Natural light is essential to a happy and healthy home. Aside from saving you precious pennies on your electricity bill, natural light has a great impact on your mood, focus and overall well being. If you haven’t been feeling too chirpy recently, we highly recommend that you look into finding ways to brighten your space. Today, I’m sharing 4 of the top signs your home needs more natural light. Read on to find out more.
Your Home Seems Dark and Small
It doesn’t take a genius to figure this one out, but if you find that your space is looking increasingly dark and small, it is quickly likely that inadequate glazing and ineffective internal layouts are to blame. This is common in apartments that heavily rely on artificial lighting options in order to make a space usable, which of course, can lead to higher energy bills that we’d all rather avoid.
Furthermore, research suggests that artificial light (especially at night) may increase the risk of obesity, depression, sleep disorders, and more. Since adding more window space would require some serious renovations, your next best bet when it comes to introducing more natural light into your home is with the help of skylights that can help a room feel brighter, larger, and even more ventilated.
Your Indoor Plants Aren’t Looking Healthy
One of the biggest telltale signs of a home that is lacking in natural light is when you find that your indoor plants are suffering rather than thriving. Most indoor plants don’t require much sunlight and live comfortably in low-light conditions, but if you’re noticing sparse or leggy growth, small leaves or browning, chances are your plants are in dire need of some natural light. It is important to note that plants process light differently from humans, so even if your home seems bright in your eyes, the light levels can be entirely different for a plant.
You’re Feeling Down In The Dumps
If you’re suffering from low mood, mood swings or irritability, there may be a high chance that you’re lacking sunlight which has the innate ability to balance your moods and keep you focused and calm. Natural light contains serotonin — also known as the happy hormone — which contributes to our overall wellbeing and happiness. Natural light is also crucial for regulating your natural systems and cycles that control your appetite, digestion and sleep cycle. Low exposure levels can even lead to weight gain, anxiety and increased risks of osteoporosis. You can easily remedy this by considering larger windows, skylights or lanterns in the spaces where you spend the most time, such as the kitchen or living room.
Your Immune System is Struggling
Lastly, sunlight is rich in Vitamin D that is responsible for maintaining a healthy immune system. Although you can easily obtain your daily Vitamin D needs from supplements and food, sun exposure is the most important natural source of vitamin D. Signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, depression and being sick or getting infections often. If you feel like your immune system is in need of a boost, we highly recommend trying to find ways to introduce more natural light into your home, especially if you are someone who works from home or spends a majority of your days indoors.
Natural light is one of the most beneficial things for your overall health and wellbeing. If you feel like your home is in need of more sunshine, we highly recommend looking into solutions such as skylights and lighter window treatments that allow more light to stream into your home for a brighter, healthier and happier you.