The thing is, it’s not just the bad lighting at work that has an effect on all these things—it’s often the lighting in our own homes, too. And it’s all thanks to a single explanation: “Light is the strongest cue for setting the timing for our biological clock, which regulates the timing of our circadian rhythms,” says Shadab A. Rahman, Ph.D., MPH, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School whose research encompasses circadian neurophysiology. “Our energy, alertness, mood, and sleep all have circadian rhythms.” “Consequently, we get very little light during the day and too much light at night, compared to the natural conditions we have evolved to,” he says. “We have to control our light exposure appropriately in line with our physiology so we don’t induce unwanted or unhealthy responses.” “In the early morning, you want to wake up to either full-spectrum daylight, or use a light bulb that has a high proportion of high-quality blue light content,” adds Steel. “Give yourself a strong exposure to bright light for at least 20 minutes to stimulate the release of cortisol, which perks you up for the rest of the day. While you may find such a bulb at a hardware store, there are a lot of cheap products out there that put out a poor quality of lightm and most people can’t stand that for very long.” (Hello, office overhead lights!) Just remember: “No manufactured lighting product is superior to natural daylight,” Steel adds. “All of us should try to get outdoors and soak up some sunlight during the day. A walk outside in the morning is a perfect solution, but even just sitting outside for 30 to 45 minutes at lunchtime will not only contribute to daytime alertness but also the quality of the evening pre-bedtime experience as well.” This is the perfect time to turn on the warm, dimmable Wind Down light bulbs by Brilli—a healthy, circadian-supporting solution for keeping on the lights at night—without keeping you up. These lights help you ease into evening relaxation and nudge your body into restful sleep. Then, tuck away electronic devices with illuminated screens at least an hour before bedtime. While Wind Down goes great in your bedroom lamps, Brilli’s Get in Sync Circadian LED Downlights are perfect for living rooms and kitchens. The Get in Sync lights can emulate both bright morning sunlight and soft, warm sunset light, so the inside of your home can better reflect the natural time of day outside. (And if you’re looking for more options, Brilli has also tuned the light spectrum in their Look Up One-Touch Vanity Mirror to sync up with the natural light—perfect for bathrooms or above your bedroom vanity). After lights out, it’s sweet dreams.
