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WHAT IS OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM?

Our circadian rhythm is our body's natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. It basically acts as an internal clock, influencing nearly every system in our body including the production of hormones that make us feel sleepy,hungry, energetic, and more. If we don't listen to our body's natural signals, it's easy for this rhythm to get thrown out of whack, resulting in a poor mood, low energy, slower metabolism, lost productivity, and other negative health effects. To maintain optimal performance in all of our body's systems, it's important to pay attention to our circadian rhythm and do our best to maintain a regular sleep cycle.

HOW DOES LIGHT AFFECT CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS?

While the circadian rhythm is mostly an internal process, some external factors influence it as well. It can be affected by our behavior, like if we stay up later than we should. It can be affected by certain medications we are prescribed or other substances like caffeine. And it can be influenced by our environment as well. Light, both indoors and outdoors, is one of the biggest environmental factors that affect our circadian rhythm because it tells our body to stop producing melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us feel tired.

When there's plenty of light in our environment, it's an environmental cue for our body to wake up. When the sun starts to set and there's less light in the environment, it tells our body to start producing melatonin, so we can prepare to sleep. Daylight Savings can cause a serious interruption in our body's internal clock. Some studies show that in the weeks following the start of Daylight Savings, people lose out on up to40 minutes of precious sleep as their bodies adjust.

While 40 minutes doesn't seem like a lot, this lost sleep seems to result in mood changes, an increase in traffic accidents, and more workplace injuries. But luckily, keeping lighting consistent throughout our home can help our bodies adjust to Daylight Savings more easily. With the use of smart technologies in our homes, we can create the right environment with light that is beneficial to our bodies. We can't control the light outside, but we can use technology to overcome environmental factors that affect our sleep. 

See Also: IS HOME LIGHTING CONTROL RIGHT FOR YOU?

WHAT ARE SCENES?

Scenes are a way to perform multiple functions within your lighting system with one button. You can brighten or dim different fixtures, and manage your connected shades, with a single command wherever a Lutron keypad is present. If you have a keypad installed in your home theater, living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, those are the rooms you can include in your scene.

For instance, if you want to prepare for family time in the living room, you can tap a button that shuts down the lights in your bedrooms, kitchen, and home theater. A scene can also adjust the lights in the living room based on zones. So, the lights in front of the TV may dim while the ones behind the couch remain bright, and accent lights under stairs and behind artwork shine. You can work with your integrator to adjust the settings for style and function.

HOW TO SET A FAVORITE SCENE

Your integrator can set a scene anywhere there’s a Lutron keypad present in your home. Once set, you can select which scenes will appear on the home menu of the Lutron app under “Favorite Scenes.”

To set a scene as a favorite, first open the Lutron app. Tap the settings button at the top of the screen. Find and press the “Favorites” button. You’ll then see a menu with all available rooms.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways A Smart Home Makes Your Life Easier and Better Than Before

CONVENIENCE

Our lighting control partner is Lutron, the leading company in the industry for over half a century.  Their solutions can control lighting for one room or a whole house – and they can grow with you.

Lutron controls allow you to wirelessly adjust lights, even if you’re in another room.  From your bedside, you can turn them all off, or set a predetermined nighttime brightness.  About to leave for work, but can’t remember if you turned everything off? You can control lights from your car with a small remote – or your smartphone, depending on the system you choose.  The Lutron Caseta system offers various dimmers and switches for controlling one room or several.

LUXURY

Maybe you want more than just convenience – you want true luxury in your home.  Lutron systems like RadioRA2 and Homeworks QS are designed to control a large number of devices – from 200 to 10,000, making them appropriate for the largest homes.  They include features like customizable keypads, wireless communication, and multiple styles and color options to fit any décor. 

What’s luxury? You can set scenes based on times of day or activities.  Maintain full manual and automatic control of all your lights, individually, in groups or zones, and by room.  Augment the system further with technology like motorized shades and climate control.  You can even set mood lighting coordinated with your music.