How Lighting Affects Your Mood (and What You Can Do About It)

Prepared by Dani Dross | Published on January 20, 2025

You know that feeling you get under florescent white lighting? Reminiscent of a hospital, harsh on the eyes, anxiety-inducing? Well, it’s not just you. Mood and lighting are closely linked, and there’s real science behind why uber-bright lighting makes us feel bad. Most notably, it interrupts our body’s natural circadian rhythms, leading to sleep issues, which influence everything else we do.

However, it’s one thing to be aware of lighting’s effects on your body and brain, and another to know what to do about it.

When creating a home that you love and want to spend time in, you have to consider numerous factors. It isn’t just about picking the “right” furniture or the newest appliances. You must curate a space that makes you feel comfortable, inspired, and most of all, safe. Often, we overlook some of the simplest enhancements because we are focused on “bigger” things (like furniture), which are also extremely important, but don’t paint a whole picture by themselves. Lighting is often considered as an afterthought, but it can have major implications for your everyday motivation and emotional health.

Light psychology has found that for humans, red-tinted light is soothing. Yellow and white light can be motivating and may even make you more inclined to clean or exercise. Blue light and anxiety are closely linked. Colored light effects on humans are still being investigated, and it’s an ever-evolving area of study, especially with the rise in new technologies.

As a general rule, remember that warm lighting makes you feel comfortable and cozy, and cool lighting makes you feel motivated and alert. It’s important to avoid spaces that are too bright and too dark. Natural light is the best, but what can you do on dark and dreary days to keep your spirits up? Let’s explore how you can utilize optimal lighting choices in your living spaces.

What's Your Vibe? 

What aesthetics are you hoping to achieve in your space? What feelings do you want to invoke? Is it the same across your entire house or apartment, or do you envision each room as its own unique vibe?

Consider what you already have. What does your current furniture look like? Your floors? Your paint colors? Now, think about how you want to further curate that atmosphere. Does a specific aesthetic speak to you? Maybe you’re into mid-century modern. Perhaps you prefer dark academia. Are you a minimalist, maximalist, or something in between? 

Envision how you want your space to look. If that feels difficult, create a vision board to map out your desires. There’s no rule that says you must commit to any one aesthetic, but if you can name your look, it might be easier to picture what the space can be like.

How do you want your home to make you feel? In addition to your furniture, flooring, paint, etc., how can you utilize lighting to achieve that feeling?

Overhead Lighting

The simplest place to start is with overhead lighting. This can be a surprisingly overlooked area. It’s likely that if you are buying or renting a space that’s been previously lived in, it already has some kind of overhead lighting, whether it’s canned lighting or mounted fixtures. There may not be a lot you can do to change these, unless you want to do electrical work. What you can do is change their bulbs. Check out these smart bulbs. They allow you to choose colors from all over the spectrum and can be controlled via Bluetooth®. So, when you’re in cleaning mode, it’s easy to change your overhead light to a nice yellow or white. But when you’re ready to sit down and relax, you can opt for a red hue. It’s a much more simple and affordable option than changing your whole light fixture.

If you are committed to changing or adding an overhead fixture, there’s a great variety to pick from. Pendant lights are great to put over a kitchen island or in a hallway. Chandeliers work well in a stairwell or over a dining table. Flush mounted lights are the “everyman” light fixture, and they work well in most spaces. Choose what enhances your home!

Lamps & More

Lamps are an easy way to elevate a space and curate an ambience. Is your side table looking a little empty? Check out this lamp for a sophisticated yet understated look. Or this lamp is a great option on the other side of the spectrum. Pair your pick with a warm bulb and you’re set to unwind with a book, snuggled into your favorite seat.

If you would rather fill out a corner of the room or have extra space between a couch and chair, a floor lamp like this one is the way to go. Floor lamps can be a surprisingly commanding presence in a room and can have a heavy influence on the overall vibe. You may even find yourself using it as your main light source, versus a harsher overhead light.

Other Lighting Solutions

Nowadays there are many nontraditional lighting solutions, which are especially convenient for rooms that aren’t equipped with overhead lighting. Take these awesome light panels, for example. Controlled by remote and with multiple color options, these are the perfect lighting addition for your gaming space or media room.

Light strips are another great, nontraditional way to give your space that specific vibe you crave. Strips like these are also controlled with a remote, and include numerous preset colors, so you can always curate the perfect mood. Best of all, they’re easy to install. Put them along your baseboards or behind your couch, then kick back and play a video game or listen to your favorite album.

If you’re looking to commit to more classic or vintage vibes, a wall sconce is a great addition to any space. Some modern sconces don’t even need to be wired in – they just take batteries! Talk about a simple way to curate an aesthetic.

Making thoughtful lighting decisions plays a role in your everyday mood, motivation, and productivity. It’s also just a very simple and affordable way to give a room a necessary upgrade. Whether through brighter, cool-toned lights to boost alertness or softer, warmer lighting to encourage relaxation, by adjusting your lighting, you can create a space that supports both physical comfort and emotional balance year-round.