Do you know that ambient lighting can improve your life quality? Do you also know scientific studies show that the improper use of artificial lighting as bedroom light can cause insomnia, obesity, and stress? A good lighting plan depends on the characteristics of the lighting source and how we distribute it in a space. The critical components of choosing the best lighting are size, rooms location, scale and proportion, ceiling height, and room shape. Lighting a bedroom is determined mainly by color or intention.
The best ambient lighting for the bedroom is a warm white color light between 2200- 2700k or warm white color light, not more than 3000K. But for relaxation and calming, the blue LED light is best. You need warm white light because of bedroom activities like reading a book, getting dressed, and watching TV. Also, waking up in the morning with not too bright lights is guaranteed with warm white color lights.
The bedroom is for sleeping and relaxation without disturbance from bright lights. Most people wouldn’t sleep with bright lights, but anyone can sleep with ambient lighting. If you are experiencing eyesore from bright lights, ambient lights will be the best to wake up. Another brilliant solution for people who think warm white lights can be too bright for them, try using smart light solutions like Dimtone light bulbs or those dimmable LED lights. You can choose what color temperature you want; these lights come in different types, like bedside lamps, table lights, or accent lighting.
Effect of light on human body
Light affects the human body and mood; the following are some of the 9 effects of light on the human body.
- It helps with strong positive and negative emotions
- It helps with changes in appetite
- It helps improve better sleep and increase exercise
- It helps with energy levels
- It helps reduce frequent headaches and severity
- It helps improve mental health
- It helps people with depression or sleep disorder
- It helps to stimulate people that are autistic
- It helps with quick relaxation
Characteristics of lighting
There are four categories of lighting: ambient, task lighting, decorative lighting, and specialty lighting.
The basic principle of lighting a room begins with understanding the characteristics of the lighting source. Each bulb or lighting factor has a condition that may or may not suit our room, e.g., color temperature.
Color temperature
The light source can classify color temperature and is essential for creating a great space and area. Unfortunately, people tend to choose any light bulb without caring about the color temperature of the lighting source.
The color temperature of a bulb is either warm, neutral, or cool.
Warm light
Warm light helps us unwind and relax; the warm lights can also be yellow lights. Yellow light helps with relaxing and winding down for the day and ready for sleep because it feels natural to us as humans since warm light recreates natural lighting for sunset. So, that’s the correct temperature to be used to induce us to sleep.
Cool light
It is used in the room and during times when it is appropriate to promote alertness and attention.
Having layered light
Good lighting is all about layers; we need to blend different lighting sources to create contrast accent, weight elements, color, and texture. The sun constantly changes in the day, and our human rhythm should align with our inner clock to nature. So the lighting in our bedroom should also have the same movement throughout the day. It is impossible to achieve that with one light; we need different lighting options to change day and night, just like the natural light outside. Layered light is when all lighting categories are required.
What are the types of lighting to have?
Now the different categories of lights are applied to create comfortable room lighting.
Ambient lighting
It can also be seen as the lighting all around you, also known as general lighting. It’s a type of lighting that illuminates a bedroom depending on the amount and time of the lighting that provides a shadow-free area; ambient light is usually appropriate for activities that are not visually demanding. The purpose is to ensure safe and easy movement and create an overview of the room.
Bedrooms are for sleeping, but it is also a space where you can get dressed, relax, and unwind; great lighting in the room makes everything easier. Examples of ambient lights are chandeliers, floor lights, table lights, wall-mounted fixtures, and ceiling lights with mounted diffusers.
In creating the best ambient lighting for a bedroom, there are different things to consider:
- Ambient light with a warm temperature to have an intimate, friendly, and personal atmosphere perfect to be used before sleeping.
- Ambient lighting with brighter and neutral temperatures is applied when kids play, do homework or organize their room.
Task light
Task light or practical light helps increase light when performing specific activities to see what you are doing—brighter lights require a minor focal point of the room for this task. In most cases, in rooms with ambient light, task lighting is a more focused type of lighting that creates a comfortable ambiance during activities that require accuracies, such as reading and writing. Ideally, it is best to avoid harsh lights or lighting that adds an exasperating silhouette for better and more pleasant illumination. Examples are desk lamps, slime line bar, and cabinets lights.
Accent light
Accent lights or highlighters are required to highlight designs of a particular area. This type of lighting gives a room the feeling of a larger space. The light is more used to highlight a plant, a sculpture, architectural figures, and objects.
Best ambient lighting for bedroom
Below are my recommended warm white lights for anyone looking for the best ambient bedroom lighting.
Ascher 60 Watt Equivalent, E26 LED Filament Light Bulbs, Warm White 2700K
These LED light bulbs come in 6 units which you can change once one goes down; the bulbs are not dimmable. But it does save some electricity. It produces up to 750 lumens, 2700K warm white light, and covers up to 280-degree beam angle. It has up to 200,000 hours lifespan, making it a long-lasting bulb, saving you the effort of always trying to re-lamp.
It is also a multifunctional LED light bulb that can be used for outdoor decorations, ceiling fixtures, and much more. It is also ECO friendly and contains no mercury, UV and IR, heat dissipation, and dazzling or flicker.
Touch Control Table Lamp, 3-Way Dimmable Lamp
Here is another bedroom lighting with dimmable functions. This touch control table lamp has a 3-way dimmable function, low lighting at 10%, medium lighting at 70%, and high lighting at 100%. You can use any of the dimmable settings for reading, daily use, or bedside use. The lamp also has a built-in USB port and a power outlet to charge devices like mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.
With the lamp on or off, you can still charge up to 3 devices same time. The packaging comes with daylight white LED bulbs; you don’t have to buy them separately. The table lamp is intended to fit any room design, making it ideal for anyone looking for something to match their room decor.
Is blue LED light good for sleep?
Yes, blue LED light is good for sleep, also referred to as light therapy that can help re-align your body’s circadian rhythms, which helps improve the quality of sleep. For example, the body releases a melatonin hormone that makes you feel drowsy; the blue light does suppress the body from releasing those hormones. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case when you try to sleep at night.
What is the most relaxing color for LED lights?
Blue lighting is the most relaxing color for LED lights. Although, according to a study, blue lighting helps in post-stress relaxation, the study also finds it is three times quicker than conventional white lighting. So, if you are looking for LED lights for relaxation and calming effects, then the blue LED light is recommended.
Conclusion
The best way to choose the best ambient lighting for the bedroom is to start with general lighting. It will help you have a full picture of all the things you have or need to get. Ambient light for room will help you accentuate where everything in your bedroom. The bedroom is for sleeping and relaxation without disturbance from bright lights. The basic principle of lighting a room begins with understanding the characteristics of the lighting source.
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