Most of us have a desire to improve our health, sleep better, have more energy, and feel better in our daily lives. Still, many of us find these things elusive, so we're always looking for hacks to help us. And if those hacks don't require major lifestyle changes or monumental feats of willpower, even better.
Thankfully, making one small change to your morning routine can make a big difference in your mood, mindset, and sleep. It's that simple.
In short, go outside and face the sun. Specifically, go outside as soon as possible after waking up, always within an hour, and face the sun for 2 to 10 minutes on a sunny day, or a little more on a cloudy day.
Most of us know that we get vitamin D from sunlight on our skin, but there's actually much more to it than just getting sunlight in the morning. It is the light energy of the sun that hits our eyes.
“This isn't some biological nonsense,” says Dr. Andrew Huberman, an ophthalmologist and professor of neuroscience at Stanford University. This is based on the core of our physiology. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of high-quality peer-reviewed papers out there. Seeing light early in the day is the most powerful wake-up stimulus throughout the day and has a powerful positive impact on your ability to fall asleep at night. ”
Huberman calls sleep a “power tool” for getting quality sleep, and says that people can use the following tools to get a good night's sleep: morning light, daily exercise, quality nutrition, stress control, healthy relationships, and deep sleep. I list it as one of the six pillars you should invest in every day.
The advice to look toward the sun is off-base, considering we've been warned not to look at the sun, but the sun's strength decreases in the early morning, so there's no need to look directly at it. Take advantage of its rays. Photons still enter the eye through indirect light, causing a spike in cortisol that regulates circadian rhythms.
“Exposing the sun's rays to your eyes first thing in the morning is crucial for your mental and physical health.” Huberman says. “It's probably the most important thing we can all do and should do to promote metabolic health, promote positive functioning of our hormonal systems, and get our mental health on the right track.”
He explains that artificial lighting is not the same and will not have the same impact. Conversely, if you stay too late at night or are exposed to artificial light when you should be sleeping, your circadian rhythm can be thrown off.
“There's an asymmetry in our retina, our eye biology, and our brain biology, so early in the day, right after we wake up, there's a lot of light, a lot of photons, a lot of light energy. “It will be necessary,” he writes in his book. Podcast. “And artificial light usually doesn't accomplish what we need. But at night, even a little bit of artificial light disrupts our so-called circadian rhythms, our 24-hour clocks, and all these mechanisms that we have. “It could seriously mess things up.” ”
The good news is that stepping out the front door and standing in the sun doesn't require as much willpower, at least not like exercising or resisting screens at night. Just go outside and stand there (though walking is even better). Try it out and see if there is a change.
How to boost your energy and sleep better with morning activities | Dr. Andrew Huberman
You can also watch Dr. Huberman explain more about the benefits of sunlight and all types of light therapy. here.
