Light Up Your Space

In this part of the country days are gray, nights are long and natural light is flat. Heading to a spot that is sunny and bright is one way to beat the winter blues, but that’s a temporary and often out-of-reach remedy for many people.

So, let’s talk about ways to brighten up your home and maybe mood. too

Here are 4 ways to turn up the light

1. A light therapy lamp has been found to help people who suffer from a depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder and also those with less severe symptoms like the “winter blues.”

“Exposing yourself to bright artificial light can help replace the sunlight’s missing cues during the fall and winter. It typically involves sitting in front of a light therapy box (or SAD lamp) for about 30 minutes every morning,” writes New York Times health reporter Caroline Hopkins Legaspi.

Lamps, with at least 10,000 lux, are most effective if used before noon and daily.

“SAD lamps can be effective at tackling seasonal depression, but many people need a combination of approaches to feel better, said Dr. Dorothy Sit, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. Pairing light therapy with exercise, a nutritious diet and regular social activities can make the darker days more tolerable.,” Carolyn writes.

2. Red light therapy is being used to treat a myriad of skin conditions, from hair loss to wrinkle reduction, with effective results. Less promising is the use of red-light therapy for healing wounds and increasing athletic performance.

If you’ve been considering giving red light therapy a try, typically delivered through a mask or helmet, winter seems like an ideal time to start. Keep a few things in mind, Standford Medicine advises. Talk to your dermatologist, weigh the pros and cons of home vs. clinic treatment, though both have been found to be a low risk for dangerous side effects and bring a healthy dose of skepticism about any promises of dramatic aesthetic change.

“The final words on red light therapy: Stay tuned and dip your toes in if you like. There is promise and scientific evidence to back some uses in a clinical dermatology setting, particularly for hair growth and skin rejuvenation,” according to Stanford Medicine.

3. Many of us like to decorate our homes and lawns with holiday lights but nothing says we can’t continue to light up our space after the holidays. Instead of red and green lights, consider outdoor lights that are warm white or soft blue draped on decks, in trees and along walk paths, and artificial decorations that are nature-themed such as trees, stars and wreaths made of dried flowers.

Just as holiday lights can create a warm and inviting ambiance for us and our guests, so too can winter lights.  

Same with indoor decorations. You can find string lights of various shapes and designs to drape around windows, mantels and in dark corners.

4. One of the most popular ways to add light accent in our homes are candles. Wax candles offer an array of scents, but they also require vigilance to prevent fires and another accidents. But good news - battery-operated candles offer creative options.

For instance, Modgy sells water-activated floating candles (multi-colored and white) and attractive lanterns, vases and window clings to put them in. And some of the flickering candles look they are an actual flame. To add a scent to the mix, consider an oil diffuser.