Many of us have been told that the sun is bad for us. It can cause skin cancer, sunburn, and radiation. But did you know that well timed sun sessions can improve your sleep, fight infection, inflammation, and aid in improving mental health symptoms?
3 ways you can make the sun work for you
1) Better sleep
The sun produces two types of light, red and blue. Simply put, blue light activates our brains and keeps us awake. This is why you don’t feel sleepy when you are scrolling through your phone at night. Red light has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect on our brain. Think candles, fires and red-light therapy lamps. Our brains need both types of light, but timing is important for energy levels and sleep quality.
Not sure how to balance them? Thankfully the sun does this for you. There is a perfect balance of red and blue light exactly when you need it throughout the day. For sleep support, get out to watch the sunrise and sunset every night. Aim to stay out about 30
minutes after sunrise and 30 minutes before sunset if possible. If not, even 10 minutes is beneficial.
1 Zhao X, Du W, Jiang J, Han Y. Brain Photobiomodulation Improves Sleep Quality in Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;87(4):1581-1589. doi: 10.3233/JAD-215715. PMID: 35491787. 2 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Solar_Spectrum.png
2) Immune support
Vitamin D levels have a direct impact on your immune system. Want to get ahead of that cold and flu season or get over whatever gunk the kids brought home? Spend some time in the sun midday. The National Institutes of Health recommends 600 IU for children over the age of 1 and adults 18-69. For adults 70 and older aim to get 800 IU a day. Some providers prefer pregnant
and lactating mothers to get a little more than the recommended dosage than non-pregnant women so make sure to ask your healthcare provider if you fall into this category. How do you know how much you are getting? Using an app like Dminder (https://dminder.ontometrics.com/) can tell you how much you are getting, allows you to add in supplements and tracks your
progress. It also has a burn warning alarm so that your sun sessions don’t turn into skin damaging sessions.
3) Improved Mood and Focus
When UVA light is introduced into the timing of your sun sessions (think that midday sun time) it helps your body convert neurotransmitters like it is supposed to. Thrypothan gets converted to serotonin. This makes your body feel less groggy and more alert and happier. The balance of serotonin has significant effects on depression, anxiety, panic and suicidal thoughts. It also
aids in dopamine and norepinephrine production, making you feel more motivated and concentrated.
3 Wimalawansa SJ. Infections and Autoimmunity-The Immune System and Vitamin D: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Sep 2;15(17):3842. doi: 10.3390/nu15173842. PMID: 37686873; PMCID: PMC10490553. 4 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/ 5 Cassano P, Cusin C, Mischoulon D, Hamblin MR, De Taboada L, Pisoni A, Chang T, Yeung A, Ionescu DF, Petrie SR, Nierenberg AA, Fava M, Iosifescu DV. Near-Infrared Transcranial Radiation for Major Depressive Disorder: Proof of Concept Study. Psychiatry J. 2015;2015:352979. doi: 10.1155/2015/352979. Epub 2015 Aug 19. PMID: 26356811; PMCID: PMC4556873.
Ideas For Morning Light
● Have a cup of coffee on the patio in the morning
● Take the dog for a walk without sunglasses
● Take your glasses off while you wait with the kids for the bus
Ideas For Midday Light
● Eat lunch outside
● Roll down the window while you are in the drive through
● Take a walk around the block after lunch
● Park in a farther parking spot to soak in more sun on the way to the car
Ideas For Evening Light
● Cook dinner with the window open
● Roll down your window on the way home from work
● Sit on the porch and enjoy the sunset
● Go for an evening stroll
● Watch the kids while the play outside
Even small doses of sunlight, if well timed can have an impact on your mental and physical health. It is absolutely okay to start small and give yourself grace. Remember this is a new routine and it takes time to practice consistently.
Author: Rebecca Olivares, LCSW, CIMHP
