The Importance Of Good Lighting In Autumn/ Winter
As the Autumn and Winter months creep up on us I start to get excited about the dark nights, the colder weather and the chance to snuggle up under a blanket with a hot chocolate. But not everyone feels that way and unfortunately, quite a lot of people suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) on some level. The depressive illness is caused by the shortened daylight hours and the lack of sunlight. For about 21% of the population in the UK the ‘Winter Blues’ kick in which causes some discomfort and change in mood, although without serious suffering, think those huge mid-afternoon slumps or those dark mornings you can’t think about getting out of bed although a further 8% of people have the condition more seriously. It’s much harder to bring in natural light through the winter months, even when you are searching through the curtains and blinds to decide which is best for your windows? SAD isn’t a joke, and the more light you have streaming through your home, the better. As well as natural light, you need as much unnatural light you can bring into the house. The right window treatments, blinds, and curtains in each room will enable you to pull as much of the winter light into the house as you can, and if you have skylights, keep them uncovered!
Thankfully in my fulltime job we have a HUGE amount of natural light coming in during the hours of the day sunlight is about, and there’s plenty of internal lighting but in my flat things are a little different. Yes, I have plenty of light within my living/ dining area but my spare bedroom where my desk resides doesn’t have as much natural light as I’d like.
Needlite SAD lights
Whether you suffer from SAD or you just crave a little bit of sunlight it’s so important to have the right lighting in place to make the world feel that little bit brighter which is where Needlite comes in. Their tagline states “The power of daylight at your desk” and I was ready to test this out. Needlite is a Danish company and in these Nordic countries there’s a severe lack of daylight even in the summertime, and the lights were created to keep people stay healthy, happy, and motivated to work.
The Needlite lamps come as two tall lamps which can be positioned anyway, although I think they work perfectly on either side of your desk/ computer/ workspace and they omit white lighting which is reminiscent to natural light as opposed to the yellow light which usually comes from lamps and indoor lighting. Due to their size they don’t just emit light into one area or direction they light up the room, and with just the touch of my hand, the lights shine brightly.
How the Needlites work
There are quite a few fancy elements to the Needlite lamps including the fact that they are touch-sensitive, meaning you don’t have to fiddle around trying to find the wire or switch you just touch the base of the lamp for them to come on. You can change the intensity of the lights this way by keeping your finger on the base, but also through the mobile app which adds another level to them. The app can provide feedback on light consumption, usage, and helps you to alter the intensity. Another great thing about the app is you can set a bedtime meaning you’ll be reminded when it’s late so you won’t suddenly look at the clock and find it’s 2 am, something which I used to be awful at.
I am lucky enough to not suffer from SAD but even so, I was still impressed with how the lights seemed to keep me more aware and awake due to their brightness, there was no chance of me having a cheeky nap with them on.
Good lighting can not only improve your mood but it can also improve your photo and video quality which is another added bonus that I found from these lights. Taking images in the winter can be a right pain and finding any form of natural lighting can be a nightmare so these lights work really well in this instance.
If you suffer from the lack of sunlight check out Needlite and see if the investment could help you be healthier and happier.
27 responses to “The Importance Of Good Lighting In Autumn/ Winter”
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Rhian Westbury
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Ooh we have been trying these too and I’m hoping it makes a big difference to me as I do struggle with SAD. I love Autumn and Winter but I hate the lack of daylight!
I am going to have to check out Needlite, I definitely do suffer from SAD and find the winter such a hard time of year to deal with, perhaps this will help.
I don’t struggle with SAD because I have a pet and I really think its a tremendous help to have someone distract you for not noticing how gray it is outside.
I don’t suffer from SAD myself but I do notice people around me get influenced by the weather so much! Will definitely recommend this post to them as it’s very helpful! Thanks for sharing Rhian ❤️
I used to suffer with SAD too! I used these types of lights for awhile. I have a portable small console that also gives off the feeling of natural sunlight. What I found to have worked extremely well; working out and changing my diet!
Good autumn is such a rare thing during these colder months! I tend to squeeze in all of my product review photos in the morning!
I’ve not heard of Needlite before, but they may be worth checking out, as our house gets rather dark in the evenings…
I definitely suffer from SADS. Never heard of this company though so I’ll check them out. I need something before winter really gets started.
Wow, this sounds PERFECT for me! I tend to get quite depressed in the winter. Luckily, I’m a freelancer so I can just pick myself up and go work in a well-lit café or somewhere nice but I once worked in a basement floor office and it was obviously the worst for me. So depressing!
My husband struggles with SAD so this is so helpful.
I don’t suffer from SAD, but I know a couple of my friends have a slight shift in mood around this time of year, I didn’t know it was quite so prevalent though!
These would be great for someone with SAD and perfect for me too as I like nice brightly lit spaces.
I could do with one of these as I’ve always thought I may have SAD!
I didn’t realise how much lighting mkes a difference until we moved house, our kitchen is always in the shadow and t makes you feel horrible! I love to get the sun on my face for a boost in winter
These look fab! Our lights are really yellow, no matter which bulbs we choose. Having brighter lights would really make a difference to me!
I bought myself a SAD light last winter and what a difference it made. Just a few hours every morning really helped.
This sounds like such a good idea. My lounge is so dark, even in the brighter months. I think I might need some help with natural lighting (might be better for photos too!)
I know the feeling. Not having enough light can really upset me.
I don’t suffer from SAD but these look and sound great x
I think these lamps are such a great idea. I would be really interested to see if they would effect my mood x
I don’t suffer with SAD but I think these are great for those that do!
I think these lamps are such a good idea – I know a lot of people are affected by SAD
Oh I need these in my life if they help with keeping you awake I often fall asleep at my desk because of the baby not sleeping!! I wonder if they would make me feel less stressed too?
It really is so important. What a great read and I’m off to buy a lamp I think!
I think I may suffer and will definitely look into these lamps, thank you for sharing. Kaz
These needlite lamps are absolutely a must have! I will have to check them out. They would surely make a great addition in to our home. I love a good lighting and can always improve the overall look of a room or home office.
I don’t think I suffer with SAD as I am outside a lot but I can see these would be very helpful