THE BENEFITS OF NATURAL LIGHT IN YOUR HOME

“Flooding with natural light,” is a common buzz-phrase to help a reader visualise the exceptional warmth that permeates through a home. Yes, there’s something to be said about being able to watch the day progress, the shadows that chop and change with the sun’s continuity.

But we believe the affinity with natural light in the home goes beyond its aesthetic. It affects us much deeper than that.

Here are just some of the benefits of natural light in your home. Hopefully, we can shed some light on the matter (pun very much intended).

We often hear about the war against sunlight and how its powerful rays are here to conquer our skin’s health. But without it, we would be sad. Quite literally. Natural light triggers serotonin production in your brain, the hormone that pertains to feeling uplifted and happy.

Allowing more natural light into your home gives you a chance to boost your mood without lifting a finger. If your home has more access to sunlight, it also means you have access to its absence: darkness. When the sun sets it triggers melatonin, the hormone that encourages sleep.

The cyclical nature of the sun subconsciously affects our psychological state. Having that stream through our home makes for happier, healthier, and more routinely functioning minds.

For more information, visit the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association.

As well as our minds, natural sunlight does wonders for the body too (in moderation, of course). When the warm rays hit our skin, it triggers the creation of vitamin D. It’s an essential vitamin in the body, which helps many of our biological functions.

Vitamin D helps to: 

• Regulate calcium
• Strengthen bones
• Strengthen muscles
• Promote immune support
• Fight inflammation 

Allowing adequate sunlight through the home can help support the health of the people who live there. Vitamin D is vital to our livelihood, and the sun is the best way to obtain it.

Source: Healthline

Homes predominantly lit by natural light may function more efficiently. Illumination from the sun allows spaces to be clearer. Without having to move through each room by turning lights off and on prevents the potential for accidents, makes it easier to read, and helps indoor plants grow!

The prolonged use of artificial lighting has been found to have an adverse effect on eyesight. The subtle flickering of blue light emitted from screens and fluorescent lights can strain the eyes, leading to the potential of nearsightedness.

It has also been found that natural light plays a crucial part in the growth of healthy eyesight in minors. Dopamine is a chemical that controls the development of the eyeball and is stimulated by sunlight. So make sure your kids are getting exposure to natural light each week, a bright room should do the trick!

For more information, head over to Rebuild Your Vision.

If you wield the natural light in your home to work in your favour, you may see a reduction in electricity costs. Installing Low-E glass or double glazed windows uses the sun’s warmth to heat your home for free.

In countries where there aren’t many cloudy days, having solar panels on top of your home has the potential to save you hundreds and thousands of dollars a year on electricity bills.

Harnessing the power of sunlight can lessen the use of electricity, which is generally powered by fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a finite resource; their manufacturing and distribution processes adversely affect the environment and will eventually run out. The sun has around five billion years of life left, so you can always depend on it showing up day in, day out.

Nothing compares to the feeling of a home filled with natural light, and it can be a make or break point for residents when looking for a property to live in. When selling a home, real estate agents will always make it one of the first things they mention. Have a look at house listings, and you’ll often see it detailed in the property description!

The euphoria of a sunny day is truly unparalleled. To have that included within your home can only be a point of attraction. Natural light makes a room feel bigger and open, with many people willing to pay more for that certain ambience.