Enjoy The Light Of Summer
Hi there, and welcome back.
In my last post I wrote about how you can use the abundant light in July to stabilise and strengthen your sleep-wake cycle. In this offering I want to make an even stronger case for exposure to natural light by letting you know about some of its other benefits.
The first is the association between light and the production of Vitamin D. You’ve probably heard Vitamin D referred to as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. That’s because our bodies produce it naturally when we’re outside in daylight. Vitamin D is important physically because it regulates calcium and phosphate levels which are needed to maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also helps keep our immune system functioning normally. You can boost Vitamin D slightly by eating foods such as oily fish, red meat, liver and egg yolks, but the best way to obtain adequate amounts of this vitamin is to get outside (safely) in natural light.
Light is also used to help individuals who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Those affected are likely to feel listless, depressed, exhausted and/or unable to concentrate. They have an inclination to overeat—craving carbohydrates in particular—and they lose interest in the activities they once found enjoyable. SAD was first identified by Normal Rosenthal at Georgetown Medical School, who recommended exposure to natural light (or when that’s not possible, to light boxes) as an effective treatment.
If that isn’t enough to convince you of the benefits of natural light, I’d like to add one more. If you spend time outdoors in the day time, you’ll boost the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes healthy digestion, helps improve memory function, and encourages good quality sleep. It also—perhaps most importantly—lifts mood and is associated with wellbeing and happiness, so much so that it’s often referred to as the body’s natural feel-good chemical. The purpose of one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants--the SSRI’s—is to increase serotonin levels.
As with Vitamin D, you can boost serotonin production by eating certain foods--for example turkey, eggs, cheese, nuts and salmon--although the increase is only modest compared to light exposure.
Finally, serotonin levels can be boosted by taking exercise. This fact offers me the chance to close by pointing out how healthy it is for us, in so many ways, to get out for a walk with our dogs as often as we can during this wonderful, light-filled month.
Until next time, enjoy the light of summer,
Linda