Ancient man lived in harmony with the cycles of the moon and changing seasons to predict growing and harvesting times. With the advent of electricity, we weren’t dependent on the sun any more to tell us when to wake or sleep. And we moved more to urban living, away from the agrarian society we came from. We started to become detached from nature and its cycles. With a separation from nature, we risk becoming un-balanced and un-centered.

SAD, seasonal affective disorder, is caused by not getting enough exposure to sunlight. The result is a lack of melatonin being produced in the system, causing depression and anxiety. There are special light boxes that are available for SAD sufferers to sit in front of to absorb “produced” sun’s rays.

So what does not going outside, or displaying Santa decorations in August, have to do with home design? A lot, it turns out. I believe that in our hectic world, we can literally go through the day without stepping outside or walking in nature. We go from the house through the mudroom to the garage. We get into our cars, drive into a covered lot, and walk into our place of business. Repeat in reverse on the ride home.

Our homes and offices are sealed to prevent drafts, air is recycled throughout the living space, and windows rarely open. From a health standpoint this is horrible, especially in the winter months. From a design standpoint, does it make sense, unless it’s for a party or a themed room, to decorate for Christmas when we haven’t even hit Halloween yet?

Bau Biology is the study of the health of a building or “sick building syndrome.” This was first studied by the Germans in the 1970s. They studied the effects of ventilation and electrical systems, construction materials, and techniques on the health of the building’s occupants. We’ve all experienced this when one person in an office gets a cold, then everyone gets sick.