Don't be SAD! Fight The Winter Blues With LED Lighting.

As Canadians enter January, the holidays may be over but the winter is far from done. Although the days are starting to get longer, it will still be several months of cold and dark. If this promise of lingering night time makes you feel hopeless, pessimistic, or unwilling to leave your home or bed, you’re not alone. Many Canadians suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), a seasonal-based form of depression that tends to flare up in the light-deprived winter conditions.

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New research has shown that there are some steps a person can take to combat SAD, one of which is the installation of LED lights in the home, which offer two main benefits for sufferers of SAD and for those who tend to feel down this time of year.

LED Lighting Can Positively Impact Health

What Is SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depressive disorder that is prevalent during any changes of season, although it is most common in winter. SAD can make a person fatigued, disinterested in activities that once brought joy, have sleeping troubles, cause weight fluctuations, and cause feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt. One of the main contributing factors of SAD is a lack of sunlight, which leads to subsequent low vitamin D levels and alterations to the body’s natural circadian rhythm due to changes in the length of daylight hours. Here in Canada where the winters offer short days and the UV rays are less strong, we often don’t get enough vitamin D and have drastic changes in our circadian rhythms throughout the year, which makes our population easily susceptible to SAD.

How Can LED Lighting Help?

Vitamin D. Because one of the causes of SAD is a lack of sunlight and vitamin D, one of the ways to combat SAD is to use artificial light that can stimulate vitamin D production within the body. Blue-light LEDs have been shown to help the body produce vitamin D without the same risk of UV exposure that natural sunlight produces. As nearly 1 in 3 Canadians does not have the appropriate vitamin D levels, LED lights can also benefit those without SAD, as vitamin D levels are critical to the development of strong bones and improved immune system, which strengthens all aspects of health.

Circadian Rhythm. While indoor LED lighting in the home can help the body to produce vitamin D, it can also assist in regulating your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Having your LED lights on for the same amount of time every day can assist your body to get into a natural rhythm, as it follows the light in your home as opposed to the natural light outside. This is particularly advantageous in colder climates, as many people spend time indoors. In Calgary, Alberta, the shortest day of the year has just under 8 hours of sunlight, versus the longest day of the year, which has just over 16.5 hours of sunlight. Having LED lights can help you regulate the amount of light you are getting in the winter so that this change between summer daylight times and winter ones are not as drastic and allow your body to keep a more consistent circadian rhythm.

Light Up Your Life With LED Lighting From Fluorescent Man Lighting In Calgary

If you suspect you are suffering from SAD, or if the dark Calgary winter months make you long for sunlight, call the lighting experts at Fluorescent Man Lighting to install LED lighting in your home. We will work with you to create a lighting design plan that will offer you the best lighting for your space as well as focusing on aesthetics, atmosphere, and technical aspects, so you can get all of the benefits of LED lighting customized for your home and lifestyle. If you’re looking for a brighter home to cheer you up in the dead of a Calgary winter, call Fluorescent Man’s interior lighting experts at 403-863-8529 or fill out the contact form.

FAQ

Q: What are the benefits of LED lighting?
A: LED lighting is cost effective, low maintenance, and more environmentally friendly. It has also been shown to be better for health, as it has improved children’s performance in school and more closely replicates natural light and its associated benefits.

Q: Will the technicians at Fluorescent Man Lighting And Electrical be able to help me figure out how I want my space lit?
A: Yes, absolutely. At the free consultation, our Calgary lighting experts will discuss your goals for the space and how it will be used to create a lighting design that will work for your lifestyle.

Q: Can LED bulbs be installed indoors and outdoors?
A: Yes! FM Lighting and Electrical can quickly and efficiently retrofit both your interior lighting fixtures and exterior lighting fixtures to be compatible with LED technology. LED lighting also operates better in cold conditions than traditional lighting.