Warm lighting feels natural in the evening and encourages relaxation. Our circadian rhythm, the body and brain's inherent 24-hour cycle, depends on warm light to help us wind down and get ready for sleep. In contrast, cool lighting keeps us alert and energized for activities but can disrupt our internal clock when used in the evening before bedtime.
Warm vs. Cool Lighting
In simple terms, warm light is reddish in appearance, and cool light looks bluish.
The Color Temperature Scale
Warm or cool lighting is determined by color temperature (measured in kelvins). A lower temperature is a warmer light. A higher temperature is a cool light.
Warm Color Temperatures
Colors on the color temperature scale ranging from approximately 2700K to 3000K (sometimes extending to 3500K) are referred to as warm colors. These yellowish or reddish whites were characteristic of traditional incandescent bulbs.
Cool Color Temperatures
Any light above 4000K on the color temperature scale is classified as cool lighting. Bulbs with high cool color temperatures are commonly used in hospitals and other commercial settings.
Why Warmer Tones Feel Natural to Us During the Evening
Warmer colors resonate with us in the evening, evoking the glow of a hearthside fire. Similarly, warm morning light streaming through an east-facing window can be soothing and help ease us into wakefulness.
Many of us use both warm and cool light sources to set the mood throughout the day. Open curtains or blinds to welcome the warm morning sun and cooler daylight as the day progresses. In the evening, lamps, fireplaces, or firepits provide cozy, warm ambient lighting, while a cool task light may be used for activities like reading.
The Impact of Warm Colors on Our Perception
Warm lighting alters how we perceive the colors of objects in a room compared to how they appear in daylight. Furniture and decor may look noticeably different under warm lighting than they would under cool light.
Excessive warm lighting can also disrupt focus, which is why work environments typically use cooler lights to enhance concentration.
Source Reference: The Spruce
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