Early morning sunshine exposure offers numerous advantages for general health.
Stepping outside in the morning is one of my favourite activities. I'll get out of bed, get a cup of tea, and sit on the porch. As I watch the hazy clouds spread over the sky and listen to the birds, the sunlight warms my face. The dew on the grass reflects the light. A rooster crows in the distance, while crickets and leaves rustle.
Even in the freezing early mornings of fall and winter, going outside as soon as you wake up can seem like a hassle. However, there are many advantages to utilising the morning sunlight.
It seems sense that being exposed to morning light can help you feel more aware and awake. However, by exposing your eyes to the first light of the day, your brain is told to stop creating melatonin, which awakens you. Exposure to morning sunlight on a regular basis can actually assist control your circadian cycle. You may feel more refreshed when you wake up as a result of developing a healthy sleep-wake cycle. If you're anything like me, getting up early occasionally seems like the worst thing that could possibly occur. Regulating this cycle also affects the production of hormones that control your everyday activities by letting you know when you're hungry, fatigued, or most energised. The natural cycles of our bodies occasionally conflict with our lives, making it more challenging to sleep and
With its powerful mood-boosting benefits, morning sunlight is a natural method to treat stress, anxiety, and sadness. For someone who battles anxiety, feeling "odd" when you get up can cast a shadow over your entire day. I find that going outside the moment I get up makes me feel more rooted and in one with nature. Seasonal Affective Disorder is one illness that is treated with light therapy. Although direct sunshine is usually the most beneficial, light boxes or sunlamps can offer comparable advantages.
Combining your morning sunlight routine with shirin-yoku, a Japanese health technique that involves being present in a forest and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature, will help it become even more effective. Consider spending your mornings amid the trees if you live close to a forest.
This strategy also encourages us to make the most of the morning hours. Many people have access to a front porch or garden, but depending on your schedule, it might not be feasible to set aside time in the middle of the day to unwind in nature. Even drinking your coffee or tea in the morning outside can help you receive some extra sun.
Morning sun is unique in that its rays are often dimmer than those in the afternoon, allowing you to reap its many health benefits with less risk of skin ageing. To control your sleep-wake cycle, experts advise spending at least 30 minutes outside every morning, within an hour of waking up.
Blue light is a relatively new phenomenon that can be difficult to avoid, although morning sunshine can help ease these problems. Most of the time humans required light throughout human history, it was provided by the sun, moon, and stars. Red light might be seen from candles and light bulbs. Now, blue light may be found in the items we spend a lot of time gazing at, like fluorescent lights, cell phones, and computer screens. Even if we can't help it, morning sunlight can benefit us by "[reinforcing] the circadian cycle that blue light disturbs."
Additionally, this method forces me to pay attention to my surroundings. You might feel more grounded by spending time in nature, especially first thing in the morning. Being outside can frequently make you feel more in one with nature, whether you're strolling down the street or relaxing in your backyard. Small details like the early morning bird sounds, newly sprung flowers, and the earthy sensation of the ground beneath your feet are simple to overlook.
Even a short period of time spent being aware of your surroundings can assist to foster a calm and concentrated state of mind. It's crucial to remember that you can do this almost anyplace and that you don't need a forest or a hiking trail to experience nature. Stepping outside and being present helps me feel more prepared for the day and breaks up the repetitive (and occasionally stressful) morning ritual, I've discovered.