If you regularly suffer light or moderate depression, then you most likely have developed several coping mechanisms to help manage your mood. Diet, exercise, and a well-planned social life can all help combat depression. However, one area you may have overlooked that can also be used to regulate your mood is your home decor. The color and feeling of each room in your home can exacerbate mood disorders or help you achieve stability. Below are five ways you can utilize your drapery treatments to help combat depression. 

Get More Control Over Your Lighting 

You may be aware that exposure to sunlight can help boost your mood and decrease depression symptoms. However, you should keep in mind that many people who suffer from depression have insomnia or trouble falling and staying asleep at night. Light coming into the room, especially artificial light from street lamps, can make it even more difficult for you to fall asleep. 

When purchasing drapes, you need to consider a system that will give you full control over the amount of light in your room. Extending the drapes past the edge of your window will allow the maximum amount of sunlight into your room when the drapes are open. Blackout backing can make your drapes more effective at helping you sleep when they are closed at night. Making sure there is no furniture in front of your drapes to allow for easy opening and closing will give you more control over the amount of light in your room, and if you do not think you will remember to open your drapes in the morning, an automated system can ensure that you wake up to sunlight streaming in on you. 

Stabilize Your Mood With Color

Color can affect your mood, and drapes are a good way to add splashes of color to an otherwise plain room, especially if you are renting and do not want to permanently change the color of your walls or furniture. 

Warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow tend to be invigorating while cool colors such as blue and violet tend to be relaxing. You may think adding a vibrant orange or red may be the best solution to your depression, but these colors can be irritating if they cover too much wall space. Instead consider colors that will gently stabilize your mood, such as a light green. 

Invigorate Yourself With Prints 

One symptom of depression is boredom. You may have trouble engaging with ideas or activities. An interesting pattern on your curtains can help engage your brain, lifting you out of boredom and making you smile. This is especially helpful if you tend to stare off into the distance when you are depressed. 

Lift Your Mood With Light Fabrics 

When selecting drapes, you should avoid heavy fabrics such as velvet or velour. While these can give a rich appearance to a room, they can also feel oppressive. Instead opt for cotton and twill to give a light texture to your room that will not feel overly heavy when your drapes are closed. 

Entice Yourself to Go Outside

Usually drapes are designed to accent the room they are in. However, if you have trouble getting outside when you are depressed, you may want to select drapes that complement the view from your window. For example, you could select drapes that match the color of an interesting building that can be easily seen from your window. This will draw your vision out of your home and may help entice you to go outside more often. 

Managing depression can be difficult. However, there are little changes you can make throughout your life to help support your mood and make your battle with depression easier. Selecting mood-lifting decor is one of those changes. Take the time to read more about window treatment options and talk with a decorator to find the best fit for your home.

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