Daylighting Benefits and Ways to Achieve It

Daylighting is the practice of illuminating indoor spaces with natural light through strategically positioned windows. In addition to the energy savings derived from reduced electrical lighting usage, daylighting also has health benefits. HutchCo Home & Bath explains them further.

The Health Benefits of Daylighting

Many studies about the correlation between exposure to natural light and health have been conducted. The findings were consistent: daylight has direct health benefits. Science magazine published the 1984 article titled “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery” by contributor Roger Urich. This article included a study conducted on two groups of patients who have just had surgery. One group was in recovery rooms that only had plain brick walls for a view. The other group had trees and daylight outside their recovery room windows. The second group was noted to recover 8.5% faster than the second one. They also required fewer analgesics for recovery.

Daylighting has also been found to prevent chronic sleep debt, which can lead to cognitive impairment or memory loss. People who aren’t exposed to 24-hour light-and-dark cycles, like those who work at windowless offices or in evening shifts, tend to have disrupted body clocks and irregular sleep times. Furthermore, night shift workers were found to have increased breast cancer rates, according to a study conducted in 2006 at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Disrupted sleep cycles were found to suppress melatonin production from the subjects’ pineal glands, increasing cancer risk. Optimizing your home for daylighting can reduce these risks.

Ways to Improve Daylighting in Your Home

The idea behind daylighting is identifying which rooms in your home need the most light and choosing the appropriate window replacement design. For maximum effect, prioritize the walls facing east to west, as they will provide the maximum amount of sunlight. You can also choose windows with slim frames and large glass areas, like casement and picture windows.

If you’re worried about your indoors heating up because of the increased amount of sunlight, choose replacement windows with a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). At HutchCo Home & Bath, our replacement windows feature energy-efficient options that will let you enjoy daylighting without worrying about discomfort or increased energy consumption.

We can install various window designs, from awnings to casements, for a brighter and healthier home. Call us today at 864-303-5955 or 972.427.4418 to get started on your project. You can also fill out our contact form for a free, no-obligation quote. We serve Greenville, Columbia, and the nearby SC areas.