You may well have heard that exposure to sunlight increases the release of serotonin, a hormone that regulates mood, social behavior, digestion, and sleep. But did you know that light bulbs also affect us in a similar way?
LED Bulbs which produce blue light waves boost serotonin production. On the other hand, bulbs that don’t produce blue light waves increases the production of melatonin, also known the sleep hormone.
But why is it important to know how different light bulbs affect us?
That’s because every room in your home is different—and so is its lighting needs.
If you know how different LED light bulbs affect us, you can pick the right type of LED bulbs for each room. However, before we look at lighting needs for different rooms, there’re two things you must keep in mind:
- Lower temperature LED bulbs emit warm-whites, whereas medium temperature LED bulbs emit neutral-whites. On the other hand, higher temperature LED bulbs emit cool-whites (that is, light that’s closest to daylight)
- Some people think a bulb’s brightness is measured in Watts—but that’s not so; it is measured in Lumens instead.
LED Lighting for Bedrooms
Since most of us prefer the atmosphere in our bedroom to be calm, peaceful and relaxed, one should blue light waves emitting LED bulbs. That’s because blue light waves increases the production of serotonin, which makes us alert, focused, and awake. Blue light waves also disturb the circadian rhythm, which helps determine our sleep patterns.
On the other hand, red LED bulbs are best lights for the bedroom for someone who has trouble sleeping. Thanks to its low color temperature, red lights produces a very similar level of melatonin as complete darkness and, in turn, helps you get a good night’s sleep.
You can also consider using warm white LED bulbs (2700 Kelvin) for your bedrooms and living rooms, since they create a warm, cozy ambience.
Recommended Color Temperature: 2700 – 3000K
Recommended Total Brightness Level: 1,500 – 4,000 Lumens
LED Lighting for Living Rooms
Whether you use the living room to entertain guests, chat with family, watch TV, or just relax, it is recommended that you use a mix of light sources. That way you will able to meet the varied needs easily. You should not use bright, blue-light emitting light lamps in your living room. These lights, as we have said before, produce serotonin and give us energy.
You may want to consider using adjustable spotlight lamps at the walls for illuminating family photos or artwork and spotlight lamps at ceilings to eliminate shadows. For living rooms consider Extra Warm White LED bulbs (2200K) and/or medium temperature LED bulbs.
Recommended Color Temperature: 2200 – 3000K
Recommended Total Brightness Level: 1,500 – 3,000 Lumens
LED Lighting for Dining Rooms
In the dining room, the light should neither be too bright nor too dull. Dimmable overhead LED fixtures are ideal for dining spaces, since you can adjust the level of brightness as per your needs. As an alternative, you may also consider LED bulbs for chandelier fixtures. Latest chandelier LED bulbs offer visually-appealing light and color output.
Recommended Color Temperature: 2200K – 3000K
Recommended Total Brightness Level: 3,000 – 6,000 Lumens
LED Lighting for Kitchens
Blue-light emitting bulbs are ideal bulbs to be placed over the kitchen counters as they help us feel alert and awake. In case you have a table inside your kitchen, consider a dimmable overhead fixture and use warm white LED light bulb for creating a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. It will also balance out the brighter blue lights installed over the counters in the kitchen.
Recommended Color Temperature: 2700K – 5000K
Recommended Total Brightness Level: 4,000 – 8,000 Lumens
LED Lighting for Bathrooms
Installing bright LED lights around the bathroom mirror is highly recommended. It will help ensure you don’t mess up while applying makeup or miss a spot while shaving. For the shower area, you may want to use a high-output surface mount fixture.
Recommended Color Temperature: 3000K – 5000K
Recommended Total Brightness Level: 4,000 – 8,000 Lumens