Sunlight…Your Free Built-in-Mood Enhancer
Nearly everyone…regardless of whether or not they suffer from illnesses like depression or not can enjoy the benefits of being exposed to the sun and the benefits go far beyond just receiving the mandatory Vitamin D your body requires.
Our eyes have special light receptors that are connected directly to the middle of the brain and respond to the brightness of outdoor light. Once that light is absorbed by the eyes, it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and hormones that work to regulate sleep, mood and energy.
When we are exposed to sunlight (or any bright-light), the serotonin in our brains gets a real boost…a happy boost.
When it’s not operating correctly, our natural sleep-cycle gets messed up, our moods suffer and our energy is depleted. Not a good place to be.
That’s because serotonin is the “happy hormone,” it relieves stressful and anxious feelings and produces a general sense of well-being. and the very reason we feel happier and more energetic when the sun is shining.
In order to get your personal daily dose of bright light all you need do is open your eyes outside. As the light reaches the retina it stimulates the optic nerve sending a signal to the part of the brain that regulates the production of serotonin and melatonin.
Bright-light therapy has been used effectively as a treatment for winter depression and has now proven effective treating depression in other seasons as well. Also referred to as SAD or seasonal effective disorder, as summer turns into fall and then winter and days get shorter and colder, fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, weight-gain and depression set in.
Drugs that boost serotonin can take two to four weeks before showing improvement. Some cases take even longer. There is no better or more abundant source of anti-depressants than sunlight.
Unfortunately, if you’re like the average American you’re likely not getting enough bright-light/sun-light. The hours our ancient relatives spent outside working allowed them to gather all the bright sunlight their body’s required naturally. As more and more of our modern work time is scheduled indoors, we are becoming increasingly deprived of this bright light/bright sunlight that is essential to our over-all health and well-being.
The best way to absorb the mood enhancing benefits of bright light is to spend approximately 30 minutes daily outdoors in the light. Even a cloudy day will provide ten times the amount of brightness that ordinary indoor lighting can.
There is no need to look directly at the sun…and, in fact you should never look directly at the sun but that doesn’t mean you should not be in the sun. Endorphin’s will get a healthy boost too when you exercise outdoors as opposed to indoors.
You simply need to be outdoors and open your eyes to absorb the bright light you need. An ideal way to combine exercise, bright-light exposure and the beauty of nature all in one bundle is to take a nice long walk outside. Telling stats prove that the seven happiest states in the U.S. are all in the Sun Belt.
Remember, it’s never a good idea to overdo your exposure to the sun as you can increase your risk of skin cancer but it’s equally never a good idea to avoid the sun because of the valuable benefits it provides your bodies and your mind.
The key is balance. Get a good 20-30 minute dose of sun before covering your skin with sunscreen. Just make sure you are never burning your skin (best to get out in the early morning or later afternoon sun) but get your daily sunlight mood enhancer!
Paying attention to our diets and lifestyle is important if we are to beat cancer and other dreaded diseases. Diet and lifestyle for the most part are decisions we make every day. Truth is, most cancer can be avoided…if we step to the plate and take the right actions ahead of time.
A sensible amount of sun is your ally and reduces your risk of several cancers and other serious health issues.
It’s time to take control of your life and “Just Say No To Cancer” is just the program you need to get you there.