I’m not exaggerating when I say that light changed my life. This often overlooked wellness tool seems so simple, but it can have truly impressive benefits. I’ve talked a lot about sunlight, blue light, red light therapy, and more over the years. Today, I will put everything in one place so you can learn all about the benefits of light and how it can also positively impact your life.
There is some overlap in the following sections, but I’ve tried to separate the information into a few different categories. Many of these articles and podcast episodes are exclusively about light for health, but some include strategies other than light exposure.
Healthy lighting is just one tool in the toolbox. And while it can have some pretty drastic effects, other healthy habits like stress reduction, sleep, hydration, etc. they are still important. Although I would say that healthy light exposure increases the effects of all of these.
The benefits of sunlight
Overall, sunlight is a powerful healing tool. When it reaches our skin (and our eyes!), it causes our body to produce the hormone vitamin D. It helps strengthen the immune system, bone health, improve mood, balance hormones, and much more.
However, many of us are cooped up indoors most of the time, under flickering artificial light. Experts estimate that children spend an average of 4 to 7 minutes outdoors. A recent survey showed that preschoolers only go out to play once a week, or less on average.
Adults don’t fare much better. Most adults report spending less than an hour a day outdoors. And for more than 18% of us it’s less than 15 minutes a day! Prioritizing getting outside at different times of the day can make a big difference in your health. Here are some more compelling reasons to get out there and put yourself out there!
Benefits of morning light
Morning light has its own health benefits and deserves its own section in this article. When I was recovering from Hashimoto’s, I set the alarm, went out at dawn, and went back to sleep in natural light. Hopefully you have more energy than I did back then, but even if you don’t, the morning sunlight can help you! Morning light is unique because it is a great source of red light and naturally helps balance circadian rhythms, cortisol levels, and more. It has become a non-negotiable part of my morning routine!
Cortisol and circadian alignment
Exposure to sunlight, especially viewing sunrise and sunset, is key to circadian alignment. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the circadian rhythm is our body’s natural 24-hour clock. It is a system that regulates our sleep-wake cycle, hormones, digestion, stress levels and more.
Light also influences cortisol levels, also known as our stress hormone. We actually want cortisol, we just want the right amounts at the right time. However, when we are exposed to blue light at the wrong time of day and other stressors, we can disrupt our cortisol rhythms. Here’s how to use light to improve both cortisol and circadian rhythms.
Sunscreen and the role of sunlight
I’m not a big fan of sunscreen most of the time. Contrary to most dermatologists and conventional doctors, I believe we need more sun, not less! That being said, burns and skin damage are never a good thing.
Here we present a balanced approach that covers when sunscreen can be helpful and healthy types to use. In addition to other ways to protect your skin when you are outdoors and the benefits of sunbathing.
red light therapy
Morning and evening sunlight (at sunrise and sunset) provides free red light. Then there are red light therapy devices for a more targeted approach. You’ll find red light face masks, red light blankets and panels, and even red light toothbrushes for gum health.
Here are my thoughts on red light therapy, its benefits, and how to get it from the best sources.
Healthy lighting for the home
Many of us don’t think about indoor lighting when it comes to the benefits of light. However, inadequate indoor lighting at the wrong time of day can really sabotage our health efforts. LED lights flicker and cause stress to our nervous system, often too fast for our eyes to notice, but our brains do.
Blue light from screens and overhead lights at night tells our brains that it’s daytime and prevents us from winding down for sleep. Here are some healthier changes and solutions and what I do when it comes to indoor lighting.
More podcast episodes on the benefits of light
I’ve had the opportunity to chat with some amazing experts over the years on the Wellness Mama podcast. Some of my favorite episodes are about the benefits of sunlight and how to use different types of light for your health. I love talking about it so much that I’ve also done several solo podcast episodes on the topic.
You’ll find episodes on optimizing sunlight exposure, its impact on mitochondria and energy, hormonal balance, and more.
- 429: Andy Mant on How Light Can Heal (or Harm) Your Health and Hormones
- 609: Dr. Jack Kruse on Junk Light, 5G, Optimizing Sunlight, and Longevity
- 949: Light Masterclass: How to Transform Light from Health Sabotage to Your Greatest Superpower with Roudy Nassif
- 822: Light, Mitochondria, DNA: The Sun is the Only Way with Dr. Courtney Hunt
- Episode 1000: What I Learned, Changed, and Still Believe
- 627: Jim Stephenson on Vitamin D Deficiency: Deconstructing Delusion and Stopping Fear of the Sun
- 1009: Masterclass: Mitochondria, Light, Phospholipids and Cellular Health With Justine Stenger
- 999: Light and Leptin: Understanding These for Hormones, Fertility, and Health with Sarah Kleiner
- 691: The 80/20 of Health: Light, Protein, Nutrition and Hormones with Dr. Leland Stillman
- 301: How to Use Light to Dramatically Improve Health with Matt Maruca
- 245: Ari Whitten on how to combat fatigue with sauna, sun and sweating
Do you prioritize receiving sunlight or avoiding certain types of light? Have you noticed any positive differences? Leave a comment and share below!
