Sunlight and darkness trigger the release of hormones in your brain. Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of serotonin, which is associated with boosting mood and helping us to feel calm and focused. At night, darker lighting triggers the brain to make melatonin which is responsible for helping you sleep.
Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip. This is associated with a higher risk of major depression with seasonal patterns (formerly seasonal affective disorder or SAD). What are the health benefits of increasing light in our day?
- Boost Vitamin D: When exposed to sunlight, the skin absorbs Vitamin D, a critical nutrient that prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of heart disease, weight gain and various cancers. Vitamin D is often called “the sunshine vitamin” but doesn’t discriminate based on whether you get your sunlight indoors or out.
- Wards off seasonal depression: For about 6% of the population, fall kicks off a time of serious depression and another 14% experience a less debilitating but still significant “winter blues”. Getting as much natural light as possible can help keep these mood changes at bay
- Improves sleep: Since mental health and sleep often go hand in hand, it’s not surprising that natural light affects both. A small 2014 study of office workers revealed that the more natural light exposure they received, the better sleep they experienced.
- Reduces health risks of fluorescent lighting: The more time you spend in a source of natural light, the less time you’ll likely spend in the unnatural light of fluorescent bulbs. For some people, exposure to fluorescent light appears to elicit an elevated stress response.
So, how do we increase more natural light in our lives? Especially during the dark and long winter months? Here are a few ideas:
- Mirrors on the wall: Mirrors can help light bounce around a room with a mirror…or two…or more. Sunlight from the window can reflect against a mirror, casting more brightness between four walls.
- Ditch the drapes: Removing heavy curtains is an easy step to allow more sun in your space. Plus, letting the sun be your alarm can help get your circadian rhythm back on track and reboot your sleep-wake cycle. Opt for having blinds, keep them raised during the day and then pull them shut at night.
- Color wisely: You can bring reflective colors with eye catching effects into your home with your selection of wall colors. White is the most reflective color, but other colors close to white include light pastels or an eggshell wash. The largest sources of darkness in a room may be the floor. Get a light colored rug to help brighten up the room, especially if you have a darker flooring color
- Get outside when you can: Break free of your four walls by taking your lunch break outside, squeezing in a morning walk before work or winding down on your patio at the end of the day. Even if it is cold outside, put on your coat and hat and spend even a short amount of time outside to reap the light benefits during the day
- Exercise outdoors or by the window: Pair time outdoors with physical activity for even more improvements in your overall health. Exercise is known to improve mood and increased Vitamin D
- Supplement: It is estimated that 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in Vitamin D, even in sunny parts of the country. Supplementing with a daily Vitamin D, or increasing Vitamin D in your diet, can benefit your mood and your overall health.
- Try a therapy lamp: Light therapy has a proven track record for treating the symptoms that accompany seasonal depression. Some reports state that it’s at least as effective as antidepressants. Many types of therapy lamps are available at a variety of sizes and price points.
- Be your own advocate: Getting more natural light won’t solve all of your problems, but it might improve your situation just enough to make a difference. If a lack of natural light at work is becoming a mental health burden, don’t be afraid to look for solutions, whether you work at home or in an office. Move your desk closer to a window, take that walk outside during your lunch break, get creative and find ways to improve your mental health.
Take the time to make any necessary changes in your life to increase the amount of light you get each day. You are worth it and your mental health is also worth it!
Author
Traci Naylor, MSN, APRN
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
