As a result of our hectic schedules, we spend the majority of our days in our homes and offices, in front of the computer.
While remaining indoors is pleasant, we frequently lose out on a key component to a healthy and happy life: sunlight! Did you know that frequent exposure to sunshine is vital for warding off a variety of diseases? Dr. Dixa Bhavsar, an Ayurveda doctor, noted in an Instagram post that “25 to 30 minutes of sun exposure in the morning (just after sunrise and before 8 am) and evening (after sunset) may do wonders for your health.”
As per Indian Express, many people mistakenly believe that natural light is solely a great source of vitamin D, but it has many other benefits as well. “Vitamin D is an immune- and energy-boosting hormone that has a huge effect on our health,” she added, listing additional benefits. Take a peek.
Dr. Bhavsar noted that sunlight’s UVA helps generate nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator. In turn, this “improves blood flow, oxygenation, respiration rate, and blood glucose levels.” She stated that the red visible spectrum is always present during the day and affects mitochondrial function, hence enhancing our energy and overall wellness.
As a result of neurotransmitters, daily exposure to sunlight might also make you feel happier. “From natural light, we also produce the neurotransmitters serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine, which are essential for mental health, such as reducing anxiety, depression, etc.,” added Dr. Bhavsar.
Sunlight may improve the quality of sleep for individuals who are having difficulty falling asleep. “Being outdoors has been demonstrated to increase our sleep quality and fine-tune our daily circadian rhythm,” the expert stated, noting that this is because we produce melatonin from daylight and “then excrete melatonin after 2+ hours without exposure to blue light.”
Despite the multiple benefits, excessive exposure to direct sunlight is not suggested. Dr. Bhavsar suggests instead that you use these effective methods.
Aman Puri, founder of Steadfast Nutrition, stated that sunlight offers a variety of health benefits, including bone strengthening, mood enhancement, and enhanced sleep quality. “Sunlight exposure can enhance the production of serotonin, a hormone that stabilizes mood and promotes calm and happiness.
Lack of sunlight can decrease serotonin levels, which is linked to an increased risk of seasonal affective disorder – a sort of depression that happens with the changing of the seasons, he added. According to functional nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO and Founder of iThrive, sunshine modulates all of our physiological processes.
“During the day, full-spectrum white light from the sun corrects our circadian clock and has a powerfully favorable effect on our hormones and neurotransmitters. “Sunlight is a natural antidepressant, increasing our cortisol and serotonin levels throughout the day and allowing us to sleep later at night,” she explained.
