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| | | | | Good news: I'm no longer experiencing the intense anxiety I shared about last year. The reason for my improved mood isn't entirely clear, but I suspect it has to do with the many small lifestyle shifts I've made since then, like cold water therapy, morning workouts, less added sugar, and morning sun exposure. | | Each morning, I make a point of sitting in direct sunlight for 5 to 15 minutes (weather permitting). The main reason I do this is to help regulate my sleep cycle, which indirectly affects many other parts of my health. Below, I look at the research to understand why our physiology may tend toward morning sunlight and offer quick tips for safely working it into your daily routine. | | | | | | | Enjoy!
Ginger Wojcik,
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
February 21, 2025 • 4 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | | Why morning sunlight sets my day up for success | | Sitting in the morning sun was first suggested to me by a therapist who specializes in somatic healing and alternative remedies. But the science around the benefits of sunlight is far from fringe. | | Research shows that exposure to light during the day can support better, longer sleep. Bright light suppresses melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy) and helps regulate your circadian rhythm — aka your body's internal clock. Essentially, sun exposure tells your body that it's time to wake up and helps set the clock inside your brain that tells you when it's time to go to sleep. | | In fact, a small 2023 study found that getting morning bright light — as opposed to regular office light — improved the sleep and alertness of office occupants. | The cool thing about improving your sleep is that it may improve the rest of your health as well. Good quality sleep has been linked to a long list of benefits, including: - reducing stress and boosting mood
- improving attention and memory
- getting sick less often
- staying at a moderate weight
- supporting heart health and metabolism
- decreasing the risk of motor vehicle accidents
The more often you can expose yourself to morning sunlight, the more effective it will be. This is my biggest hurdle, as it's not very sunny where I live for many months out of the year. Remember, you can always invest in a light therapy box, which has been found to be effective at treating major depressive disorder and other mental health conditions. | | An interesting tidbit I learned while researching this story is that sunlight is vastly brighter than artificial light sources, and, therefore, far more effective at influencing your circadian rhythm. During the day, light intensities outside can reach illuminances up to 100,000 illuminances (lx) in direct sunlight and 25,000 lx in full daylight. In contrast, standard office lighting is only ~500 lx, often lower. | | If you want to give the morning sun trick a shot, aim to get your fix within an hour — 2 at most — of waking up. I usually head outside within an hour of the sun rising. One benefit of early sunlight is that the UV index is still quite low, so there's a lower risk of sun damage. That said, it's still a good idea to wear sunscreen, especially if you're fair-skinned like me. | | I'm not here to say that morning sunlight hasn't changed my life or will change yours, but there's minimal risk in trying it out, it's totally free, and very accessible (weather permitting). | | | | | | | | | | Skin saved | | | | | | |  | | Paula's Choice RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 | | I searched high and low for a mineral SPF that I actually enjoyed wearing, and this one from Paula's Choice is by far my favorite. The oil-free formula goes on so light I can barely feel it's there. And unlike other mineral SPFs, it doesn't leave a cast on my skin. At roughly $40 for 2 ounces, it isn't the cheapest SPF, but as the most important step of my skin care routine, I find it's more than worth it. (If you have dry skin, I don't recommend this sunscreen as it goes on matte.) | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Store's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | How did you feel about this newsletter? | | | | Email wellnesswire@healthline.com with comments related to this newsletter or topics you'd like to see in future editions. The newsletter editors read every message that lands in our inbox — yes, really! We look forward to hearing from you. | | | | | | |
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