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Key Points
- Seasonal Affective Disorder can negatively impact mental health during winter, but making small changes to your home can help boost your mood.
- Curating your home’s color palette can promote wakefulness in some areas and relaxation in others.
- Adjusting lighting levels and exposure at certain times of day can promote healthy hormone levels.
According to the National Institute of Mental Heath, millions of Americans experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). It is especially prevalent among women.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is not the same thing as the “holiday blues,” relating to grief or stress around wintertime holidays; it is a type of depression related to reduced sunlight in the daytime, meaning those with SAD may experience increased irritability, pessimism, sadness, and anxiety in winter months.
Light therapy lamps been shown to be an effective way to improve SAD, but there are other small projects and changes you can make at home to improve your mood, according to Yeharar Stephen, executive clinician and founder at Stephen Counseling Services.
Meet the Expert
- Yeharar Stephen is an executive clinician and founder at Stephen Counseling Services.
- Gala Magriñá is a holistic interior design expert and principal and founder at Gala Magriñá Design.
What Is SAD?
Stephen calls SAD a form of depression characterized by recurrent seasonal patterns.
“As daylight decreases, the body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, also decreases,” she explains. “Additionally, melatonin, the hormone for sleep, naturally increases with darker, colder days.”
Interior design changes alone won’t offer a cure, and there are also behavioral changes and habits you can build to improve symptoms, but Stephen says understanding the effects of SAD informs the decision to balance serotonin and melatonin as much as possible, even through the home environment.
“Home is where we spend a good deal of time, especially during the colder months, so naturally, the mood and tone of the home can heavily influence our own attitude and motivation throughout the week,” she offers.
Below, we’ve listed five small projects you can do to SAD-proof your home and give it a cheerful boost in winter.
Don’t Miss
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01
of 05Curate an Intentional Palette
Credit: SeventyFour / Getty Images
Gala Magriñá, who specializes in holistic interior design at Gala Magriñá Design, says wall color can impact the mood you’re in.
She suggests bright colors for breakfast nooks, home offices, and any space where you want to feel awake and productive. On the other hand, she recommends more tonal colors in spots designated for relaxation and rest.
“If your space is feeling like it needs a little something fresh, paint a wall a nice, bright color that goes well with your existing décor, and the mood boost will be instant,” she offers.
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02
of 05Bring in Cozy Textures
Credit: Brizmaker / Getty Images
Magriñá recommends incorporating cozy textures into your space, specifically recommending high-pile area rugs to “create warmth and ground you.”
She suggests adding items to enhance your space’s comfort, particularly in areas designated for rest and relaxation, such as soft throws and decorative pillows that create a cozy spot to curl up.
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03
of 05Connect to Nature
Credit: Os Tartarouchos / Getty Images
Both Stephen and Magriñá are big fans of indoor plants to improve a home environment.
“Plants create a connection to nature for an instant mood boost and have even been reported to lower stress and blood pressure,” Magriñá says. “If you can’t get outside, bringing nature indoors is the next best thing.”
She advises styling plants with a mix of playful art to double down on the mood-boosting effect, and she suggests Lady Palms and Dragon Trees, which she calls her “air-filtering, superstar go-tos.”
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04
of 05Set the Mood With Lighting
Credit: OlgaMiltsova / Getty Images
Light exposure can significantly affect serotonin and melatonin levels, so it’s important to manage your light exposure.
Magriñá suggests installing dimmers on all light switches so homeowners can adjust lighting at different times of day, promoting relaxation before bed and brighter light exposure during the day.
Continue to 5 of 5 below -
05
of 05Install a Skylight or Window
Credit: EyeWolf / Getty Images
Although it’s a bigger undertaking than the other projects on this list, adding a window or skylight can make a big difference. It might be especially valuable in parts of your home where vertical wall is wasted or particularly dark hallways or corners.
Increasing your home’s natural light can positively affect your circadian rhythm, helping you better regulate your serotonin and melatonin levels.
Prioritize Creating a Space That Reflects Your Personality
No matter which home project you might take on, Magriñá encourages letting your personality inspire your space
She says although some interior design know-how can help you along the way, the first step is to be yourself and to turn your space into “a true reflection of your unique style.”
“Spaces are deeply personal and have a direct impact on the way we feel,” she adds. “It’s not uncommon for a gorgeous space to still feel soulless and draining.”
To curate a space that supports mental well-being, she recommends starting with a few key pieces that make you feel happy hold deep personal meaning.
Read the full article here
