Recently, I’ve really been enjoying starting each morning outside on my pool deck with the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, listening to the birds, and admiring the beautiful trees and flowers in my backyard. I’m grateful this is my backdrop as I’m spending time in God’s word! It’s very grounding and a beautiful way to connect with the Lord in His creation.
Did you know? Getting the sun on your face within the first three hours of the day (7-10 am) is the single most effective way to anchor your circadian rhythm! God created each of us with a 24-hour biological clock, our circadian rhythm.
Benefits to Morning Light
There are lots of benefits to morning light, including:
- Regulating sleep/wake cycles
- Releasing hormones that give us energy and enhance our mood throughout the day
- Improving blood sugar control, metabolism, and appetite
- Supports sleep quality
- Increasing serotonin that makes you feel happy, calm, and more alert
- Influencing your cortisol hormones
- Increasing immunity through vitamin D
The benefits are amazing! As the sun rises and sets, your body is designed to follow a natural rhythm of waking, eating, moving, and resting.
Morning sunlight helps “set” that clock, signaling to your brain that it’s time to be awake and energized throughout your day. It also has a powerful effect on helping you fall – and stay – asleep at night.
Positively Affect Your Circadian Rhythm
Here are a few things that affect your circadian rhythm:
- Timing: Getting outside within the first 30-60 minutes upon waking up will reset your circadian rhythm. Even a short bit of time can really help! This is important because it sets you up for how well you sleep and how you feel during the day. For length of time, I’d recommend…
-
- 5-10 minutes on a sunny day
- 10-20 minutes on a cloudy day
- 20 -30 on a very overcast day
-
- Ditch the sunglasses: Let the light hit your eyes naturally. Never look directly into the sun, but be sure to face the direction of the sun and just blink naturally.
- Go outside: Window glass or wind shields will not be effective as they filter out the specific wavelengths of light necessary to trigger your circadian rhythm. Make sure to get outside to get all the benefits!
Get Moving for a Double Blessing
When you move your body while getting those first rays of sun, it is a win/win!
Getting the sun on your face while gently moving your body is a powerful combination to increasing your energy for the day and improving your sleep quality at night. Going for a 10 minute walk or stretching are great ways to move first thing in the morning. Personally, I enjoy gentle bouncing on my rebounder!
Take a Step
I invite you to ponder the below questions in the coming weeks. Maybe pray through the questions or write out your answers in a journal If you’d like, reach out and let me know your response to these questions. I’m here to encourage you in your healthy habits and faith practices!
Questions to consider:
- What faith practices am I enjoying right now?
- How can I support my circadian rhythm?
- What healthy habit can I add to my day and consistently do?