How You Can Feel Better With Letting
in More Natural Light
By Indy Summers
Mental health has been one of the major topics being discussed in 2018 and 2019. More and more people every year are realizing the reality of the issue and how it affects millions of people worldwide. As people feel more comfortable talking about mental health, we’re able to find ways to help those who deal with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues that make their lives more difficult. One of the most surprising things that were found was the fact that natural light can improve moods and help people cope with mental health. Here is everything you need to know about the benefits of natural light.
Natural Light Improves Sleep
Most of us spend hours of the day cooped up indoors for work, school, and a variety of other reasons. It’s something that can’t be avoided. When your body is deprived of natural sunlight, several things happen. The first thing that happens is that your melatonin is affected which disrupts your circadian rhythm. This means that it might be harder to sleep when you’re going to bed and you’ll feel tired at the wrong hour of the day. Once your cycle is thrown off, your sleep suffers and you get worse and worse sleep, which effects your day to day life. Your immune system might also start to suffer which will make you more likely to get sick with illnesses.
On the other hand, when you’re exposed to the right amount of natural light, your body is balanced. Your hormones are released in the right doses, at the right time which helps you to fall asleep and wake up when you need to. People were made to be outdoors in the sunlight doing physical activity. When we moved indoors, our bodies suffered. Even if you can’t move your desk outdoors, you can still open the windows in your office and let in the natural sunlight. You could also take your lunch breaks outside and sunbathe while you eat to soak in the important vitamin D.
Natural Light Makes You Feel Good
There have been studies that have proven how natural light physically makes you feel better. This doesn’t mean that having natural lighting will cure you all future depression and anxiety--but it does have the possibility of helping you cope with it. In a study done in 2014, it was shown that employees who worked in a windowless building reported significantly lower amounts of physical activity and a shorter sleep duration than a group of employees who worked in a building that got more sun exposure. The employers who had natural lighting were happier, more effective, and felt better about their lives than those who did not have exposure to sunlight.
How to Take Advantage of Natural Lighting
In your own home, you should try to take advantage of natural lighting. If you live in a home with a lot of windows, pull the blinds open during the day and use only the light from outside to light the house. If you live in a basement apartment, you should use authentic egress window wells so that you can still get natural light into the apartment.
You should also try to spend at least 30 minutes outside in the sun every day. Use sunblock if you live in an area that has a lot of direct sunlight to make sure that you're protecting your skin from harmful UV rays. If you take the time to get the right amount of natural light every day, you will feel lighter, happier, and more at ease with your life. It will help you to sleep better at night and have a more successful day when you wake up.
Conclusion
Natural light is extremely beneficial for your health. It can improve your mood, your exercise, and your sleep patterns. It can help you to better care for any mental health issues and problems that you might experience and, hopefully, help you to live a better life.