Pretty much everyone likes to wake up with the sun shining in the morning. However, perhaps you didn’t know that there are significant benefits to our health and spiritual wellbeing from being exposed to natural light as soon as possible when we awaken. One of the most natural and easy to achieve habits is to kickstart your day with light energy. We are, after all, beings of light and energy and the sun is our source.
Note: Never look directly into the Sun and ensure you do not stay in it too long and burn!
Natural light kickstarts your Circadian Rhythm
Derived from the Latin phrase circa diem – “around a day” – circadian rhythm is our body’s internal “clock”. It manages our internal systems for processes such as sleep, alertness and digestion by receiving signals from our environment. In turn these signals are then used to activate hormones (such as melatonin and cortisol) and optimise our performance throughout the day.
By sending a strong activation signal via natural light in the morning we can supercharge this process to work closely with our own sleep patterns and get the day off to the best possible start.
Every cell in our body responds to this 24 hour cycle – it can be no coincidence that a day on Earth is the exact same length.
Try to get outside in the first hour after you wake up to gain photon light and all its benefits.
We will cover more about your circadian rhythm in future posts.
Sunshine = Serotonin = Improved Mood
Serotonin is a messenger chemical present throughout the body. It is widely regarded to promote positivity and happiness when present so by increasing the volume of it in the body it is likely we will improve our mood.
Sunlight promotes serotonin production when it enters through your eyes and stimulates parts of the retina that send a signal to the brain to produce the chemical.
Serotonin is also thought to place a positive role in managing your appetite, digestion and emotions.
The best source of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced when sunlight (UVB or ultraviolet B) hits the skin and cholesterol that is found within those cells provides the energy to convert the light into the vitamin.
Our immune system is greatly influenced by us having enough Vitamin D therefore you are improving your health and wellbeing if you consistently have enough in your system.
Other benefits include improved mood, assistance with weight loss, lower blood pressure and potentially reduced risks of illnesses such as diabetes and heart diseases.
While you can supplement Vitamin D, it does not provide the same quality that natural sunlight does.
A productive day
Being in a calm state and a positive frame of mind in turn lends to a much higher probability of a productive day. It may seem too good to be true but just by taking some time in the morning to get outside and take in the new day, you increase your chances of success.
Positivity also breeds positivity and attracts more of it to you – we will talk more about the law of attraction in future articles. Having a helping hand in sending out good vibes to the universe can never be a bad thing!
Testosterone
Contrary to misplaced belief that testosterone causes negative behavioural traits in men it is in fact a crucial part of their genetic make-up. Normal levels of testosterone help with fat distribution, hair, bone density, red blood cells and sex drive. Low testosterone can also contribute to low energy levels and even depression.
Exposure to sunlight has shown to increase testosterone levels in trials
Better sleep
By kicking off your circadian rhythm earlier in the day, a 16 hour countdown begins within your body to begin the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that promotes the body’s move from wakefulness to sleep.
It is important to remember that in line with the body’s natural rhythm – darkness triggers the release of melatonin. It’s very important to avoid artificial light as much as possible after darkness in order to maintain
Studies have shown that many who live in darker climates suffer from seasonally affective disorder, when you consider the above this makes great sense. The sun really is our life force and source of energy – make sure you make full use of it when you can!
