The Malta Independent on Sunday
MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION ‘Development should ensure that natural lighting is given its due importance’
Development of new dwellings should ensure that natural lightning is given its due importance where action by the individual is not enough, the Mental Health Commission told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Recent Eurostat statistics have shown that in 2019, 10% of Maltese and Gozitans considered their dwellings to be dimly lit, a 5.1% difference from the European average (4.9%). This puts Malta at the top of the list of the most dimly lit dwellings in the EU for the second year in a row, with 11.2% of the population saying they do not have enough natural light in their homes back in 2018.
There are numerous studies which show that access to natural light has an influence on one’s mental health. The Malta Independent on Sunday contacted the Mental Health Commission to get a better understanding of this dynamic, especially during this time of crisis where a lot of families have to isolate themselves at home in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Natural light and mental health
In their collaborative answer on the topic, Dr John M. Cachia, Commissioner for Mental Health and Dr Miriam Camilleri, Consultant in Public Health Medicine said that sunlight is essential for both physical and mental health and wellbeing.
“Sunlight triggers the release of a hormone called serotonin from our brain. This enhances our mood and helps us feel energetic, alert, calm and focused to tackle daily challenges. Sunlight improves subjective mood, attention, cognitive performance, physical activity, sleep quality, and alertness in students and workers, which are key aspects for optimal academic and work performance.”
On the other hand, darkness (or lack of sunlight) prompts the release of the hormone called melatonin which makes people feel sleepy and prepares them to shut down.
“The natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, is in fact controlled by a perfect balance between these two hormones,” they explained.
Thus, spending too much time indoors or being deprived from natural light can have a negative impact on mental health. A prolonged lack of sunlight during waking hours will result in a lowering of serotonin and an increase in melatonin. As a result, irritability, poor concentration, attention and memory, sleep issues and exhaustion, anxiety, mood swings and even depression may be experienced.
When asked if such dimly lit dwellings in Malta will result in an increase in behavioural or mental health issues in the long run, they said that an appreciable number of persons spend most of their day outside of their dwellings, hence the emphasis for improving natural lighting at the workplace and/or school setting. Where this is not the case, there are a number of things one can do to expose themselves to sunlight.
Cachia and Camilleri pointed out that sometimes simple solutions already exist, such as actually pulling back the curtains or blinds and opening windows. Individuals also need to explore ways in which they can improve the entry of natural light into their homes, including seeking professional help from decorators or architects and to carry out any necessary home improvements.
Additionally, people may need to discover ways to fit natural light into daily schedules. This may require changes to normal routine, such as taking a short walk during the lunch break or at an appropriate time during daytime for those that remain at home. Observing the normal sleep-wake cycle and getting adequate sleep at adequate times is important to try and establish routines in order for one’s body to adjust.
Having said this, Cachia and Camilleri explained that where action by the individual is not enough, regulatory authorities should step in. “Most importantly development of new dwellings should ensure that natural lighting is given its due importance and should not occur at the expense of cutting off natural lighting for other dwellings.”
Lack of sunlight can contribute to the mental health challenges COVID-19 gave rise to
This newsroom asked the Commission if dim dwellings are part of, or add on to, the mental health challenges people are facing during this crisis.
“The COVID pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in our lives. Everyone’s mental health has been shaken to some extent and the mental health effect is a longer-term effect,” Cachia and Camilleri noted.
They explained that, during this in-between stage of going back to ordinary life, people need to take care of their own mental health and that of their loved ones at home, their colleagues, and that of their wider circle of relatives, friends, neighbours, and society in general; “we each have a role to play.”
They added that lack of sunlight would contribute to the mental health challenges even in such a situation, but action can be taken to address this by focusing on priorities and doing all that is in one’s power to move on.
As words of advice, they suggested everyone to take care of their mental health by acknowledging a problem and then taking action and inform themselves from reliable sources.
There is need for appropriate raising of awareness that is free from party politics and individual interests.
When asked if the Commission thinks that these results warrant a call for a reform in the construction and planning sectors which have been heavily criticised over the years for overdevelopment, Mental Health Commissioner Camilleri said there needs to be appropriate raising of awareness that is free from party politics and individual interests.
He explained that dimly lit dwellings are a reality so, beyond education and individual action to improve personal exposure to natural lighting, all stakeholders need to come together to find solutions.
“Improvement and better exposure to natural lighting need to be taken on board in National Environmental and Sustainable Development Strategies. I think that as a country we should mature and move away from partisan politics to find out what is best for our population. And if we have a problem with Malta having the least lit dwellings in the EU, then we need to take note as a country, and address this challenge together.”