Change your environment to help with SAD

If you have SAD, you can usually do a great deal to your environment at home to help improve your well-being and mood. It's all about maximising the level of light there. If your company knows you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and are sympathetic you may be able to persuade them to make some changes at work too - especially if there are some low cost ideas which could be implemented.

To make the most of natural light indoors you can make some reasonably easy changes to help reduce SAD symptoms

• Make the most use of the rooms which receive maximum natural daylight. This may involve changing your home around a bit.
• Position the chair you normally sit in as close as possible to a window so that you can sit with a view of natural light. If you have a window-seat that is ideal.
• In the kitchen, use the work tops where you are directly facing outside.
• Keep windows clean and clear of blinds and sheer nets, and draw curtains well back so that they don't cover any of the window area during the day.
• Don't allow furniture to block light from windows.
• Don't use window sills for plants, books etc so that light is not obscured.
• Trim trees and plants outside so that they do not block the light from windows.
• Paint areas outside around and in front of windows in light colours so that they reflect the light inside.

More permanent (and expensive) changes you could make to help with SAD are

• Redesign your kitchen to place the sink or work tops – wherever you work most - under a window.
• Consider building a conservatory extension on the sunny side of your house to give yourself maximum exposure to light indoors.
• Install larger windows or skylights in darker rooms.
• Plant deciduous rather than evergreen tress.
• Move home to one which receives more natural daylight. View during the winter, in daylight with all the lights turned off to see how much natural light a potential new home receives especially in the rooms where you will spend most of your time.

See also the Questions about SAD section How should I decorate my home to help reduce SAD symptoms in winter? and Should I install full spectrum lighting at home?