Lutron Circadian Lighting System
All humans have a circadian rhythm, often known as our ‘body clock’. This is an internal 24-hour cycle that regulates sleep and waking by responding to light levels. The circadian rhythm governs vital biological processes such as hormone release, digestion and body temperature, and maintaining a consistent circadian rhythm is part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
In the UK, seasonal shifts can impact our circadian rhythm. In the winter when the sun doesn’t rise until 7-8am, and sunset is around 4-5pm, it can make getting out of bed feel harder and impact our overall energy levels. This is when circadian lighting comes into its own.
What is circadian lighting?
Circadian lighting is a lighting system that follows the human circadian rhythm, supporting the natural sleep and wake cycle. It’s designed not only to make mornings more palatable in the winter, but also to minimise the effects of artificial light on our biology.
Electric lighting, as well as the glare from screens, has long been known to disrupt the circadian rhythm. Long-term exposure to certain wavelengths of blue light – which is emitted by electric bulbs and screens – has a negative effect on the production of melatonin, our sleep hormone. As a result, many individuals struggle with getting to sleep at night, staying asleep, and/or getting up in the morning.
The purpose of circadian lighting is to reduce the impact of this, using adjusted lighting intensities and colours to help the body to maintain its natural cycle. This promotes better sleep and general wellbeing.
How Lutron systems deliver circadian lighting
Lutron circadian lighting enables you to enjoy an automated system that supports the circadian rhythm without the need to make manual adjustments throughout the day. There are two key ways in which a Lutron system does this:
Lighting intensity: When equipped with daylight sensors, your system can support the natural light in your home or workplace, keeping brightness levels consistent while reducing unnecessary energy consumption. This ensures that your environment remains balanced and comfortable throughout the day, regardless of weather conditions that impact natural light levels.
In the winter, lighting can be programmed to remain brighter until a set time – say 6pm – when it can begin to lower in intensity to support melatonin production.
Lighting temperature: Lutron systems also enable you to programme the colour intensity of your lighting to match more natural temperatures. When the sun is highest in the sky, we experience cooler colour temperatures (4,000K – 10,000K) which promote alertness and suppress melatonin. In the evening, warmer colour temperatures (ranging from <2,700 to 3,500K) promote relaxation and the production of melatonin. Circadian lighting mimics these natural changes in colour temperature, emitting cooler light wavelengths in the day and warmer ones at night to support the body’s rhythm.
These lighting schedules can be pre-programmed to automatically adjust, allowing you to go about your daily routine as normal. With an intuitive interface, it’s easy to make changes based on the seasons or your needs, creating seamless support for your wellbeing.
Benefits of circadian lighting
The smart lighting health benefits available with a Lutron system are numerous and include:
- Improved sleep quality: By limiting blue light wavelengths in the evening, melatonin production is stimulated, helping you fall asleep faster and achieve a deeper sleep.
- Enhanced alertness and productivity: Brighter light during the day helps with concentration and energy levels, particularly on cloudy or dark winter days.
- Mood regulation: Human-centric lighting can help to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions by modulating the availability of certain neurotransmitters.[1]
- Improved alertness: In working environments, the use of circadian lighting can improve alertness and boost productivity, helping with focus, reducing eye strain and enhancing overall comfort.
Applications in the home and workplace
Lutron circadian lighting is practical in home environments, facilitating morning and evening routines and supporting daily activities and remote working. In bedrooms, it offers a smooth, natural transition between night and day all year round, helping you to both wake and wind down more comfortably. In living areas, it maintains a consistent level of illumination, ensuring your energy levels are optimised throughout the day. If you work remotely, it creates a productive workspace that’s tailored to your needs.
In commercial environments, lighting for wellbeing creates balanced conditions that reduce employees’ eye strain, supports their concentration and ensures all areas of the premises are safely and appropriately lit. In retail, hospitality and leisure environments, it can support the customer experience by providing bright airy spaces in the daytime and setting a relaxing ambience as the evening draws in. Moreover, multi-site businesses can adopt a consistent lighting programme that reinforces brand identity across all locations.
Integration with wider systems
Lutron circadian lighting is compatible with a range of home automation systems such as Control4, offering even more benefits. Lighting can be integrated with other systems such as heating and ventilation, security and multimedia, delivering a comprehensive approach to day-to-day wellness.
For example, in addition to producing melatonin to promote sleep at the end of the day, our bodies also cool down. Higher temperatures at home can disrupt sleep, so your Lutron system can be integrated with your HVAC system to deliver a lower temperature when the lighting dims, whatever the temperature outside. You can also programme screens to automatically switch off at a certain time, preventing you or your family members from being tempted to watch just one more episode of your favourite show, thereby being exposed to more blue light.
All this can be managed via a single interface, negating the need to adjust settings on multiple devices individually. The result is a series of seamless transitions throughout the day that support your wellbeing with minimal manual input.
Discover the health benefits of circadian lighting today
Embrace the benefits of a Lutron circadian lighting system with New Wave AV. Our experts can install and programme lighting that meets your requirements, whether you want to support a healthier lifestyle or make remote working, entertaining and day-to-day activities more comfortable.
Experience the difference for yourself with a personalised consultation at one of our demonstration showrooms, based in Tonbridge, Kent and Windlesham, Surrey. Contact us today to make an appointment and find out how smart lighting can enhance your wellbeing.
