A Softer Light for a Slower Evening

Maybe Grandma’s dim living room wasn’t such a bad thing after all. 

I took these two pictures in the exact same room, with the exact same lamp. The only real difference is the light bulb.

The brighter, whiter picture is an LED bulb. The warmer, softer picture is an incandescent bulb.

And while I know the LED is technically brighter, more energy efficient, and lasts longer, I have to admit—the incandescent light feels completely different to me.

It feels calmer.

For generations, our evenings were naturally filled with softer light. Candles. Fireplaces. Oil lamps. Then came the warm glow of incandescent bulbs. As the sun went down, our homes became darker too.

Today, we can flip a switch at 8:00 at night and make the living room look almost as bright as the middle of the afternoon.

But our bodies still pay attention to light.

Bright light, especially light that contains more blue wavelengths, can signal to our brains that it is still daytime. That can affect melatonin production and our natural sleep-wake rhythm. Warmer, dimmer lighting in the evening is generally much easier on that natural rhythm.

Now, before we throw every LED bulb in the trash 😂, LED does not automatically mean unhealthy. There are warm-colored LEDs available, and good-quality bulbs can be a wonderful option. But the color temperature and brightness of the bulb really do matter.

For evening spaces, warmer bulbs around 2200K–2700K can create a much softer atmosphere than the bright white or daylight-style bulbs commonly used today.

And then there is something else that I think matters too—even apart from the science.

How does your home feel?

The first picture is certainly brighter.

But the second one makes me want to grab a blanket, make a cup of coffee or tea, open a book, and stay awhile.

Maybe everything in our homes doesn't need to be brightly illuminated all the time.

Maybe evening is supposed to feel a little different from morning.

Maybe our homes are supposed to slowly quiet down as the sun goes down.

And maybe Grandma sitting beside that little warm lamp in the corner knew something we have forgotten. 

I think I will keep the softer light.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

Sometimes slowing down begins with something as simple as turning down the lights.