Lighten Up – How Natural Lighting Can Boost Your Mood At Home

Finding a personal headspace that we are comfortable in is something that we are all constantly trying to achieve. Whether we are at work, on the run or at home, finding that perfect mental state is a part of self-actualisation and it can take some time to figure it out. However, achieving a level of contentment, where you are in calm and in a good mood, is not outside the realm of possibility, no matter how busy or chaotic your life might seem.

More than just opting for being happy, being in a comfortable place emotionally should, ultimately, be your primary objective. People are always searching for ways to improve their mood, to be happy and to be more in control of their thoughts and emotions. Therapy, meditation and exercise are just a few of the ways that people try to make themselves feel better and each of these methods has its own benefits. However, there are other less obvious routes you can take too, that won’t require you to enrol in a course or go to meetings. Having more natural light in your life and especially in your home is one such way to permanently boost your mood.

Let’s take a closer look at just a few ways that natural light can improve your mood.

Energy Levels

When your surroundings are very drab and dark, it is very difficult to get out of a dark mood. Rooms with very little light and hallways without skylights can contribute greatly to reducing a person’s motivation to do anything other than sleep. Energy levels are zapped because the light is simply shut out of the environment. Darkness also adds to lethargy, especially in instances when a person lives a very sedentary lifestyle.

Vitamin D Levels

On a more physiological level, one of the greatest sources of Vitamin D is sunlight. When exposed to sunshine, vitamin D is absorbed into the skin and is responsible for increasing our mood. Brain receptors receive vitamin D, which improves memory and cognition levels in the hippocampus area. When it comes to how we feel, Vitamin D deficiencies have been directly linked to depression.

Boosts Dopamine

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Sunlight is directly responsible for boosting dopamine levels in the body. For this reason, maximising the use of natural light in the home is central to boosting feelings of pleasure and ultimately improving your mood.

Boost In Serotonin Levels

Our circadian rhythm relies on hormones triggered by the appearance of light and dark. In the evening, when it becomes dark, melatonin signals the brain that it is time to settle down for the evening. Serotonin, on the other hand, is a hormone triggered by light, and it is thought to boost mood, calmness, and focus.

Serotonin is at the core of mood, and when in the presence of sunlight, it only increases. Those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), for example, often have significantly reduced levels of serotonin.

Resetting The Internal Clock

Natural light is also responsible for resetting our internal clocks. During seasons when the days typically have more darkness than light, natural light acts as an agent for resetting natural biorhythms, which ultimately help us with homeostasis. Natural light can be a great way for our bodies to get a kick-start in the morning.

Improved Productivity

Ultimately, natural light’s effects on the body also have a direct connection to how much we get done in a day. When we feel good and have a lot of energy, we are motivated to work. The tempo of our day is determined by whether it is started feeling depressed or lethargic, or alternatively, feeling energised to take on the world and anything we might encounter in our day-to-day lives.

Feeling Good And Having Energy

Natural light is nature’s way of giving us the pick-me-up we need to get our day started. In a home with the right amount of natural light, our biology is instantly triggered into action in the presence of natural light. Biochemical processes in the brain make it possible for each of us to be in a good mood and being in a good mood translates into increased productivity. With high energy levels, we are capable of accomplishing more leading to a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment.