Light up Your Life: 5 Lighting tips for a Happier Home

One of the most important parts of home decor is the lighting, which has the ability to transform any room into somewhere more peaceful and homey. According to Healthline, most people would prefer to live in natural light; yet artificial lighting is necessary from time to time, especially in the darker months. Here are a few tips for what kind of lights to choose to keep a natural, cozy feel in your home.

Lamps over ceiling lights

We all know how irritating it can be to glance up at night and squint due to being momentarily blinded by a fluorescent lightbulb. Harsh overhead lighting is a fast way for people to tire themselves out when burning the midnight oil. Try lighting up a workspace with lamps, instead. It feels more natural to the eye for a space to be illuminated by several small lights rather than one large harsh one. By choosing decorative lamps people can also bring some personality into each room.

(LEKSTOCK 3D / Shutterstock)

Bring your meals into the spotlight

There’s a solution for people who have to strain their eyes in order to see what they are cooking: install some under-cabinet lights. Not only does this sleek design make a kitchen look and feel more modern, it makes it so much easier for people to see what they are doing when they have a spotlight on their chopping board.

(Patryk Kosmider / Shutterstock) 

Go old fashioned with candles

Access our caveman ancestors by lighting up living space with real flames: invest in some candles to make any space feel more calming and natural. TheStreet noted how carefully choosing scented candles can even make people feel happier by filling rooms with calming aromas.

(FotoHelin/ Shutterstock)

Bring in the mystical vibes with fairy lights

What is it about those little twinkling lights that makes people feel so happy? Whether it’s the association with the festive period, or the imitation of lying under a night sky, string lights, more commonly known as fairy lights, are the easiest way to transform any space into feeling infinitely cozier. Society 19 lists many innovative ways to decorate a home with these twinkling lights. One favorite is a fairy light lantern, which can be created by stuffing a vase with a string of yellow-hued lights and replicating the dreamy effect of fireflies.

(LightField Studios / Shutterstock)

Hue is everything

Lately, society is becoming more and more aware of the harmfulness of blue light. According to the CDC, blue light – and pure white light, which includes blue light – has the biggest impact on circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep at night. So try switching out  white light bulbs for yellow and orange toned lights.

Try out a special lamp that mimics the sun’s rays, like a sun lamp. “Long periods of dark and a lack of sun exposure gets your sleep-wake rhythm thrown off and sun lamps help reset it,” said Dr. Robert Cain, a Cleveland MD, to the Cleveland Clinic. So follow doctor’s orders and invest in some sun lamps to light up any room, including a bedroom or an office.