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By on November 21, 2017 in Academic Life, Housing

Photo by Tatiana Lapina on Unsplash

There comes a point in everyone’s childhood when we’re made aware that reading in an unsatisfactory light would damage our eyes. Nevertheless, most doctors acknowledge that there is no sufficient evidence to say that having poor lighting while reading and studying might ruin your vision.

But, what they do believe is that having proper and sufficient light might lessen the short-term effects of reading like eye strain and headaches, and it will make your reading more comfortable and satisfying. Your study environment is one of the critical factors to successfully retaining and learning information – and being able to put it into use in your assessments.

Discovering the best lighting for your study area is not always easy. For a little help, here are the five best lighting ideas you should use for reading and studying.

Table Lamps and Desk Lamps

A stylish and fun table lamp can fit any of your specifications for both function and fashion.  Whether monochromatic and sleek or vibrant and interesting, you’ll find many options for lamps that will allow you to incorporate your personality and taste.

Lamps have plenty of uses other than just looking great. If you find yourself getting sleepy when sitting at your desk, consider adding LED lamps on your desk to brighten things up. You can even buy these online from reputable sites like BlackMango.

Desk lamps are also adjustable, allowing you to move the neck or head in various angles to illuminate a particular area of your desk. They help you illuminate your workspace without brightening the whole room, which is a great plan when you want to study late at night.

Wall Mounted Lamps

If you love reading magazines and books in your bed, a wall mounted lamp is excellent for you – especially if you have a small room that doesn’t leave you space for a bedside table. Or if you need your bedside table for water, books, a clock, etc.

A space-saving alternative is a mounted lamp. You can install it on either the headboard or the wall (depending on your dorm requirements). This type of fixture is adjustable to target light in the direction of your magazine or book.

Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting is another option for direct lighting – but only if you have an electrician on hand, and if it’s in your own house, as dorms won’t allow this. LED MR16s are a brilliant option for light bulbs, as they will discharge a targeted spotlight with an optimal beam angle.

Recessed ceiling lights have evolved into a trendy way of adding light to bedrooms. These lights are best for implementing general and ambient lighting. They can also be placed to emphasize particular features or areas of your bedroom. These lights can be regulated by dimmer switches, allowing you to take full control over how soft or bright you wish the light would be.

Natural Light

Natural lighting is the best type of light for your study room – and it’s free! Natural light has a positive impact on your mood, and especially on your eyes. It helps minimize the stress on your eyes while reading or writing. If you have a window in your room or dorm, try to position your desk near it. The only downfall with natural light is if you’re a night owl, you’ll need another source of light to supplement it.

Pendant Lighting

Pendant lighting is becoming popular because of its flexibility and its contemporary aesthetic. It gives you direct light and is sturdy as it’s fastened to the ceiling.

Pendant fixtures add a fabulous design feature to your room, and they save space on your nightstand for that pile of books you have wanted to read.

Takeaway

It’s nearly impossible to focus your attention on your studies while suffering from reading in dim lighting. As a result, you can have eye strain and headaches. Appropriate and adequate lighting is essential to study successfully.

This article was contributed by guest author Janis Walker.

By on April 30, 2017 in Academic Life, Housing

Image by Carl Heyerdahl, unsplash.com

Your college finals are almost here and you will probably have to pull several all-nighters in order to survive the semester. However, even though you might be desperate, you shouldn’t study in a poorly lit room. Designate a room for your studying sessions, but remember to let the light inside. Lighting in your study room is essential, because it can greatly affect your productivity. Productivity and the hours you are able to spend in there will depend on how tired your eyes are, and they get tired faster in weak light. Therefore, make sure to incorporate several layers of lighting so you will be able to pull off many hours of studying. Here’s what you should consider.

Embrace natural light
Moms always say you shouldn’t read in the dark, and they are right. Even though you think you see well, you don’t know how much effort your eyes are actually making in order to read what’s in front of you. If there’s not enough light, your eyes will try to sharpen the image and you will end up with eye strain and fatigue. One of the best ways to prevent this is by letting natural daylight into your study room. Rely on big windows or install a skylight if possible. Also, try and place your desk beside the windows so you receive as much light as possible. However, if you prefer studying during the night or evening, you will need some other lighting solutions.

General lighting
Besides the natural light, it is also important to have general lighting. General lighting will illuminate the entire room, and it is glare-free. For this purpose you can rely on ceiling and wall lights, as well as spotlights. When picking general lighting, you should focus on finding warm white light with a high proportion of indirect light, which will reduce the stress in your eyes. Another option is cold white light which will help improve your performance, focus and productivity while studying. However, some of these general lights might warm up the room too much during summer. If you want to combine quality illumination with some cooling, you can opt for ceiling fans with lights. These are great for illumination, and will create a much cozier environment so you can literally stay cool. Plus, the soft humming will relax you and enable you to focus on your work.

Task lighting
While general lights are great for overall atmosphere, you will need some more help if you plan on pulling all-nighters. Set up a task light on your desk or station for your projects. Task lighting will reduce glare and shadows that are caused by your computer. Use a desk lamp with adjustable lights to easily set the mood you need depending on how much you use your laptop. If you have a station for doing your projects, consider a bigger lamp, some pendant lighting fixtures, or wall-mounted lights that can hang above and illuminate your work. Just make sure to find the right angle in order to avoid those troubling shadows that hinder your productivity.

Illuminate your shelves and cabinets
Lighting in your study isn’t only beneficial for reducing eye strain. It can also set the right atmosphere for studying, which will make the whole process less painful. Add some light to your shelves and cabinets. You can even accentuate certain objects or points for a dramatic effect. Plus, by lighting up these areas, it will be easier to find your books and workbooks, and you will be less stressed when you realize the book you were looking for is not forever lost after all.

Take your mother’s advice and don’t read in a poorly lit room. A well-lit study room is important, because it can affect you in many ways. Your eyes won’t get tired as easily, you will create a relaxing atmosphere and you might even enjoy studying for your finals.

This article was contributed by guest Lana Hawkins.