The Benefits Of Natural Light In Your Home
3 minute read
There’s nothing quite like the feel of the sun on your face. The warmth that spreads across you as a light breeze gently tugs at your clothes. A moment of utter serenity in an otherwise busy existence.
Despite that nurturing glow, we spend 90% of our day indoors and often under artificial light.
This is somewhat baffling considering the known benefits natural light provides.
Just as getting enough fruit and vegetables in your diet is essential to a healthy life, so is getting enough natural light.
Introducing more natural light into your home can have a number of benefits, not least of which being a much brighter space to enjoy.
This is especially important as we look to Winter, as the days become shorter and natural light becomes harder to come by!
Below are a few ways in which bringing more natural light into your home can pay dividends.
Natural Light Improves Your Health
It’s common knowledge that natural light allows the skin to absorb vitamin D – a nutrient that prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of disease.
This is somewhat of an oversimplification as the vitamin D helps to invigorate T cells – the white blood cells that fight off infection. Without sufficient exposure to natural light, our T cells are unable to switch from dormant to active. This leaves us vulnerable to foreign pathogens.
Sitting under VELUX skylight for a couple of hours a day – with a good book and a cuppa – can make the difference between fending off the cold and flu season and succumbing to it.
Research also suggests that sunlight can affect the levels of nitric oxide in the blood which can reduce blood pressure. This can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Natural light is also good at helping to reduce stress and anxiety levels. The light helps to improve communication between the region of the brain that controls emotion and the area of the brain that controls reason and logic.
Just 30 minutes a day (again with a good book and a cuppa) can make all the difference if you struggle with these issues.
Natural Light Saves You Money
Whether you put in a Sun Tunnel, floor to ceiling windows or combination windows for your bedroom, natural light saves you money.
It’s a fairly obvious benefit. The more windows you have, the more light flows into your home. It not only makes your home brighter, more vibrant and a happier place to be, but you don’t need as many lights on.
Dark landings and stairways aren’t only depressing but they’re needlessly dark. They require electric lights all year round.
Something like a VELUX Sun Tunnel can be invaluable as they not only brighten the space considerably but reduce the need for artificial light.
Natural Light Can Make You Money
Whether you’re installing skylights in your new kitchen extension or transforming your living room into a sun trap with a window wall, natural light adds value to your home.
Natural light makes rooms feel bigger, more homely and showcases any nice views of the garden or surroundings. As such potential buyers will haggle less over the asking price, meaning you’ll make more profit on the sale.
The same logic applies to rental properties. If you have a nice light and airy property, renters are more likely to pay a higher price than a bigger property with less natural lighting.
Natural Light Reinvigorates You
Our modern world makes it difficult to get to sleep. Thanks to the ubiquity of technology we have 24-hour news, social media on tap and we’re never short of a series to binge.
The 1 am ‘just one more episode’ mantra is common in most households.
Then there’s the artificial light. Or lack of natural light. Natural light helps our bodies to regulate the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. This hormone increases as the natural light diminishes.
Which is why we feel tired at night and sleeping in the day can make us feel out of sorts.
By flooding your home with natural light your body will develop a steady circadian rhythm. So by the time you go to bed you can not only get to sleep but have a better quality of sleep.
Studies suggest that people who are exposed to more natural light sleep an average of 46 minutes more per night.
The upshot of this is a better night’s sleep means you feel rested and have more energy for the following day.
Natural Light Can Increase Your Intelligence
Studies suggest that individuals who are regularly exposed to natural light and/or have a nice view, have improved memory function and recall.
There is also further evidence to suggest that it can improve comprehension as well.
So if you’re trying to do the crossword puzzle, tackling a particularly complex novel or just trying to make sense of the world, sitting on a VELUX CABRIO balcony may just be the way to do it.
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Before we take on any new projects, we will always carry out an inspection of your property and provide you with a free no obligation quote; whether your home is in Bournemouth, Dorset, Hampshire or Wiltshire.
We do this, so we can assess what work is required, provide you with a complete and correct quote – the price we quote, is the price you pay. No nasty surprises!
We’re also happy to provide an indication of cost without the need to visit you, but this has to be followed by a visit to confirm the details are correct.
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