Now that the days are getting shorter, your thoughts may be turning to the waning daylight outside. Are you experiencing a change of mood? If so, you wouldn’t be alone. We are wired for natural sunlight. Our circadian cycle helps us to regulate sleep and is impacted by light and dark. The way we bring light into our living environments at home and at work can even affect our health.
Less light can mean a greater risk of seasonal depression. Fall is a time when some individuals worry about seasonal affective disorder, a psychological condition that is more common in areas that experience longer winters nights, like Scandinavian countries or Alaska and Canada. But you don’t have to live in the dark to experience the winter blues or other health impacts. Less sunlight means less vitamin D, essential for healthy bones and a reduction of inflammation.
According to a study sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency back in 2001, the average American spends 93% of life indoors. 87% of our life is inside buildings, and another 6% of is spent in our cars. Okay – Californians may spend more time outdoors. But, for beings regulated by the sun, it is easy to see why we might want to bring more natural light inside.
To understand the impact of light in a home, it helps to explore the concept of biophilic design. Being able to see and connect to nature, even if you are doing it through a window, can inspire a direct connection to a natural, healthy state like one you might have experienced in a time when we spent most of our lives outdoors. As architects and builders work to design living spaces that take full advantage of natural light, some are paying closer attention to evolutionary psychology. The term biophilic design is even being promoted in the healthcare realm as a way to enhance healing by maintaining and restoring the beneficial experience of bringing nature into the built environment.
How do we design with more light in mind?
Since many of us are spending more time in our homes, we are seeking ways to improve our lived environment. Light, airy living spaces may seem a far cry from what your current home offers. Yet, there are simple steps you might consider:
- Something as easy as painting your walls with a lighter color palette can create a sense of more light
- Lighter window coverings can help
- Mirrors can enhance and reflect natural light
- Installing a skylight can concentrate about 30% more light than a conventional window.
Some homeowners are seeking bigger changes. Before starting to knock out walls or ordering those Pella windows you’ve been eyeing, you may want to consider what a professional might bring to the table. You may discover new ways to bring in more natural light and a feeling of increased space through natural shapes and forms, and environmental features.
This post first ran in 2021.