Why is morning sunlight important?

Morning sunlight is important because it significantly impacts our physiological state, enhancing alertness, mood, and sleep quality. Exposure to morning sunlight increases daytime alertness and also plays a crucial role in regulating your nighttime sleep. Here are the reasons based on the information shared by Andrew Huberman in the Huberman Lab:

1. Regulates Circadian Rhythms: Morning sunlight helps set the body's internal clock, ensuring proper regulation of sleep-wake cycles and various biological processes, like metabolism 1.

2. Boosts Cortisol Production: It triggers a natural increase in cortisol, a hormone that helps promote wakefulness and, in controlled amounts, supports a healthy immune system 2.

3. Improves Sleep Quality: Exposure to bright morning light is linked to better sleep quality as it helps time the release of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, more effectively for the evening 3.

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     Sunlight and Nature

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     Morning Light Benefits

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     Morning Sunlight Benefits

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     Sunlight and Mood

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     Morning Light Benefits

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4. Enhances Mood and Mental Health: The interaction of sunlight with specific cells in the eyes triggers pathways in the brain that can improve mood and feelings of well-being 4.

For those unable to get natural sunlight due to geographical or practical reasons, simulated bright light from devices designed to mimic morning light can also be beneficial, though not as effective as natural sunlight 5.