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Light Your Life: The Art of using Quality Light for Health and Happiness
Learn how to use light to boost your mood and wellbeing, create a happier, healthier home and enhance your life.
The light that surrounds on a daily basis us has a huge impact on our brains, our mood and our mental health and yet, on the whole, we tend to pay it very little attention. Many of us wake up in the dark, turn on the lights, go to work and sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end, passing our days oblivious to the poor-quality lighting that surrounds us. We complain of headaches, of low mood, of poor vision and of getting the blues, or SAD, in the winter, but rarely do we truly consider the effect that light may be having on our lives.
In this brilliant, accessible book Karl Ryberg explains how light affects our eyes, our health and our wellbeing and inspires us to bring more quality light into our daily life. He gives us the scientific information we need to understand the subject, combined with practical advice on maximising our exposure to natural light, selecting the best lighting to use at home, along with advice on minimising the effects of light pollution and blue light from screens and smartphones, working with - not against - our body clocks (including light rituals for better sleep) and gives advice on the use of light therapy and practising eye yoga to encourage your eye muscles to work effectively.
The light that surrounds on a daily basis us has a huge impact on our brains, our mood and our mental health and yet, on the whole, we tend to pay it very little attention. Many of us wake up in the dark, turn on the lights, go to work and sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end, passing our days oblivious to the poor-quality lighting that surrounds us. We complain of headaches, of low mood, of poor vision and of getting the blues, or SAD, in the winter, but rarely do we truly consider the effect that light may be having on our lives.
In this brilliant, accessible book Karl Ryberg explains how light affects our eyes, our health and our wellbeing and inspires us to bring more quality light into our daily life. He gives us the scientific information we need to understand the subject, combined with practical advice on maximising our exposure to natural light, selecting the best lighting to use at home, along with advice on minimising the effects of light pollution and blue light from screens and smartphones, working with - not against - our body clocks (including light rituals for better sleep) and gives advice on the use of light therapy and practising eye yoga to encourage your eye muscles to work effectively.
- GenresHealthNonfiction
224 pages, Hardcover
Published October 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 19, 2018
3/5 (thank you to Netgalley & Atria for the digital arc)
Living Light is an easy and light read about the benefit of using some lights around us, e.g. the sun, outdoor lamps, and indoor lamp. Filled with how to and how not to, this book is an interesting read combining biology & psychology. I can see this book as a gateaway to a more in-depth topic of (maybe) biology, fashion (since author mentioned briefly about using black color, blue color, sunglasses, etc), and way of living.
Living Light is an easy and light read about the benefit of using some lights around us, e.g. the sun, outdoor lamps, and indoor lamp. Filled with how to and how not to, this book is an interesting read combining biology & psychology. I can see this book as a gateaway to a more in-depth topic of (maybe) biology, fashion (since author mentioned briefly about using black color, blue color, sunglasses, etc), and way of living.
April 4, 2020
"reading is best done against a green background-who doesn't love the restful green lamps in an old library? But...none of us looks good in green light!...green is the color of the African forest, where human light originated" (p.117)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
Light and lighting are important to us in life, but what kind of light we use has a lot to say for our overall health. Ryberg really appreciates sunlight, but also some artificially light sources can have positive effects on health according to him, especially for those who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). The book also addresses the different types of light and light bulbs out there and explains how they work and what effects some of them have on our health. The book is at times interesting and at times not that interesting on areas on light that didn't capture my attention that much.
The most interesting thing was what he writes about sunlight as our natural and best light source. But just as interesting was the part where he writes about which foods are important to eat to get the most out of sunlight and what not to eat if you want to enjoy the health benefits from the sun. Many good points in the book, but at the same time Ryberg is a bit cautious about going against the authorities' exaggerated advices about sunning, but he doesn't make any big pont about it. Ryberg also addresses a new concept for me, called eye yoga. That is training the eyes and using them for what they are worth, by showing some exercises you can do to keep your eyes in tip-top shape.
It's funny though that a Swede writes an English book which, from what I know, does not exist in Swedish.
The most interesting thing was what he writes about sunlight as our natural and best light source. But just as interesting was the part where he writes about which foods are important to eat to get the most out of sunlight and what not to eat if you want to enjoy the health benefits from the sun. Many good points in the book, but at the same time Ryberg is a bit cautious about going against the authorities' exaggerated advices about sunning, but he doesn't make any big pont about it. Ryberg also addresses a new concept for me, called eye yoga. That is training the eyes and using them for what they are worth, by showing some exercises you can do to keep your eyes in tip-top shape.
