How Much Natural Light Do Your Pets Need?

While we have discussed in the past the health benefits for people of gaining more natural light, is this also the same for your pets?

Sunlight is one of the most important influences upon life on our planet, with every mammal that is active needing raw sunshine every day to maintain their health. 

For our latest blog, we are going to focus on how rooflights and structural glass will benefit your dogs and cats. 

Why Animals Require So Much Natural Light

While it can be tempting to leave your curtains closed when you go to work, this could mean your pets are not getting as much natural light as they need. Unfortunately, leaving a light on during the day does not suffice. 

Animals require natural light with its complete spectrum of colours and dynamicity with changing intensity and mix of colours depending on the time of day. 

Artificial light has a completely different spectrum to natural light plus it contains a high proportion of blue light and it remains a constant all the time, unlike sunlight. 

Ideally, dogs need to be exposed to sunlight for a period of time in the morning, midday and late afternoon so they can experience the complete range of intensities and mix of colours.

When sunlight hits your dog's skin or its eyes, many different metabolic pathways are triggered. When the sun hits your dog's retinas and skin directly it impacts their circadian rhythm because of melatonin, which is the hormone that helps people and mammals sleep. When the sun goes down and it becomes dark, melatonin levels rise quickly which makes us and our pets sleepy. 

Did you know that LED bulbs lack infrared and ultraviolet, and they have been found to suppress melatonin by up to 80%? 

One of the best ways to ensure your cat or dog gets a good night's sleep and be more active during the day is by investing in rooflights. 

How Rooflights Allow More Light Into Your Home

If you have a pitched roof, installing Natralight's rooflights is one of the best ways to maximise the amount of natural light entering your home. If you choose a structural glass product that is completely frameless you can also bring in up 49% more sunlight than a traditional framed design. 

Get in Touch for More Information

If you want to know more about Natralight’s rooflights and structural glass products, please contact us today for a no-obligation quote.