As we bid farewell to the short days of winter, there is no better time to appreciate your alliance with the sun. Recognized in astrology as the ‘planet’ symbolizing one’s will and sense of vitality, the sun’s energy has been revered for centuries. As technology has evolved allowing us to dive deeper, these ancient ideas have only become more validated. As humans our biology is recognizing the lengthening of the days by the light waves coming in through our eyes and onto the skin. These cells are sharing important information with the organs in our bodies that help ensure the rhythms of our body stays in sync. These include hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for adequate sleep, metabolism, mood, immune system, and even the growth of hair, skin, nails and bone.

Sleep is a vital process shared by life of all kinds on this planet, and as humans, we are asleep for about one-third of our lives. During the different phases of sleep, our bodies are cleaning and regenerating cells that do the important work of day-to-day operation. Packaging and organizing new memories, thoughts and ideas, and eliminating interference of all kinds to maintain the balance our biology is striving for. The body’s ability to enter into these different phases of sleep, and for adequate durations, is dependent upon the timing and release of hormones that affect activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, sleepiness and body temperature.

We can supercharge this system by viewing natural sunlight through the eyes and onto the skin within one hour of waking (given that the wake time is before about 9am in this part of the world). The sunrise, and sunset hours offer different ‘colors’ of light that are unique to these times of day and are recognized by the cells in the eyes and skin which are used to adjust or solidify your ‘clock’. Even on cloudy days, facing East for 15-30 minutes in the morning hours, times release of cortisol to wake and energize, and melatonin to help usher you into the necessary, highly individualized phases of restorative sleep needed for your body.

*Looking directly at the sun may cause eye damage

Erin Hintz, Nutrition Consultant