Top Reasons To Increase Natural Light In Your Home
If you’ve been feeling so blah that you don’t have the energy to come up with a more descriptive word than “blah,” you’ve had a long, dim winter. If you work from home, you’ve glimpsed the sky even less. Here’s a reminder of some of the top reasons to increase natural light in your home—and to recover emotionally and physically.
It’s a No-Brainer
We need darkness to go to sleep, and we need sunlight to bloom. We learned that back when we were single-digit years old, but we’ve been distracted by the blue light emanating from the screens all over our house.
It’s a Miracle Cure
Beware of any man-made product promising this many benefits—but in this case, it’s all true. Study after study confirms that sunlight helps in myriad ways because we were built to absorb at least some of it every day. Just a few of the issues that sunlight can treat include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Stress
- Oversleeping
- Overeating
- Loss of energy
It Saves Energy
A good chunk of our electricity bill goes to regulating room comfort. Natural sunlight can cut down on the need for heat and light—and give the environment a break, too.
It Kills Bad Odors
Sunlight can obliterate any bacteria that would otherwise lurk, for instance, on wet clothes or in dark, musty rooms. Reflective surfaces can help bounce those killer rays around your room. For bonus points, open the window to let in some fresh air.
It’s Vitamin Rich
The real thing is almost always better than imitation, and in this case it’s true. Many Americans suffer from a vitamin D deficiency, and sitting near a window doesn’t help; the UVB rays you need don’t penetrate them. If you can get outside midday, you’ll need less time in the sun to get the vitamin D you need.
It’s Integral To Interior Design
Our surroundings affect our mood, and natural light is a powerful element used in interior design. It creates contrast, depth, balance, and energy. That’s why high-end construction projects require an architect and interior designer to work with a professional lighting expert to ensure harmony in a space.
How To Get It
There are so many top reasons to increase natural light in your home, and we haven’t yet told you how to do it. So here are a few suggestions:
- If you’re planning to remodel, add a skylight or more windows. Oftentimes, kitchens have just one window, while they’re one of the rooms in the house that can most benefit from light.
- Update and upgrade the windows you have to a clearer transparency.
- Clean your windows. You might not notice that they’ve become dingy, but it’s worth it to have a professional clean all the windows indoors and out.
- Lighten up your window treatments. If privacy is paramount, you can choose sheer fabric panels or woven blinds. Make it easy to let the light in with remote controls and automatic programming.
