Sunlight is a hotly discussed topic when it comes to its impact on health, with the increased risk of skin cancer on one side and lots of studied and appreciated health benefits on the other.
Daylight isn’t as hotly debated although we’ll cover that as well.
Let’s start with some of those benefits though to have you assured that they’re both pretty darn great for you.
Sunlight Benefits
- Sunlight gives you lots of vitamin D, which is where much (but far from all) of its benefits lie. Many of us are deficient in this today, which is why the benefits of direct sunlight without spf can be so markant.
- Sunlight improves mood and mental health and can boost your serotonin levels.
- It reduces stress, increases endorphins and improves sleep quality (who’d say no to that?).
- Sunlight can increase your energy levels.
- It can increase your dopamine receptorns in the brain.
And then we have:
Daylight Benefits
- Similarly to direct sunlight, a higher exposure to daylight can improve health through improved sleep and a better circadian rhythm.
- It’s also associated with improved mood and morale, less fatigue.
- Less eyestrain.
- More productivity.
- More positivity about life.
All in all both of these types of light seem to make you both feel and function better, which is why you’re recommended to up your dose of both of them.
How?
How To Increase Sunlight And Daylight Exposure
Get direct sunlight either outdoors or through an open door or window, directly on your unprotected skin as often as possible.
Uncover as much as is appropriate to make the best of this and try to avoid burning or turning red.
As far as daylight is concerned, just try to work and/or stay in rooms with a lot of windows and ditch the curtains.
The lighter the better, and I’ve found that brighter indoor lamps can somewhat compensate for outdoor lights, although perhaps not entirely or “enough”.
Caveat: Sun Exposure And Skin Cancer
Just for a word about skin cancer, I personally believe very strongly that sun exposure is nearly harmless under the right conditions, and those are the ones without seed oils in your diet.
They predispose you to skin damage and oxidative stress from free radicals and make you prone to this type of cancer.
However, even before you’ve gotten rid of all the built-up omega 6 in your membranes, sun exposure still does you more good than harm, reducing other types of cancer and chronic disease more that it increases skin cancer frequency.
So, sunlight is still an investment in your health despite those.
Evolutionarily speaking sunlight is very natural for us, not something likely to cause us cancer when other factors are addressed, including no vegetable oils and regular earthing.
Summary
With that said, make sure to up your light dosage and reap all of the above benefits from it in no time!
/Emil
