How to Fight Depression by Changing Your Home Lighting

Did you know that by improving the lighting in your home, you may be able to reduce the effects of some types of depression? 

During the cold winter months, when the sun is not shining as long and the city seems to go dark by five, you may start feeling depressed.  This stems from the lack of daylight.  People need daylight for more than just to see.  It also helps to stimulate the production of ‘feel good’ chemicals in the brain, and also controls the sleep cycle.

Some people suffer from a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD for short.  This seasonal condition creates depression-like symptoms in otherwise healthy people.  The underlying problem is that the lack of sunlight that leads to a feeling of being sad, drained or just uninterested in the things that are normally enjoyable.

If you are suffering from this condition, bringing a source of natural lighting into your day can actually help to reduce these feelings.  While you cannot drag the sun out longer, you can bring light fixtures into the home that are more like natural sunlight, such as blue ‘Daylight’ bulbs, which you can get from any home lighting store.  By doing this, and by using them regularly, you can boost your overall mental health.

If you have other forms of depression, lighting may not be enough to stimulate your mood.  Talk to your doctor or health care provider about your condition so that you can find help for it.  For those with seasonal affective disorder, the right light may be just what you need to see a boost in your emotional health and well-being.