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Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a condition that affects many people in the winter time. It is a type of depression that usually starts in the fall and continues until spring (www.mayoclinic.com), which just happens to be the time of the year when we spend the least amount of time in the sun.
To combat this condition, you should always see the assistance of your physician. However, part of the treatment for SAD is light therapy, and this is where we can offer some ideas.
Getting More Light In Your Home
Usually in the winter it is best to keep your window treatments closed so that they can act as an additional barrier in keeping the cold air out of your home. Unfortunately, at the same time they are doing such a good job at blocking the cold air, they are also blocking out the light.
To solve this problem have your regular windows replaced with energy-efficient windows. Energy-efficient windows will do a better job at keeping the cold air out during the day, that way you can open your window treatments and allow the sunshine in.
Create a Sunroom
A sunroom is simply a room that allows in a lot of sun because it has an abnormally high number of windows. By creating a sunroom, you can enjoy at least one room in your home having an abundance of sunshine all year. This will allow you to enjoy the sun whenever it is out, which works great on days when it is sunny but too cold to be outside for any long period of time.
The easiest way to create a sunroom is to have a professional enclose a patio or a porch with windows. These areas already have a foundation and even walls, so enclosing them is a little easier and cheaper than having an additional room built onto your home from scratch. If you would rather not lose your porch or patio, having the addition built in the form of a sunroom is an option though.
Create a Window Nook
If you would rather not go all out with a sunroom, but would still like a place you can go for a healthy dose of sunshine, you can always create a window nook. This is just a smaller version of a sunroom, and it actually ends up improving the look of a home both inside and out.
To create a window nook, a bay or bow window is installed to replace a regular window or a wall. On the inside of the home at the new window, you create a sitting area that fits within the space of the window. This way you have a nice place to sit, and you are getting a healthy dose of light from three different angles.
For additional ideas on how to get more light in your home, contact us today!