Benefits of the Morning Sun
Have you ever noticed how a day in the sun improves your mood? Admittedly, I took this for granted until I moved to Cleveland, OH. Growing up in the South, I was accustomed to warm and sunny days; the Midwest was very different. After a winter filled with cloudy skies, the slightest bit of warmth and sunshine felt like heaven. I would become energized, begin a spring cleaning spree, make plans to be social, and go for a run even in 50-degree weather.
The sun has many benefits, including hormone balance, improved mood, and improved circadian rhythm. But did you know that all of these benefits are even more enhanced when you get your natural dose of sunlight in the morning?
Hormone Balance
Sunlight improves hormones in multiple ways. As you will see below, it affects mood, stress, and sleep hormones. Another hormone that is positively impacted by the sun is the Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Decreased HGH is associated with decreased metabolism, increased belly fat, mental instability, and fatigue.
The sun is the best source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps regulate estrogen, progesterone, insulin, and thyroid hormones. A deficiency can cause decreased metabolism, early menopausal symptoms, headaches, blood glucose fluctuations, and mood swings.
Even more exciting is that studies have shown that a little dose of the sun’s Ultraviolet B (UVB) increases the production of sex hormones. It could be associated with Vitamin D’s effect on estrogen and progesterone, but the exact mechanism is unknown. Still, if you need a natural boost in this area, a little sunlight won’t hurt!
Improved Mood
Studies show that sunlight can increase the brain’s release of the hormone serotonin. Serotonin has many benefits, including improving mood, focus, and calmness. Start your day with a healthy dose!
Sleep
Early sunlight improves sleep as it is crucial in regulating the hormones that drive our sleep-wake cycles. Lack of sleep is detrimental to hormone balance and leads to weight gain, moodiness, and illness.
Morning sun is beneficial as it increases cortisol, the stress hormone. This early spike improves energy during the day and promotes a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Another way morning sunlight assists with your circadian rhythm or sleep-wake cycle is by suppressing melatonin earlier in the day. Our brains release melatonin in darker lighting to trigger us to sleep.
As you can see, sunlight does not just make you “feel” better; it truly makes you better. It supports health in multiple ways, including mental, physical, emotional, and sexual. A quick way to jumpstart your health journey is to get a quick dose of nature’s vitamin D (sunshine ladies) every morning.