What is The Healthiest Indoor Lighting?

Many customers who visit our showroom often ask, what is the healthiest indoor lighting?

Research has shown that indoor lighting can have a significant impact on our circadian rhythm and hormone balance. So, it's no surprise that both performance and health are impacted by the type of light we are exposed to in our work and home environments.

Regardless of whether you're an athlete or a desk jockey, you'll want to make sure that your home is using the right light for the right reasons.

What are the different types of indoor lighting and their health benefits?

Indoor lighting is an important part of our everyday lives. It can help you to find your keys, make dinner or read a book. But did you know that the type of light you use and how bright it is can have a major impact on your wellness?

There are three main types of indoor lighting available: ambient, task and accent. Each one has its own set of benefits and functions.

For example, table lamps such as the stunning Ulf Black Table Lamp from our custom collection are a form of task lighting and will not only bring a sense of refinement to your room, but will also provide the right kind of luminance needed for focused desk work.

The dazzling Crystal Blank Chandelier, on the other hand, is a source of ambient light that will both illuminate your entire room and create a feeling of opulence.

Elegant accent lights, like the Eclips wall lamp by Eichholtz, are used to highlight specific features in your room and will help to create focal points and add warmth and mood.

But while all of these options are guaranteed to enhance your home, if you're looking to be as healthy as possible, there are some important things to consider before making a purchase:

Consider the type of light you need

Each room in your house will need a different type of lighting and many will require a combination of all three. It’s important to make sure that each activity you’re going to be engaging in is properly catered for. So have a look at your space, weigh up the different advantages of ambient, task and accent lighting and decide what should go where.

Think about how much light is best for your space

If you’re designing a large room with high ceilings, you may need more light than you would in a small room with lower ceilings. It's also important to consider the amount of natural light available in that space. If there are lots of windows or skylights, you might not need as much artificial lighting, but if you’re dealing with a dark environment extra illumination will be necessary.

Consider where you are going to install each type of lighting

Many rooms are divided into specific zones depending on what you are going to be doing in each area. For a kitchen, you’ll need task lighting above your countertops so that you can prepare meals, central ambient lighting to illuminate the whole area and accent lights above your cabinetry or bespoke wine rack. Before you decide on what lighting to get, make sure you define each zone in your room so that you can place your lighting appropriately.

If you’re looking for fresh ideas or need some examples of how best to incorporate lighting into your home, check out our interior design portfolio for inspiration. We’ve been creating bespoke interiors for over three decades and are experts at making both indoor and outdoor lighting a memorable feature.

What to look for in healthy lighting choices

In order to be healthy, your indoor lighting shouldn't just be bright. It should also have the proper balance of blue and red wavelengths. Blue wavelengths are known for increasing attention and helping beat drowsiness, while red wavelengths can boost energy and sharpen focus.

Both ends of the spectrum are important, so you'll want to make sure your indoor lighting fulfils each function.

Below are some of the main home and office lighting choices available.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)

A CFL uses less energy and lasts longer than their traditional incandescent counterparts. They are also smaller, so take up minimal space.

A CFL is a mercury vapour and argon gas filled spiral tube, coated with a phosphor material that emits light when an electric current passes through it.

CFLs come in different shapes and sizes, from small screw-in bulbs to larger decorative units appropriate for chandeliers. They also come in different colour temperatures: warm white, cool white, or daylight (which emits a bluish hue).

LED lights

Instead of generating heat, these bulbs use energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to produce bright light when current passes through them.

In an LED light, the electrical current from the power supply is converted into photons (light) by passing it through a semiconductor material. The most common materials used in LED lights are gallium nitride (GaN), cadmium selenide (CdSe), and indium gallium nitride phosphide (InGaN/GaN).

LEDs are more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs because they produce more light per watt of electricity used to power them. They also last longer due to their lack of moving parts.

Halogen lights

Halogen lights are similar to incandescent bulbs. They produce light by warming internal metal filaments which are placed within a vacuum, allowing them to emit heat without burning up too quickly. This makes them a more efficient, long-lasting choice.

Incandescent lights

Because of the heat they emit, incandescent light bulbs are not energy inefficient. However, the red light they produce is more natural and therefore gentler on the eyes. As a result, they are considered healthier.

Mercury vapour lights

Mercury vapour lights are a type of lighting that emits a high amount of ultraviolet radiation. They produce a bluish-white tint, and some models can be dimmed or brightened. They're used in a variety of applications including street- and stage lighting.

In Conclusion

Lighting is one of the most important parts of any home. It can make a room feel cosy and inviting, improve our mood and general health, help you to focus on specific tasks and illuminate key decor features.

At FCI London, we are proud to offer a bespoke range of lighting solutions that will fill all your needs and our top designers are on hand seven days a week to make sure that you get exactly what you’re looking for.

To find out more,get in touch with us today or visit our showroom for a guided tour.