Even for seasoned workout pros, a session at the gym can be gruelling and, at times, even unpleasant. That's why it's so essential to make the environment feel positive and conducive to intense exercise. One of most important factors in creating the right atmosphere in your gym is lighting. While most leisure establishments can get away with simple and bright mood lighting, great gym lighting has a lot of specific requirements that are often overlooked. If you're thinking of refurbishing, keep these 2 tips in mind when contacting a reputable commercial electrical contractor to carry out the upgrades.

Low Luminance

Simply put, 'surface luminance' is the brightness of the surface of your lighting. Most gym owners know that it's important for their establishment to be well lit, but in all their haste to get super-bright lighting, many forget about keeping surface luminance low. Low surface luminance is essential in a gym because many pieces of equipment require the user to lay on their back. Add this to those lying on mats doing sit-ups, yoga, and stretches, and you'll find that many members spend a big portion of their time looking up at the ceiling. If the surface luminance of your ceiling lights is too high, it won't take long for the harsh brightness to aggravate those working out. Even if members don't realise that the high luminance is the cause of their eye pain, headaches, fatigue, or stress, they're sure to connect visits to your gym to their problems. An unhealthy member is a member who won't return in a hurry.

One good solution to this problem is to use uplights on your ceiling. Luminaires that project light upwards help keep direct impact on members' eyes low; as an added bonus, they also brighten your ceiling, making your establishment look more open and inviting.

Low Temperature

Working up a sweat may be a normal part of an exercise routine, but that doesn't mean you can ignore the temperature of your lighting. No matter what lights you have, your members will got hot and sticky eventually, but overly warm luminaires will accelerate the process. The last thing you want to do is make members sweat uncomfortably.

Generally, the lowest temperature bulbs are LEDs. If you're currently using halogen or incandescent lights, making the switch could improve your gym in numerous ways. Apart from being cooler, they also last longer and they're kinder on the environment.