Choosing the right light bulbs for your home has a tremendous impact on your overall well-being (and your energy bills). Unless you grew up in a penthouse with floor-to-ceiling windows or directly on the beach, you’re likely underestimating how much light you need in your home.

Lighting affects something that scientists refer to as your circadian rhythm. This is your body’s internal clock that tells you what time of day it is and how energized (or sleepy) you should feel. By choosing lighting that supports your circadian rhythm, you will feel great during the day and fall asleep easily at night.

LED light bulbs are the current standard for energy efficiency in contemporary living spaces. They emit a clean, white light that will have minimal impact on your paint colours and also use a fraction of the electricity of other type of light bulbs.

Brightness levels of LED light bulbs

• Daylight light bulbs 5000K – Most of the light bulbs in your home should be daylight bulbs. Using light bulbs that aren’t bright enough will make your home feel dreary in the late afternoon and sap your stamina.

• Cool white light bulbs 4000K – For rooms where you want the effect of a warm white or soft white, you’ll need a brightness of 4000K. This will provide a cozier feel than a daylight bulb without adding a yellow-ish tone to your paint.

Choosing the right brightness for your LED light bulbs

• Common areas – Anywhere that you hang out or entertain throughout the day should have dimmable daylight light bulbs (5000K) installed, ideally with a 3-way switch or dimmer switch. If your home isn’t wired with dimmable light switches, you may want to add dimmable floor lamps or table lamps to these rooms so that you can turn down the lights in the late evening.

• Working areas and bathrooms – Anywhere that you need to look closely at something you’re working on (whether it’s a book you’re reading or your makeup), you’ll want to install additional daylight light bulbs (5000K) in your working area. A study should have a desk lamp in addition to an overhead light. And, a washroom might need four or more light bulbs to light a mirror.

• Kitchen and dining rooms – Anywhere that you eat requires a softer, more romantic lighting approach. Cool white light bulbs (4000K) are bright enough for cooking while also creating a more intimate setting for dinnertime conversation.

If you’ve never bought light bulbs this bright before, picture your porch or balcony on a warm summer afternoon. Think about how wonderful that feels, and imagine the rest of your home feeling that way all day long, year round.