Click here to download white paper on light and mental health
Light is essential to human life. Your circadian rhythm controls sleep, hormones, and emotions, and light is its main regulator. Daytime sun exposure keeps you alert and happy by syncing this rhythm (Blume et al., 2019). Low daytime light, common in office workers, can lead to fatigue and depression. On the flip side, nighttime light from phones or streetlights suppresses melatonin, causing sleep issues that worsen mental health (Walker et al., 2020).
Studies link unbalanced light to higher rates of psychiatric disorders. For example, excessive night light increases depression and anxiety risks, while ample daylight protects against them (Burns et al., 2023; Gao et al., 2025). Normalizing rhythms through light adjustments can ease symptoms in conditions like bipolar disorder (Gottlieb et al., 2023).
Practical Tips
– Daytime: Spend time outdoors; aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of sunlight – morning may be best.
– Nighttime: Dim lights after sunset, use blue-light filters.
– Prepare For Sleep: Avoid exposure to light from technology screens 2 hours prior to bedtime
– Sleep: Keep the bedroom completely dark and refrain from looking at screens at night
These habits can improve sleep and reduce mental health symptoms, as shown in home-based studies (Nagare et al., 2021).
Final Thoughts
Light isn’t just for seeing—it’s key to brain health and mental well-being. Sunlight is an essential element to health and evokes biochemical changes in the body that promote healing and support good physical and mental health. Consult a professional for personalized advice, but starting with better light exposure could be a game-changer.
Click here to download white paper on light and mental health
References
Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie, 23(3), 147–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
Burns, A. C., Windred, D. P., Rutter, M. K., Olivier, P., Vetter, C., Saxena, R., Lane, J. M., & Cain, S. W. (2023). Day and night light exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: An objective light study in >85,000 people. Nature Mental Health, 1(11), 853–862. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00135-8
Gao, X., Zhang, C., Cheng, J., Chen, Z., Wang, Z., & Meng, X. (2025). Associations between light at night and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 918, Article 170572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.170572
Gottlieb, J. F., Benedetti, F., Geoffroy, P. A., Henriksen, T. E. G., Lam, R. W., Moderie, C., Meyer, N., Muniz, A., Praschak-Rieder, N., Sheaves, B., Strother, J., Surridge, S., Swartz, H. A., & Gottlieb, J. F. (2023). An intricate relationship between circadian rhythm dysfunction and psychiatric disorders. Exploration of Neuroscience, 2(5), 256–274. https://doi.org/10.37349/en.2023.00023
Nagare, R., Woo, M. J., MacNaughton, P., Plitnick, B., Tinianov, B., & Figueiro, M. (2021). Access to daylight at home improves circadian alignment, sleep, and mental health in healthy adults: A crossover study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), Article 9980. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18199980
Walker, W. H., Walton, J. C., DeVries, A. C., & Nelson, R. J. (2020). Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health. Translational Psychiatry, 10(1), Article 28. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-020-0694-0