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The Power of Morning Sunlight

As summer starts to kick off and the warmer days begin to roll in, we’re starting to pack away our winter clothing and embrace that gorgeous sunlight- except if you’re like me and living in tropical country and continually melting all year round but, I digress…

When the sun begins to shine bright, we have been taught to hide away behind our sunblock and sun hats (all of which you should totally keep doing!), but there are some health benefits to soaking up those rays before we hide away.

As you roll out your towel to build up that summer glow, you’re actually doing much more than just getting a base tan, you’re creating a healthier and happier inside as well- if done correctly and in moderation.

We usually seek the sunlight around the afternoon for a dip in the pool or chill at the beach but research shows that the golden hour for reaping the health benefits is actually in the early morning, ideally between 8-10 am (3). It not only helps you feel happier, it helps you sleep better, promotes healthy bones, boosts metabolism, helps to improve the way your body absorbs nutrients, aids in regulating hormones and moods, and also boosts immune function (2). All of those benefits in as little as 10-20 minutes a day, with absolutely no cost to your bank account.

Let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?

To better understand this, we need to chat about Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in the liver and fatty tissues, meaning that if you choose to supplement for your vitamin D intake you need to take it with a healthy fat for better absorption. Vitamin D is a little bit different from other vitamins because our bodies make most of our vitamin D on their own by converting sunshine into chemicals that our bodies can use. These chemicals are actually turned into hormones, which is why the sunshine has such monumental benefits beyond just a base tan! (2)

As you can see, having healthy levels of vitamin D is crucial in living your healthiest life!

Keep in mind though, that too much of anything is a bad thing- sunlight being a major player in that! We all know that it’s essential to wear our sunscreen and how to be safe when it comes to sunbathing, there’s a reason for that. With skin cancer and skin damage on the rise, catching too many rays at too harsh of an hour can lead to irreversible damage, which is why rolling out your towel a little earlier is suggested.

Benefits of Early Morning Sunlight

As I said earlier, the ideal time to grab some of that Sunshine Vitamin is between 8-10 am, this is because the sun light isn’t as intense in the morning as it is in the afternoon. Both UV and infrared light are the both plentiful in the morning; the reason this is important is because infrared helps enhance the absorption of UV rays in a healthy way—as opposed to one being stronger than the other and resulting in sunburn. The healthy combination helps to lower inflammation in the body, making it the ideal hour to catch some rays!  (3)

Another bonus of getting that morning light is that it helps to balance your circadian rhythm, which is how your body regulates when to go to sleep and when to wake up- ideally having your peak energy in the mornings and die down into the evening. As I’ve spoken on before, sleep is #1 to living a healthy and balanced life (even over nutrition!). Getting proper and adequate sleep helps to boost metabolism, helping to shed those extra pounds and to help make better decisions throughout the day (4). You can’t make good decisions in life with a half awake brain!

One of the last things I want to touch on is the influence morning sunlight has on our endocrine system. When we think of sunshine, we think happiness and there’s a reason behind that. Exposure to healthy amounts of Vitamin D helps to regulate moods! So starting your morning off with a little sunshine vitamin can help kick start your day in a healthy AND happy way!  (1)

But Why Not Just Supplement It?

We can get this vital vitamin from food (sources like meat, some mushrooms, or fortified milk, grains, and supplements), but it’s nothing compared to what we get from sunlight. Adding in these foods and supplements is definitely useful and advised- I’m all about getting our vitamins and nutrients in their whole forms as often as we can. (2) But, when our skin is exposed to sunlight it produces a much more pure and beneficial form of the vitamin, D3. That’s not to say that D2, the other form found in foods, isn’t beneficial though, you just simply can’t get enough solely from your foods or supplements. (3)

Also, sunlight is free… supplements can be expensive and I’m all about that budget life.

So, how much is the right amount?

According to research, its recommended that people with fairer skin get about 10-15 minutes of sun without sunscreen, as they meet their vitamin D needs more quickly. For someone of darker complexion, they’ll need to spend a little more time to get the amounts they need—sometimes as long as 40-60 minutes. (3)

So if you’re looking to increase your happiness, achieve better sleep, boost your immunity, better regulate your hormones, improve your bone health, and help your body thrive- get outside and get that Sunshine Vitamin!

Sources:

1. “3 Surprising Benefits of Vitamin D.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d.
2.  , Jillian. “The Vitamin Deficiency Up to 90% of People Have?” Dr. Axe, Dr. Axe, 14 June 2018, draxe.com/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms/.
3. Herb, Primal. “The Importance of Early Morning Sunlight You Need to Know.” PrimalHerb.com, 11 Jan. 2018, primalherb.com/the-importance-of-early-morning-sunlight-you-need-to-know/.
4. “The Role Of Vitamin D & Vitamin D Deficiency.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d–vitamin-d-deficiency-