Ginger Klein’s August 6, 2013, article for the Colorado Gazette reports on the studies of Oxford University neuroscientist Russell Foster related to sunlight and its effects on the body. According to Foster’s study, sunlight can boost one’s mood, enhance productivity, and even regulate your body’s internal clock. Foster recommends daily exposure to sunlight to maintain good health.
Regardless of such wonderful health benefits, every home needs to have adequate sunlight to make it feel warm and comforting. A poorly lit home simply looks dim and uninviting. It will also require much more artificial lighting to compensate for the lack of natural light. Nobody wants to live in a house that lacks visibility and comfort. Fortunately, the best way to introduce a whole lot of sunlight is by building a stylish sunroom addition.
Foster’s study suggests that every person should get at least 1,000 lux, where “lux” stands for light intensity. To give you some perspective, you can get as much as 100,000 lux by being outdoors on a sunny day. On the other hand, being cooped up in an office building limits your sunlight exposure to only 300 lux. Foster stresses that artificial light is no substitute for real sunlight and that an insufficient amount of sunlight can be detrimental to one’s health. Homeowners that decide to install sunroom additions can look forward to getting healthy doses of natural sunlight every day from the comfort of their home.
The same study explores the effects of sunlight on office employees. Apparently, workers seated next to windows reportedly had greater vitality and were capable of performing higher levels of exercise. They also enjoyed 46 minutes more of sleep per night than those seated away from office windows. To offset inadequate sunlight exposure indoors due to low lux levels, Foster recommends spending time outside in the sunlight for about 30 minutes each morning.
If you would like to take advantage of the abundant sunlight surrounding your home in optimum comfort, you may want to consider converting your porch or patio into a glass-enclosed sunroom. You can stay cozy inside, enjoy the outside view, while still getting enough sunshine to keep you healthy. Count on trusted contractors like Archadeck Outdoor Living for the best sunroom designs guaranteed to make your home a favorite gathering place for family and friends.
Sunlight is always a welcome element in any home, but who would have thought that it could also boost your health and productivity? Go ahead and let some sunshine into your home by building a custom-designed sunroom that will allow you to bring the outdoors in.