During the cold, wet days of winter, many of us find ourselves depressed, anxious, and gloomy. For some it’s seasonal depression; for others, it’s the global financial meltdown.
But a few simple changes at home could turn this down time into a time of quiet, reflection, and comfort. Because our indoor environs impacts on our mood, altering colors, light, and scents can banish the blues until the sun shines again … or at least until Daylight Savings Time kicks in.
Light Therapy
“Light therapy” simply means sitting under a light box for about half an hour per day at home. You can read, go online, or just sit and enjoy it. According to Dr. Alan Felix, a Manhattan psychiatrist, light therapy has been useful in treating general depression, seasonal depression, and premenstrual mood changes, as well as in regulating sleep disorders. He points out that light therapy has “no real side effects” (he does recommend getting an eye exam first to make sure you have no retinal problems). It’s also great for augmenting medication, and in place of medication for pregnant women who are trying to treat or prevent depression. He adds that people who are bipolar have to use caution and should only use a light box under a doctor’s supervision, since it is possible for light therapy to trigger a manic episode.
The Columbia University Center for Light Studies has discovered that light therapy not only prevents and helps with seasonal depression, but has been used successfully to treat non-seasonal depression. This makes a light box a good year-round investment for those that want a mood enhancer.
Full Spectrum Lightbulbs
If you’re not ready to purchase a light box but still want the warm glow of sunshine indoors, full spectrum compact florescent light bulbs kill two birds with one stone. They use less energy, like all CFLs, but they also emit a warm, white light, close to sunlight. According to independent filmmaker Adam Watstein, cinematographers use two kinds of light on movies, Tungsten and daylight-balanced. The former is for interiors, the latter for any shot that is supposed to replicate daylight. He explains that light boxes and full spectrum bulbs (compact fluorescent or any other kind) replicate daylight at noon and so your brain thinks you are sitting outside. Because the bulbs emit a clean bright white, they often appear bluish to those of us used to warm, yellow light bulbs. The best place to use one is in the darkest part of your living space, but I have them in every lamp in my apartment. I also like to place compact fluorescents near windows, to boost the natural light coming in, another cinematography trick.
