Working remotely from home has never been easier. Even though we’d all like to be able to be productive in our pajamas in a hammock, most of us need the productivity-inducing effects of an office environment even while at home. With this being the case, we need to make sure that the lighting in our home offices is conducive to our own circadian rhythms in order to optimize productivity. In this piece, we’re going to look at the effect of light has on focus and the role of proper LED lighting in home offices to maximize productivity.
How does light affect our circadian rhythms?
Most every living organism on earth has a circadian rhythm — a 24-hour schedule of rest and wakefulness that works in sync with the daily cycle of the planet. This cycle determines the best times for rest as well as peak focus. Though our circadian rhythms are built-in, they can be adjusted by outside stimuli. These rhythm-adjusters can range from chemical reactions to climate, but one of the main “adjusters” is light — our primary means of determining the progression of a 24-hour period. As humans, we are sensitive to different colors and brightnesses of light. A region of our brains called the anterior hypothalamus uses this information to determine when we should be most alert and when is the best time to rest. In order to signal to our brains to maximize focus and productivity, we need to allow the right brightness and color of light into our home offices. But what is the right kind of light to maximize focus?
What kind of light maximizes productivity the most?
If you’ve seen modern school and office designs, you’ll notice that windows are increasing in size as well as quantity. The reason for this is due to various studies that have found a direct link between sunlight and productivity. One study in 1999 found that students in schools that allowed more sunlight into classrooms actually scored higher on tests. One possible explanation for this increased focus from sunlight is simply a result of the brain being better able to accurately synchronize circadian rhythms, resulting in more restful sleep at night. When natural light is no longer detected as much, the pineal gland in the brain releases melatonin — a hormone that makes you feel tired. What does this mean for your home office? Plainly put, in order to remain as focused as possible, you want to keep melatonin at bay. The very best way to do this is by filling your home office with a comfortable amount of natural sunlight.
What is the next best light to sunlight?
Even though sunlight is the ideal kind of light to have in your office, this may not always be possible. Whether your office lacks windows or you don’t work during the sunniest times of the day, there are ways to synthesize the effects of sunlight in your office. The best substitute for sunlight are LED lights that mimic the brightness and color of sunlight. You may be asking “Why LED lights?” There are a few different reasons.
- LED bulbs are extremely efficient, using only a fraction of the energy required to power incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. This is partially due to the fact that LEDs do not generate as much if any heat.
- LEDs can be designed to emit exact brightnesses and LED color temperatures.
- LED bulbs have an incredibly long lifespan — typically projected at are 50,000 hours or 10-15 years of use.
- LEDs do not emit any harmful UV radiation.
So, what kind of LED is most like the sun? The ideal LED bulb to replicate sunlight would have a color temperature of 6500 K and CRI (color rendering index) of around 96%.
In order to help you achieve maximum productivity in certain parts of your home or office or to foster relaxation elsewhere, your friends at Lighting Inc. are here to satisfy your specific LED lighting needs. From your home to the office or maybe your home office, we are the LED lighting professionals you can trust.