It's funny though that a Swede writes an English book which, from what I know, does not exist in Swedish.
January 29, 2019
A selection from Iphelia.com’s Editor’s Bookshelf review: Given my own affinity for light (and thus my love of campfires, starry skies, full moons, mirrors, and windows—the more the merrier!), I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review Karl Ryberg’s book Living Light.
While the title might sound a bit “out there,” Living Light is a book grounded in Ryberg’s research on the relationship between light and biology. It’s full of facts about how different light sources impact our health and the wellbeing of the planet, plus suggestions for leveraging light sources wisely to enhance our lives.
Ryberg, an architect and psychologist who founded the Monocrom institute for light research and treatments in Stockholm, writes in a way that’s both accessible and relatable while still keeping his passion for light front and center. He shares numerous anecdotes based on his experiences with Scandinavian winters but takes care to always remind the reader to be attentive to their unique geography, circumstances, and needs.
Some of the most exciting portions of this book include Ryberg’s support of safe sun exposure, his tips for choosing paint colors in homes and offices, and a section on eye yoga—physical exercises for eye health. His teaching on different types of artificial light is also intriguing, though if a reader wanted to overhaul the bulbs and fixtures they’re using in their home or workplace, they’d likely need to reread certain sections of Ryberg’s writing, consult an expert, and/or check out the numerous resources Ryberg suggests as further reading and cites in the book’s notes.
While I welcomed Ryberg’s idea of a “light diet”—i.e. a thoughtful consideration of the quality and quantity of light sources we’re consuming in a day, a week, etc.—I was a bit surprised that the book’s eighth and final chapter, “The Light Diet,” was actually about food sources. Ryberg makes numerous excellent points throughout the chapter, but as a reader, I found this less-novel information somewhat of a letdown as the book came to a close. From a flow perspective, I was also surprised that the very interesting “Light Throughout Your Life” section, which introduced non-food-related ideas on light for old age and fertility among other life stages, was situated in a seemingly food-related chapter.
Organizational critiques aside, Living Light is very easy to read and packs a lot of information into what feels like not so many pages. It will be especially welcome by those who are interested in environmental psychology, non-pharmaceutical interventions for various depressive states, including seasonal affective disorder, and interacting more healthfully with technology in everyday life.
While the title might sound a bit “out there,” Living Light is a book grounded in Ryberg’s research on the relationship between light and biology. It’s full of facts about how different light sources impact our health and the wellbeing of the planet, plus suggestions for leveraging light sources wisely to enhance our lives.
Ryberg, an architect and psychologist who founded the Monocrom institute for light research and treatments in Stockholm, writes in a way that’s both accessible and relatable while still keeping his passion for light front and center. He shares numerous anecdotes based on his experiences with Scandinavian winters but takes care to always remind the reader to be attentive to their unique geography, circumstances, and needs.
Some of the most exciting portions of this book include Ryberg’s support of safe sun exposure, his tips for choosing paint colors in homes and offices, and a section on eye yoga—physical exercises for eye health. His teaching on different types of artificial light is also intriguing, though if a reader wanted to overhaul the bulbs and fixtures they’re using in their home or workplace, they’d likely need to reread certain sections of Ryberg’s writing, consult an expert, and/or check out the numerous resources Ryberg suggests as further reading and cites in the book’s notes.
While I welcomed Ryberg’s idea of a “light diet”—i.e. a thoughtful consideration of the quality and quantity of light sources we’re consuming in a day, a week, etc.—I was a bit surprised that the book’s eighth and final chapter, “The Light Diet,” was actually about food sources. Ryberg makes numerous excellent points throughout the chapter, but as a reader, I found this less-novel information somewhat of a letdown as the book came to a close. From a flow perspective, I was also surprised that the very interesting “Light Throughout Your Life” section, which introduced non-food-related ideas on light for old age and fertility among other life stages, was situated in a seemingly food-related chapter.
Organizational critiques aside, Living Light is very easy to read and packs a lot of information into what feels like not so many pages. It will be especially welcome by those who are interested in environmental psychology, non-pharmaceutical interventions for various depressive states, including seasonal affective disorder, and interacting more healthfully with technology in everyday life.
February 10, 2019
Karl makes a wonderful introduction by sharing his sensory perceptions about the light thought his life. Then, the book contains scientific facts and references about how the light interacts with human beings from nano level to macro levels. An excellent book to read this year.
March 3, 2019
This is a great scientific look at how light effects our lives and even our health. I enjoyed that it was from a scientific perspective and not just speculation. I found it very interesting.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews