Light within our home and at our workplace can affect both our health and our wellbeing. Natural light reaps so many benefits but it can be hard to get enough of it when you spend most of your day within a building or office. For those lucky enough to be getting natural light through their double glazed sash windows, this is less of a worry.
Artificial light can decrease levels of melatonin, a hormone that is created in the brain by the pineal gland. Melatonin is fundamental for our body’s health as it controls our circadian rhythms. This is more commonly known as our body clock and when interrupted it will impact our mental and psychological functions such as; our ability to sleep, think clearly, timing & release of hormones and also the regulation of blood pressure.
Continuous disruption can increase the risk of developing illnesses and disorders such as depression and diabetes.
So what is it about Natural Sunlight that makes us feel good?
“The human body thrives when the weather is warmer, but according to research, the main reason for mood changes is down to longer days and thus, exposure to more light,” says Lowri Dowthwaite.
More hours of sunlight increases the production of the mood-enhancing chemical serotonin in the brain. Studies have found that the more sunlight we are exposed to, the more serotonin we produce.
‘’Light is critical for our health and wellbeing. Ensuring that we receive adequate levels at the appropriate times of day benefits our alertness, mood, productivity, sleep patterns and many aspects of our physiology.” – Dr Victoria Revell
How does Natural Light affect our Body and Mind?
How to Attain more Light and be Happier
If you’re struggling to fit natural light into your busy schedule, there’s always a small adjustment to your routine you can make. Going outside for a walk in your lunch hour, even in the winter sun you’ll still benefit.
If you’re spending too many hours indoor during the winter, light therapy can help. There are two types – light boxes and daylight simulation lights (which you use when you’re asleep).
These wake you up naturally with a gradual increase in light, which in turn prompts biological responses that make you feel more energetic and alert upon wakening. This can help if you feel lethargic and suffer from the winter blues or SAD.
You can also make small home improvements that can make a huge difference. As we’re sash window specialists and experts in sash window repair, we appreciate the beauty of letting more light shine through your wonderful windows.
There are many home improvement methods you can use to let more light into your home. Whether you choose to brighten up your interior with a lick of paint, move your furniture or hire a sash window company to transform your home – you’ll begin to feel the benefits straight away.
“Light control is different for every room. The light control within your bedroom is essential for a healthy body clock. You should use black out blinds in a bedroom as your body needs to sleep in total darkness for optimum health,” – Jennifer Barrett in her article “Sleep Oasis.”
However, you should open these up in the morning and let the rays shine through your sash windows to help you feel energised and motivated.
Your living room and kitchen are areas you want to let the most light into, it will also make the area feel bigger too. Double glazed sash windows are excellent at letting light in, due to their design and structure.
“More public living spaces, like living rooms and kitchens, are ideal for allowing filtered daylight to penetrate” – Karen Egly-Thompson a former interior designer. Wooden blinds are perfect at letting the right amount of light in and are also easily controllable.
Make the most of your window space; take advantage of your double glazed sash windows and keep the area clear to allow maximum natural light to enter.
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