Latest / Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor / How does sunlight exposure help mood and energy
Transcript
- 0:00SPEAKER_00: Regular and safe exposure to sunlight can have a positive impact on our physical and mental health.
- 0:05SPEAKER_00: This is because sunlight influences several important biological systems within the brain and body that each play a role in the maintenance of our well-being and mood.
- 0:14SPEAKER_00: One of the ways that sunlight supports our mood is through its promoting effects on the levels of serotonin in our brain.
- 0:20SPEAKER_00: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter often referred to as the feel-good chemical, which plays numerous roles within the body, vital for our mental and physical well-being.
- 0:29SPEAKER_00: It acts as a natural mood stabilizer, playing a role in our emotional stability, our tolerance of frustration, irritability, and the regulation of anxiety.
- 0:37SPEAKER_00: Low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression and seasonal effective disorder, a form of depression that is more prevalent during darker months when sunlight exposure is reduced.
- 0:47SPEAKER_00: Serotonin is also required for the body to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone.
- 0:53SPEAKER_00: Melatonin manages our circadian rhythm, telling our brain when it is time to wake up and when it is time to go to sleep.
- 1:01SPEAKER_00: Therefore, higher levels of serotonin not only promote better mood and concentration, but also improve the quality of our sleep, which in turn improves our mood, energy levels, and emotional resilience.
- 1:12SPEAKER_00: Vitamin D production is also driven by sunlight exposure.
- 1:16SPEAKER_00: Vitamin D, which plays a role in healthy brain function, immune regulation, and bone health, has also been suggested through research that low levels can be associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
- 1:27SPEAKER_00: In addition, sunlight also reduces the levels of cortisol within our body, which is the body's main stress hormone.
- 1:34SPEAKER_00: This helps to relieve us of chronic stress and its related symptoms like brain fog.
- 1:39SPEAKER_00: Cortisol levels also impact our blood pressure, sugar levels, immune system, and plays an additional role in our sleep and wake cycle.
- 1:47SPEAKER_00: Exposure to sunlight can help balance and regulate our cortisol levels that play such a crucial role in the maintenance of not only your mental health, but our physical too.
- 1:56SPEAKER_00: Even when it is cloudy outside, natural sunlight has a much stronger intensity than indoor lighting, so ensuring you get some natural daylight is super important, and even just small increases in this exposure can have improving effects on your mental and physical well-being.
- 2:11SPEAKER_00: Here are some tips to get more sunlight.
- 2:13SPEAKER_00: Try and set a consistent waking time and open your curtains as soon as you get up.
- 2:18SPEAKER_00: Try and get outside at least once every day, even just for 10 or 15 minutes, and in the morning if possible.
- 2:24SPEAKER_00: Even have your breakfast in the garden if you have one or near a window.
- 2:28SPEAKER_00: If you can't get outside, sit close to a window that catches the natural sun.
- 2:33SPEAKER_00: When you do go to bed, try and black out your windows as best you can, and if you wake up during the night, try and keep the light off or use a dimmer light source as not to disrupt your circadian rhythm.
- 2:43SPEAKER_00: If you struggle with seasonal effect disorder and feel lower in the darker months, you could try a sad lamp, which works by mimicking natural sunlight exposure.
- 2:53SPEAKER_00: Of course, it is important to be safe in the sun due to its UV rays, so make sure you avoid peak times, wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and SPF.
- 3:02SPEAKER_00: If you are thinking about harming yourself or feel unsafe, please seek urgent support via crisis helpline or local emergency service.