Maya Angelou, the great American poet and author, famously wrote: ‘Nothing can dim the light that shines within.’ However, when the sky is grey and the night draws in at about 4pm, it’s easy to start feeling lethargic and perhaps a little low in mood, too, especially if you’re nursing yet another winter sniffle. The Danish concept of hygge is all about finding cosy contentment despite the dark, but eating warming stews and donning fake-fur-lined coats doesn’t counteract the effects of fewer daylight hours.
Being attracted to light is part of being human. It’s a deep-rooted primal instinct that, in days gone by, enabled people to find food and shelter – and survive. Today, it’s possible for many to shop in supermarkets and access heat and light at the touch of a button. But the effects from the lack of natural light in winter can creep up on anyone. Research has shown that everything from workplace strip lighting to seasonal light changes has a significant effect on mood (not all of it positive, depending on the time of day and type of light). And scientists have identified 26 brain regions that either increase or decrease in activity depending on light intensity.
In fact, every single light source, right down to the dim glow of an alarm clock or a computer on standby, produces light waves to which the body reacts. If light waves are present, they impact mood. And if they’re absent, they affect it, too. For some people, this manifests as seasonal affective disorder.
Going with the glow
The body operates on circadian rhythms, where light and dark change the brain chemistry according to what the body thinks it’s time to do. Sam Cole, an award-winning interior and exterior lighting consultant with knowledge of period and contemporary architecture and design, says: ‘In the morning, natural light has a cool blue tone and, in the evening, this changes to an orange tone. At the same time, the light level goes down and that affects our hormones. So, we feel awake in blue tone light, and sleepy in orange tone light.’
The latest advance in lighting technology – called biodynamic lighting – is all about emulating the colour temperature of natural daylight. ‘It was originally developed for call centres, hospitals and care homes where people were in huge buildings with no natural light and, as a result, didn’t feel great,’ says Sam. ‘It doesn’t fool the brain completely, but it’s been shown to make people happier.’
Currently, this type of lighting is available only through professional lighting consultants. But understanding that the light in your home ought to complement your personal cycle of wakefulness, rest and sleep can help you to take control of how you feel. Winter darkness doesn’t have to be something that descends on you. Instead, you can make your home a bright sanctuary with layers of lights that enliven you when needed, and calm and soothe you when it’s time to slumber.
On the bright side
Getting the light right
‘Lighting is almost like painting,’ says Sam. ‘It can change the way you feel and make the rooms in your home function in different ways.’ But before you start playing with the tones, intensity, colour, softness or positioning of your lights, ask yourself: ‘What am I going to do in this room?’ Then start planning what kind of lights you need.
‘If you’re trying to vacuum on a January afternoon and there’s a storm coming in, you need the light to be punchy enough for that,’ says Sam. So, the first principle is to use brighter lights when you’re active, and dimmer lights when you’re relaxing. If you don’t have dimmer buttons on your light switches, it’s well worth installing them. But don’t just have one light source in a room. Use this guide to create an overall glow with both built-in lights that fill a room and pools of light on tabletops, walls and in other more unexpected places.
Ambient lights – make rooms safe and functional
‘The room has to be lit well enough so that you don’t trip over furniture or toys,’ says Sam. But don’t just have one circuit of ceiling lights. ‘If you turn off spotlights at the edge of the room and switch them on in the middle, it draws your eyes to the centre. This can make a bigger room feel cosier and more intimate. In contrast, ceiling spotlights that cover the edges of the room reflect light off the walls, which can make a room seem more expansive.’
The secret to making rooms look and feel amazing is to make full use of architectural lights. ‘These are the lights you shouldn’t notice that are fitted into the fabric of the building – into ceilings and floors. They highlight and show off things in the room, and also play things down, but they’re not showy like chandeliers or wall lights. They’re a toolbox you can use to change the way a room looks and feels,’ says Sam.
Choose your lightbulbs carefully. Install 3000K bulbs in places where you want to be alert, and 2700K ones in areas where you like to relax and be cosy. You could also go for bulbs that change colour when dimmed.
Task lights – get specific jobs done
Task lights can be fitted to the walls or placed on tabletops. If you angle a light at the wall, so it’s not directly facing you, you’ll create a softer mood. Alternatively, use lamps to create soft pools of light around armchairs where you might knit, sew, read, do a crossword or take a nap.
‘You might install a reading lamp that you can direct at a book or have mirror lights on a magnifying mirror so that you can easily put on make-up. Fitting lights under wall cabinets also helps to light up work surfaces,’ says Sam.
Accent lights – show off your home’s beauty
The objects you treasure are bound to make you feel good, so it makes sense to use lights to showcase them. ‘If you have a beautiful staircase, you can put lights up it, or use a picture light or directable spotlight to make a focal point of a painting over a fireplace,’ says Sam. Similarly, you can use little bar lights above your favourite feelgood photographs.
‘I sometimes put fairy lights outside children’s rooms, or I’ll drape them across a fireplace to create a focal point. You can also wrap them around small indoor trees or shrubs.’
Low-level lights – keep it subtle
Using a low level of soft background light is ideal to help you relax or stay sleepy. ‘If it’s three o’clock in the morning and you need a loo trip, you don’t want to put on a bright light, which would wake you up,’ says Sam. ‘Instead, you might turn on a soft light in your vanity unit. Or, if you have children, you can install low-level lighting on the landing, so that if your child has a nightmare, they can safely get to your room without switching on bright lights.’
Candlelights – create a cosy inner warmth
There’s a primitive part of humanity that’s attracted to candlelight. ‘You can’t have gas fireplaces in apartment blocks like you used to, so I love to use candles instead in autumn and winter,’ says Sam. ‘Candlelight is called kinetic light because it’s ever-changing, and candles give a lovely, moving, flickering effect. Up until the early 20th century, unless you had a lot of money, you were living by gaslights – which were flickering and guttering. That light calls to us and makes us feel comfortable and safe.’
So, when it’s dull and dingy outside, light some candles, settle into your favourite chair and relax in the cosy glow. You might not be able to control the light outside, but you can always influence the light that surrounds you.