Before we say why 4000K light is the best office light color temperature we must know how Color temperature plays an important role in how we perceive our environment as well as promoting productivity, and keeping the human body’s circadian rhythm balanced. If you’re contracted to light a commercial or industrial area, it’s crucial to know what color temp to pick for the light fixtures selected for each environment.
You may not notice it, but lighting plays a huge role in how you feel when you enter a room. Spaces like restaurants, hotels, and churches often use warm lighting to impart a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Office buildings and hospitals, on the other hand, are usually lit with cooler light to promote focus and productivity. Most factories and industrial facilities are lit with even higher color temperature light sources. Many studies have directly tied color temperature with the level of worker productivity. It’s yet another factor in how we perform while at the office.
In general, these applications fall into three color temperature bands:
- 2700K-3500K: Warm lighting for residential, hospitality and other relaxing environments.
- 3500K-4000K: Cool lighting for office and commercial spaces.
- 4000K-5000K: Daylight for industrial and manufacturing applications.
Color Temperature for Office Lighting
Our office environments are typically lit with lighting in the 3500K-4000K light range. Lighting in this range feels crisp and invigorating. Warmer color temperatures have been linked to sleepiness and lower productivity while cooler color temperature can be perceived as too harsh – even to the point of inducing stress and depression in more sedentary workplaces.
Most commercial pendant lights and troffer fixtures are available in 3500K or 4000K light (natural white light bulb) as the best color temperature for office light. We would normally recommend the 4000K light option for office lighting, these unless they are going into law offices, mental health professionals or other offices where a slightly warmer atmosphere is preferred.
The Psychological Impact of Light and Color
We will get straight to the point, avoid anything below 3500K. It’s too yellow, and there is research behind it that will dissuade you from using it. The best light temperature for offices is between 3500 Kelvin and 5500 Kelvin . Anything above 5500K is just too blue and anything below 3500K will make your employees less productive.
You can check out a study about the effect of lighting on the Circadian Rhythm and why so many apps exist to control your screen color temperature so you can get a better night’s sleep. Essentially if your office has a color temperature that is too yellow, it signals everyone in the room to pass out, and I’m sure nobody wants an office full of sleepers (not sleeper cells, just sleeping, people).
so overall is 4000K light, flicker-free office lighting such as our seamless office light that comes in just about any color temperature (even the one that will put you to sleep!)
How lighting affects mood, health and productivity ?
The countless light fixtures that illuminate our world have different biological and psychological impacts on us, which is why it’s important to understand how lighting affects mood, health, and productivity.
The truth is, light tends to influence us more than other external stimuli. It has the power to impact sleep, happiness levels, and even cognitive performance. Therefore, humans need to be exposed to adequate lighting levels in the right settings at the right times of the day.
It’s proven that natural light tends to make people happier, but since we rely heavily on artificial light, it’s important for us to control the amount of it we need in multiple scenarios. Consider the following:
- Light for day versus night: We usually need higher levels of light to operate during the day and lower levels when we’re winding down at night. Using bright lights at night usually decreases the body’s melatonin levels, essentially throwing off your internal clock and hindering sleep, cognition, hormone release times, blood pressure and glucose levels. When there is a lack of melatonin, people can experience sleep problems that lead to behavioral changes.
- Blue light can make us feel more energetic and alert. (The most likely hue of light to impact our internal clocks.)
- Red light is the least likely hue of light to impact our internal clocks. (This helps increase melatonin levels.)
- Warm lighting creates a more relaxing and intimate setting.
- White light is the most forgiving when it comes to personal appearance. (However, warm, yellow lighting is flattering to the skin.)
