A few minutes of natural sunlight exposure in the morning and evening can have a big impact on health. Read about the positive benefits and learn pointers for implementing this practice into your daily routine.

Our bodies receive important messages from the environment around us. One of these signals comes from natural sunlight. In fact, sunlight is critical because it has an impact on our:

  • Moods,
  • Sleep cycles,
  • Alertness,
  • Hormones,
  • Immune system, and
  • Resilience.

Andrew Huberman, the popular Stanford professor and podcaster considers exposure to sunlight a core action that supports overall health and performance. The following information comes from his podcast and protocol “Using Light for Health.”

Listen to Huberman’s podcast on light here.

Read my previous discussion of his stress and anxiety podcast here!

Getting sunlight exposure at strategic moments throughout the day is a simple way to boost well-being.

Sunlight Exposure After Waking

It’s helpful to get sunlight exposure as soon as possible after waking. When we are exposed to early morning sunlight, it stimulates the release of dopamine. This neurotransmitter and hormone plays a role in pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation.

Early morning sunlight exposure also stimulates the release of cortisol. Although you may think of cortisol as a stress hormone, this is actually the optimal time of day to be exposed to it. A cortisol spike early in the morning can positively impact our immune system, metabolism, and ability to focus.

In addition to its effect on cortisol and dopamine, early morning sunlight exposure can positively impact our:

  • Immune system,
  • Mood,
  • Energy levels, and
  • Appetite.

Sunlight and Sleepiness

Early morning exposure to sunlight sets in motion a natural trigger to become sleepy later in the evening. This helps to regulate our sleep cycle. Thus, exposure to sunlight helps our bodies both wake up first thing and prepare for rest later in the day.

As I’ve mentioned before, sleep is critical for overall well-being and one of the core areas of integrative health. Anything we can do to support our quality of sleep is crucial.

Optimal Sunlight Exposure

Early morning sunlight exposure doesn’t require significant time. Just 5-10 minutes will do. Even better, it can be paired with another enjoyable activity like outdoor exercise, gardening, or playing with kids to become a two-for-one practice.

Overcast? No problem. Our bodies are still receiving the important signals from sunlight, they just take a little longer to take effect. On cloudy days, simply extend your sunlight exposure to 15-20 minutes to maximize the well-being benefits.

Dark or rainy? Turn on all artificial lights in your environment as soon as you wake up. Although this isn’t as effective as natural light, it is helpful in waking you up. Once the sun comes up or out, try to get that 5-10 minute exposure.

Sunlight Exposure Before Bed

In addition to early morning exposure, it can be beneficial to get sunlight exposure at the end of the day. As the sun moves overhead and gets closer to setting, the wavelengths of light that we are exposed to change (from blues to yellows and oranges). Our bodies know the difference between early morning and late afternoon sunlight!

Late afternoon sunlight sends a signal to our brains that it’s getting close to bedtime. This helps us to calm down and prepare for rest as our natural circadian rhythms take effect. This works even when it’s cloudy.

Plus, this late afternoon sunlight exposure can help to counter some of the negative effects of bright artificial light exposure that we get from tablets, phones, and TVs.

Missed your morning exposure? No problem. Even though we may have missed out on the benefits of early morning exposure, our bodies catch on and get back on schedule as soon as we get afternoon exposure. In this way, afternoon exposure can serve as a contingency plan when you miss your morning sunlight. Just try to get back on track with morning exposure the following day.

A Word Of Caution

To maximize exposure, it’s best to face toward the sun. However, we’re not supposed to look directly at the sun, and should discontinue any sunlight exposure that is painful.

Simply being outside and getting exposure to sunlight works without staring into the sun, as the light waves naturally filter through our eyes. This works even while wearing prescription glasses and contacts, but not if we wear sunglasses.

Sorry, indoor sunlight exposure doesn’t count. Windows in our homes and cars block too much of the wavelengths needed to signal our bodies and boost our well-being.

Small Changes, Big Transformation

Morning and evening sun exposure is one small change we can make to prioritize our health and build resilience. Wellness doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming. Give this practice a try this week and let me know how it goes!

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