The Impact of Sunlight in the Morning

The positive impact of Vitamin D is not new or surprising to anyone.

The impact of sunlight, specifically in the morning, however, may be new to some.

It has been circulating around the internet recently, and while that doesn’t always mean something is legitimate, this one has some real benefits.

Why should you attempt to get sunlight upon waking?

There are many benefits to this, but in particular, it helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is essentially your internal clock. It’s how your body functions over the 24 hours of the day.

Viewing sunlight in the waking hours helps regulate your circadian rhythm in several ways; it will make you more awake and alert in the morning, as well as improve the quality and quantity of sleep at night, and it also effects your hormones which fluctuate based on the light and dark cycle.

If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, we highly recommend trying this, as well as limiting bright light 2 hours prior to bedtime.

Here are some common questions we get about this.

So how much sunlight are we talking about?

5-30 minutes is the typical window. The sunnier it is outside, the less time you “need.”

Should I look at the sun?

Please don’t! Look in the direction of the sun/face the sun.

Can I look through a window?

It's about 50 times LESS effective through a window because the window filters out wavelengths of blue light.

What if the weather is bad or I’m up well before sunlight?

Artificial lights are an alternative. Turn on as many overhead lights as you can.

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