Benefits of Daylight Bulbs

Benefits of Daylight Bulbs on Health & Productivity

Ready to get serious about improving the lighting in your office or work space? Then you should consider the benefits of daylight bulbs. Replacing your current light-bulbs with full-spectrum daylight bulbs could be the easiest improvement you can make in your workplace.

The Lighting Research Center lists the benefits of full-spectrum light as including: 

• Improved color perception and visual clarity
• Improved mood, productivity, and mental awareness
• Improved scholastic performance of students
• And it can treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and sleep disorders

​​Taken individually, these health and productivity benefits of natural, full-spectrum light will make sense to any business owner or employee. But when take as a group, it quickly becomes clear that changing over to full-spectrum daylight bulbs in your work space can transform your office environment, improve morale, and drive productivity.

What is a Daylight Bulb and Why is it Different?

A daylight bulb is a light bulb which has a color temperature in the "daylight" range of light.

Color temperature is typically expressed in Kelvin, using the symbol "K," with cool colored light bulbs (think white to blue light) producing color temperatures of 5000k or above, and warm colored light bulbs (yellow or red-tinted light) producing color temperatures in the 2700-3000k range. Anything 6000k or above is considered a daylight bulb (one that mimics the light temperature of natural daylight).

When evaluating the benefits of daylight bulbs for your work place setting, it's important to recognize the impact light temperature can have on people's mood.

Lower color temperature light is ideal for public areas, break rooms, and lounges. This warm light will promote feelings of relaxation - the feeling you want to nurture in these spaces. This is why many people prefer the warm yellow light of incandescent bulbs near their favorite reading chair. It's a place to relax and unwind.

Higher color temperature (like that produced by daylight light bulbs) should be used where work is to be done. This will improve concentration, mental awareness, mood, and -- as a result -- productivity.

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Are All Light Bulbs Marketed as Daylight Bulbs Created Equal?

The term "daylight bulbs" is used in the lighting industry to refer to both light bulbs with a high color temperature (usually anything above 6000k), and to full-spectrum light bulbs (which have 6500k+ as their color temperature, and a CRI (Color Rendering Index) score of 96% or more.

Any light bulb with a color temperature over 6000k will produce the desired effects of improved mood, mental awareness, and productivity, but only the  more expensive "full-spectrum" daylight bulbs will produce the full range of benefits daylight bulbs have been proven to yield in a business environment.

Are Daylight Bulbs More Expensive

Full-spectrum daylight light bulbs can be more expensive than standard light bulbs, but in general standard light bulbs with a color temperature of 6000k or more are priced the same as their warmer-temperature counterparts.

In most cases, the cheapest solution for offices looking to leverage the benefits of daylight bulbs and full-spectrum lighting in their work space is to purchase regular bulbs for general office lighting with a color temperature of 6000k or more (with the exception of lounges, break rooms, and lobbies where warmer light is recommended), and to provide desk-top task lights to employees, equipping these personal lights with full-spectrum daylight bulbs with a color temperature of 6500k and a CRI of 96%.

This will net managers and business owners all the productivity benefits of daylight bulbs at the lowest possible cost, creating well-lit, functional space for workers to enjoy.

So What Are the Advantages and Benefits of Daylight Bulbs in the Workplace?

Reduced Eye Strain  -  Cooler temperature light will cause less glare on computer screens and other reflective surfaces than other types of lighting. This can reduce eye strain on employees, elevating mood, and allowing them to comfortably stay at their desk longer.

Revealing True Colors  -  Your graphic designers and art team will thank you when you switch to daylight bulbs in your office. Daylight provides the most accurate level of color rendering, and cooler temperature bulbs will make colors more true and vibrant than other types of artificial lighting.

The lighting industry uses CRI (the Color Rendering Index) to indicate a light's ability to render colors fully. Most full-spectrum daylight bulbs have a near-perfect CRI of 96%. 

More Energy Efficient  -  Most daylight bulbs are more energy efficient and last longer than light bulbs on the warmer end of the spectrum. This allows you to save money on replacement bulbs (many LED daylight bulbs last up to 10,000 hours), and making the switch can also save you on your energy bill.

Relief for Employees Experiencing SAD  -  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a big problem, particularly in areas far away from the equator. Artificial daylight bulbs can reduce depression and lethargy, which is not only a good thing for morale, but it can also help your team stay productive during the winter months when days are shorter.

Making the Switch to Daylight Bulbs to Improve Office Lighting

Transitioning to daylight bulbs in your home office or professional work space is easy, and is simply a matter of choosing light bulbs in the 6000k+ range when you next make a purchase.

The benefits of daylight bulbs, or natural full-spectrum light in the workplace has been documented in Psychology Today, by Norwestern University, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and many other reputable sources. Switching to daylight bulbs is an easy way to offer your workers a healthier working environment, which has the potential to boost productivity and morale. 

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