Artificial Light vs Natural Light: How Should You Light Your Home?

Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden are old veterans, specifically when it comes to battling Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is a disorder that’s primarily triggered due to the lack of sunlight for long stretches of time.

Considering that we spend a big chunk of our time in our homes, we’ll want to give some extra focus to how artificial light vs natural light can affect our health.

Now, if you’re unfamiliar with the nuances of the differences between those two sources of light, no worries. You’ve come to the right place.

Keep on reading for our full breakdown of both artificial and natural light, specifically when it comes to how our bodies (and wallets) react to either type of light.

Artificial Light vs Natural Light: The Design Perspective?

Before we start our deep dive into what makes natural light or artificial light different, let’s cover some design basics.

Simply put, any interior designer will inform you that getting your lighting right can transform your space. It can liven up the place or completely deaden it. It’s not just the aesthetical effects, it’s the light’s ability to literally change the feeling of your room, as well as the mood of everyone in it.

Thankfully, good lighting can be both natural or artificial. However, the differences start to shine when it comes to how our bodies react to the light, depending on its source.

For now, if you’re curious about what good lighting looks like, you’ll want to check out Interior Deluxe.

The Main Benefits of Sunlight

A rule that doesn’t only pertain to human bodies is how our circadian rhythm is directly tied to sunlight. A circadian rhythm is a biological process that controls your sleep cycles, and it tends to use sunlight as a cue.

This is why, whenever possible, you’ll want to get as much sunlight pouring into your space as possible. By getting sufficient exposure to sunlight, you’ll be in a better mood, and your body clock will be able to keep your melatonin production working properly.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re exposed to only artificial lighting, no matter the time of day, you’ll find yourself with a baseline of constant exhaustion.

Now that we’ve covered the key benefit of sunlight exposure, let’s look at the other advantages that sunlight can provide, free of charge.

Essential For Plants

Using our naked eye, we can only see a gentle white ray of sunlight. Yet, sunlight is actually composed of a wide range of wavelengths. This is why you get to see the whole spectrum of rainbow colors whenever you’re using a prism or in the aftermath of a rainstorm.

When it comes to caring for your plants, your green babies need both red and blue wavelengths to flourish. Sunlight has both, so it can meet all of your plants’ light needs in one go.

Enlarging Your Space

One of the delightful quirks of natural lighting is its ability to make your home or space feel much bigger than it actually is.

Having natural daylight coming in from vertical windows will make your room appear larger, as it’ll push people’s gazes upwards.

Better for Your Eyesight

We all need to disconnect from our screens and other sources of artificial light, at least every once in a while.

When we spend our days locked onto our computers, then shift to our phones or TV at the end of the workday can strain our eyesight and cause us headaches.

If you’re blessed with a place that gets direct or indirect sunlight, you’ll want to open your windows and let some of that nature therapy in.

Source of Vitamin D

Whenever we’re lacking an essential mineral or vitamin, our body shows us why that’s a bad idea.

One of those key minerals that our body needs to remain in good health and maintain homeostasis is vitamin D. Your body gets to automatically produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight.

If you’re not getting enough vitamin D, your body won’t be able to synthesize phosphate or regulate calcium. This will lead to weaker bones and muscles.

So, if you’ve been noticing that you’re dealing with a lot of pain and fatigue, you’ll want to spend approximately 15 to 20 minutes per week in the sun.

The Drawbacks of Sunlight: Where the Benefits of Artificial Light Shines

One of the main disadvantages of sunlight is that you can’t just flick a switch and get sunlight. If you’re used to living in colder climates, you’re already familiar with the pain of shorter days and lower light intensity.

Basically, the problem with sunlight is that you can’t get it on command. In addition, sometimes you won’t be able to direct it where you want the highest degree of sunlight exposure.

For instance, if you have indoor plants that need direct sunlight, and your space can only give you indirect sunlight, then you’ve got a problem.

This is where the beauty of artificial light shines. When it comes to artificial light, you can control (almost) anything about its intensity, the direction of the light, and when you want it to be on or off.

This brings us to the future of lighting technologies.

Can LED Replace Natural Lighting?

As we speak, you won’t find artificial light on the market that can mimic daylight up to 100%.

Yet, you can get some LED lights that can boost your mood or your health. A type of light known as Daylight White can generate high blue wavelength content.

This can improve your performance, which is why you’ll find that the majority of companies are investing in installing this type of light in their offices.

Ready to Turn the Light On?

If you’re just starting your search into the different types of light, and how it can affect your space, it’s quite easy to get overwhelmed at the sheer range of options you’ve got.

Hopefully, our explainer has shed some light (pun intended) on the key aspects of artificial light vs natural light, and why you’ll be needing both.

And, if you liked our article, make sure to check out our home section for additional tips and tricks on how to take your living space to the next level.