As our Covid-19 lockdown continues, the staying home (even though we have sunshine – hurrah!) is beginning to take a toll.

But Matthew Currington, technical director at the Lighting Superstore believes there are a few simple lighting tips to follow to keep your mood and productivity levels high, and help you relax and switch-off when you need to…

Focus lighting

When working remotely, create a dedicated and comfortable workspace which you can leave when you’re off the clock. This will help you keep your work life and personal life separate.

There’s a strong link between lighting and productivity, so it can be extremely hard to concentrate in a dark and dingy room.

A desk lamp is an essential accessory for your home workspace. When choosing which style, select a lamp that has an adjustable stem and head, together with a dimmer switch so you can be in control of your lighting levels throughout the day, like the Reading White LED Touch Dimmable Desk Lamp.

 

Mood-boosting

Besides being functional, light can also affect your emotions in complex ways, impacting everything from your mood to how well you sleep.

If you’re struggling to fall asleep, feel exhausted during the day or anxious, you may want to rethink your home lighting.

Think about what activities you will be doing in each room and when. For instance, in the morning, brighter lights will set a cheerful mood and encourage activity and alertness. Look to install pendant ceiling lights in the kitchen or where most of your daytime activity will take place.

Fake it

There are several benefits from incorporating as much natural light in your home as possible. Not only does it brighten up your space, but it can also boost your Vitamin D intake and reduce the risk of experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

However, sometimes this isn’t always possible. But you can fake it. You could add mirrors adjacent to the windows receiving natural light to help bounce the light around the room. Take it one step further and opt for décor with mirrored surfaces to maximise the amount of natural light in your space.

Artificial lighting is essential in any room, especially one that lacks natural light. Add full-spectrum light bulbs, designed to stimulate daylight, to fixtures to quickly brighten up a room.

And relax…

Throughout this time of uncertainty, make sure your home is a calm and safe place. Creating areas where you can go to relax is important.

Instead of aiming your light sources towards the centre of the room, scatter and layer it. Attach LED strip lights across the room to instantly transform your living area into a space that feels less formal and more like a retreat.

Dimmer lights are the ultimate relaxation lighting. You can control the brightness of the lights, creating a cosy and warm atmosphere whenever needed.

Bedtime

Boundaries between work and home life are a bit blurred and it may make it harder for you to switch off and fall asleep.

Make sure your room is completely dark and block all external light from coming in. Use blackout curtains or blinds to block light getting through your window. Or you can look to add Velcro strips on either side of the window to hold the curtain against the wall, preventing any light coming through.

Overexposure to blue light before bed can impact your sleep. Reducing your use of electronics like TVs, tablets, mobile phones or computers – which all emit blue light – before bedtime can help.

Or install apps that automatically warms up the colours on the screen – towards reds and yellows – at sunset.