Lighting in Mental Health - Webinar reflections
Lighting for Mental Health Webinar - From the Science and Practical Implementation to Sustainability
Reflections from our February 2026 Lunch & Learn Webinar
On Tuesday, 10th February 2026, the Design in Mental Health Network Charity (DiMHN) welcomed a vibrant audience of around 200 professionals and practitioners to our free Lunch & Learn webinar, exploring how lighting in mental health environments can support wellbeing, enable recovery, and address sustainability.
Informed by science, shaped by real-world experience, and enriched by passionate discussion, this session was a highlight of DiMHN’s commitment to evidence-led design for mental health.
Thanks to all of you who attended.
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Why Lighting?
From regulating sleep cycles to enhancing mood, improving clinical outcomes, and enabling sustainability targets, lighting is more than visibility; it’s a critical component of care.
Chaired by DiMHN CEO Charlotte Burrows, the session welcomed:
- Dr Shelley James – Lighting Consultant, TEDx Speaker, and DiMHN Associate
- Lee McCarthy – Director, Light Years Ahead Ltd
- Dr Fanny Burrows – Interim Head of Sustainability, Frimley Health; Senior Lead, Greener NHS National Programme
Together, they unpacked the relationship between lighting, mental wellbeing, recovery, and sustainability, offering practical guidance for refurbishments, upgrades, and retrofits across the acute and community health environment
Key Themes & Insights
Dr Shelley James (The Light Lady)
Lighting Science & Human Health
Lighting consultant, TEDx speaker and DiMHN Associate
1. Light is Biology
Dr Shelley James introduced us to the powerful biological effects of light, especially non-visual light that interacts with intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and our circadian system.
“Just one night of exposure to the wrong kind of light can impair glucose regulation, disrupt sleep and increase mental health risks.” — Dr Shelley James
Shelley’s message was clear: light is a form of medicine — with risks and therapeutic potential. She called for:
- Higher melanopic lux exposure during the day
- Blue-depleted, warm-toned light in the evenings
- Greater daylight access, even through clever architectural strategies
This supports patients with mood disorders, ADHD, dementia, and depression, and benefits staff too.
Shelley emphasised the lack of formal standards for melanopic lux in current NHS design guidance (e.g., LG2), and urged the audience to push for better regulation and education around non-visual light. This prompted lively debate in the Q&A.
Shelley referenced PAS 6463 (BSI’s “Design for the Mind”) as useful for Autism-informed environments.
Following the webinar, Dr Shelley James kindly sent a Quick Guide to Buying Lightbulbs, which you can download here.
Lee McCarthy
Principles into Practice Director, Light Years Ahead Ltd
2. Real-World Lighting in Practice
Lee McCarthy supported theory in action, walking us through retrofitting lighting systems across NHS mental health sites.
He shared the Melagen lighting approach, a dynamic system that mimics daylight with tunable, blue-enriched light in the morning and blue-depleted, warm light at night to support alertness and sleep.
Lee also covered:
- Emergency lighting considerations in secure environments
- Colour choices to reduce an institutional feel
- Control systems (DALI, Casambi) for easy integration
- Real results: better sleep, reduced agitation, improved shiftwork for staff
In response to audience queries, Lee shared that Melagen’s tunable system operates from 2200K to 4200K and integrates with building management systems using DALI, Casambi or MyMesh controls.
He responded to questions around self-testing for emergency lighting, confirming options are available. Other participants discussed over-lighting after retrofits and the importance of calibrating light levels to avoid discomfort.
“Think of lighting in layers. From the ground up. Ask: What’s the light for? How should the space feel to use?” – audience contribution from Liz Lavender.
“Lighting shouldn’t be an afterthought. It is the environment.” — Lee McCarthy
Fanny Burrows
Principles into Practice
Policy, Sustainability & Climate Health
3. Sustainable Lighting: The NHS Imperative
Dr Fanny Burrows reminded us of the climate-health connection — and the NHS’s legal and ethical duty to reach net zero by 2040.
Lighting, she explained, is both a problem and a solution:
- 4.6% of UK emissions come from the NHS
- Switching to LEDs alone can make significant reductions
- Integrating PIR sensors, daylight harvesting, and intelligent controls adds impact
- NHS Trusts now have Green Plans that must include estates and lighting strategies
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, and lighting is one of our most powerful tools in the built environment to respond to that – and it’s role in sustainability, resilience, and cost saving.” Dr Fanny Burrows
Fanny’s insights tied lighting into wider themes of:
- Health equity
- Operational resilience (e.g. protecting systems during heatwaves)
- Economic benefit through reduced energy use
Rewatch, Resources & Further Reading
Didn’t catch the live session? We’ve got you covered.
Wacth the full recording here:
Download the slides from each speaker below:
Read our interviews on the theme of Lighting in Mental Health
The Environmental Hub
The Environmental Hub is an open-access, practical resource dedicated to improving the design of environments where people live, work, and receive care. There are sections and resources on lighting, sound, colour and pattern, furniture and finish, smell, and finding our way.
Design with People in Mind - The Book Series from Design in Mental Health Network
Explore our evidence series, including:
- The Sound Issue
- The Seclusion Issue
- The Nature Issue
- The Art Issue
Greener NHS Resources:
Join the Conversation
If you’re working in estates, design, mental health care, or sustainability, this webinar is just one conversation. DiMHN brings together the lived experience, clinical knowledge, and design innovation needed to shape the future of care environments.
> Become a DiMHN member or partner with us
📆 Save the Date: DiMHN 2026 Conference | 2–3 June 2026 | Coventry Building Society Arena – book your passes here
