How a Sunroom Can Help Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder
Each winter, 14 to 26% of the population are impacted by at least a mild case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, also called SAD or winter depression. SAD is a type of depression brought on by a lack of sunlight as days become shorter and cold weather drives people further indoors. While SAD is more common in the Northern states than it is in West Texas, there are still Texas residents who can become affected by the change in the seasons or just find themselves a little lethargic through the winter.
Fortunately, a sunroom is a great way to stave off the symptoms of SAD by literally letting the light in.
More Light
The most obvious way that a sunroom can help with your SAD symptoms is by simply letting more natural sunlight into your home. Exposure to natural sunlight has been shown to boost your mood, give you more energy and focus, and even help you sleep better at night. Because the days are so much shorter in the winter months, the lack of sunlight can cause lethargy and feelings of depression. Spending an hour or two in a room filled with sunlight during the day will help to stave off SAD for the year, even if you don’t feel like going outside.
But there are other, subtler ways that sunrooms can help lessen SAD symptoms.
A New Space
Whether you’re dealing with seasonal or chronic depression, the environment around you can affect your mental state. If you’re stuck in a cramped or cluttered room, it can create feelings of irritability or further hopelessness and lethargy. Sometimes a change of scenery can help to jumpstart your brain and allow you to feel a little more focused and energized. A new sunroom with an aesthetically pleasing design could be just the change you need. Consider adding indoor plants to enhance the tranquility of the space, but don’t make the room too busy. When your surroundings are refreshing, it can help to refresh the inside as well.
Room For Loved Ones
Sometimes when you’re feeling down, it helps to surround yourself with people you love. Even if you don’t do anything, simply having the right company and knowing you’re loved and supported can improve your mood. With a sunroom, you’ll have more space to entertain, and because sunrooms are so versatile, you can make it the perfect room for just that. Set up a TV and watch your favorite shows with friends or bring a table into the sunroom and enjoy a family dinner. Even if it’s dark outside, the people close to you can make the world a little lighter.
January through March can be the roughest times of year when it comes to SAD, but a new sunroom from Sunspace Texas can help. We offer a wide variety of sunrooms, from simple screen rooms to all-season sunrooms that you can enjoy even in winter. Contact Sunspace Texas today for more information or a free estimate on your sunroom.