Throughout history, for many cultures such as the Greeks, Egyptians and Romans, light has been revered for delivering good health, power, prosperity and warmth. Light continues to play an important role in our lives to this day, especially for its mood-enhancing properties.

 

Lack of light can result in depression, fatigue and irritability

To understand how important lighting is for enhancing mood, the lack of light early morning during winter in Canada has been correlated to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which has symptoms ranging from fatigue and carbohydrate cravings through to depression and irritability.

Studies on SAD, which have been undertaken by Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, have revealed exposure to ultraviolet filtered light for a period of half an hour in the morning is clinically proven to improve mood, as well as resulting in having a stimulating effect on an individual's circadian rhythms.

Light therapy for mood enhancing through interior design

In addition to light therapy being used as a medical treatment for depression in a clinical environment, it's also being introduced in contemporary interior design for its mood enhancing properties. After Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's clinical studies uncovered the benefits of light for the symptoms of SAD, the Toronto Public Library had light therapy lamps installed in several of their branches.

Both natural and artificial light used for light therapy

While natural light is preferred by interior designers for its health giving benefits when enhancing a home or apartments interior through light therapy, installing features like skylights may not always be a possibility. In these instances, installing various forms of artificial lights is a smart alternative. A major benefit of using artificial lighting for the purpose of light therapy in interior design is having the flexibility to change the intensity of light at the touch of a button. This means that you can more efficiently change your lighting to enhance your mood, rather than be reliant on weather conditions, especially during winter or if you live in a region with a cooler climate.

Light therapy can be synchronised via iPhone apps

With recent technological advancements, iPhone now offers apps that synchronise your lighting with your iPad or iPhone, enabling you to achieve the perfect mood lighting without manually turning switches on and off. This is ideal for early in the morning and late at night when your home or apartment is dark, as well as making day-to-day living easier for those struggling with mobility due to age or medical conditions. Find out how light therapy can be synced through your mobile device for ease of operation day or night.

Light therapy changes our aesthetic interpretation of the world

Light therapy is not only effective because of its positive mood enhancing benefits for interior design concepts, it can also change how we interpret the world aesthetically. For example, having a wide variety of lighting forms in different colours installed as part of an interior design concept can result in striking visual displays in your home or apartment that stimulate the senses and engage the mind.

As LED lighting technology continues to evolve, the ability to tailor lighting to fulfill different aesthetic influences and moods through interior design is becoming more streamlined and easier to achieve, making it a cost-effective investment.

If you're interested in introducing light therapy within the interior design concept for your home, apartment or business contact Jarvis Interiors today for further information or an obligation free quote. Jarvis Interiors specialises in creative interior design incorporating sound, colour and light therapy to enhance environments and improve client's lives, health and well-being.