Position Your Bed to Catch the Morning Light. Creating a More Supportive Morning Routine - Blog 2

Natural East facing light and a bonus of Southern exposure in the morning makes for a bright start to the day!

Hello friend.

There is something almost magical about how morning light moves through a room. If your bed is positioned to catch that early sun, especially if you're facing east, where the sun rises, you're giving your bedroom and your body a natural gift every single day.

When you wake in a room flooded with natural light, something shifts. Light tells your brain it's time to be awake. It signals your body to stop producing melatonin, and start producing cortisol; the good kind of cortisol that helps you feel alert and alive. For someone experiencing seasonal depression, that light is more than just pleasant. It's therapeutic.

An east facing window is ideal because the morning sun is gentler and warmer than the harsh midday light. It rises gradually, and if your bed is positioned to receive it, you wake into that light naturally. You don't have to search for it or manufacturer it. The room becomes brighter minute by minute, and your body responds.

If you can reposition your bed to catch morning light, even a little bit, it's worth considering. This might mean moving away from a wall where you've always slept, or rotating your bed so your head is oriented toward the window. Maybe it means clearing away furniture that blocks the window. These small adjustments can make a real difference in how you experience those vulnerable early morning hours.

If your bedroom doesn't get morning sun, or if repositioning isn't possible, that's okay too. You can use window treatments strategically, or position a reading chair near the window where you can sit during your quiet morning time. The goal is finding a way to invite that natural light into your morning ritual.

Your bedroom is a sanctuary, and morning light is one of nature's best medicines for a low mood. Position yourself to receive it.

I hope you can make the adjustments to your bed's position to be conducive for you. If you are unable to move your bed or if you don't have windows to catch an eastern morning light, you are not alone. My bedroom has an eastern and northern window but the one that faces east is across from my neighbor's window. I have a blind that I leave open just enough to let the sun come in but still gives me privacy. Sometimes we have to work with what we have, not as a negative; more like a smaller asset. So, try to glean as much as you can from your smaller asset, if this is your situation. As this is a really important subject with regard to seasonal depression, I will continue to share thoughts and suggestions to help you in your season.

Until next time, have a great week, Jeanine