Why Your Depression Might Be a Lighting Problem

Light powers our cells, sets our internal clock, and eases symptoms of seasonal depression.
Why Your Depression Might Be a Lighting Problem
Me dia/Shutterstock
|Updated:
0:00

Thirty minutes. That’s how long it takes morning light exposure to reset the biological systems that regulate your mood, energy, and sleep—the same systems that winter darkness quietly dismantles.

A growing body of research suggests that light exposure provides what medication can’t: the environmental signal required to synchronize our circadian rhythms and stimulate energy naturally. Rather than simply changing brain chemistry, light gives the body the physical signal it needs to reset its internal clock and boost energy levels and mood.

The Biological Connection

Light does more than illuminate our surroundings. It resets our circadian rhythms, promotes cellular energy production, and signals the release of mood-regulating neurotransmitters and hormones. When our bodies lack light’s vital input, our mental health pays the price.
Victoria Steinmetz Muir
Victoria Steinmetz Muir
Author
Victoria Steinmetz Muir has a Master of Arts in psychology and a certification in nutritional therapy. Muir worked on neuronutrition autism research at American University and published a paper on emotion, empathy, and technology in Sage Journals. She is pursuing a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling and writes to provide well-researched insights on mind-body wellness.
Author’s Selected Articles