to 75% of energy that is used to light a space. Opting for LED and CFL bulbs, using pendant lights over downlights and turning off artificial lights when not in use can also help to reduce energy use. 

7. Safety & Comfort 

Appropriate lighting is necessary for safety to ensure you can see and move around your environment, as well as for comfort to avoid straining the eyes and establishing a cosy atmosphere. 

Roller Blinds To Optimise Lighting 

While there are many ways to enhance natural lighting in the home, roller blinds are a stylish window covering and an excellent option to control lighting in any room. Optimise the benefits of lighting, maintaining privacy and UV protection while allowing natural light during the day or offering blockout of light in the evenings to maximise TV viewing or artificial lighting. 

Blinds eliminate glare, allowing you to enjoy natural light in comfort and observe outside views in peace. They are easy to operate with a range of options including motorisation, and can be made to fit any sized window or budget requirements. Double roller blinds offer a pairing of screen and blockout blind fabric to ensure complete customisation of light at any time of day. 

Quality window coverings with Security Plus

At Security Plus Shutters, Doors & Blinds, we offer a range of roller blinds with high quality, smooth operation and a variety of colour options to suit your home aesthetic. To install roller  blinds and enjoy complete light control, discuss your needs with our friendly team today.