Sunshine Is Key to Mood and Sleep

Light. Plants need it to grow. Turns out our brains need it as well – but the kind of light and when we are exposed to it matters.

A study out of Monash University in Australia has found that getting enough natural sunlight each day can impact a person’s mood and the quality of their sleep.

Ph.D. student Angus Burns and Associate Professor Sean Cain of the Monash University Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health led an international research team in studying the effects of light on mood and sleep on over 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank program.

Their findings? A lack of light in the daytime “was a risk factor for depressive symptoms, poor mood, and insomnia.”

Most discussions around light and health are focused on the importance of avoiding light at night, said Burns, since it disrupts our natural body clocks. This study underscored our need to get enough natural light in the daytime to ensure our bodies function at their best.

“In this study, we observed that the greater time spent in outdoor light during the day was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, lower odds of using antidepressant medication, better sleep and fewer symptoms of insomnia,” Burns explained.

Why? Light directly impacts our “circadian system and the direct effects of light on mood centers in the brain,” he added.

Associate Professor Cain emphasized our body’s need for natural – outdoor – sunlight. In modern society, “People now spend most waking hours in intermediate, artificial lighting conditions, due to reduced sunlight exposure and relatively bright night-time light exposure,” he said.

“In this study, we observed that greater time spent in outdoor light was associated with better mood outcomes, better quality sleep, and ease of wakening.” Depressive disorders may be directly impacted by insufficient exposure to daytime light.

The good news? Making small changes to our habits – getting outdoors during the daytime – can have an impact on how we feel during the day and how well we rest at night, said Professor Cain.

“My general advice for everyone is simple: When the sun is out, get as much light as you can, but after it sets, keep it dark. Your body will thank you.”

Read the full article here.

Or read the research study for yourself.

 

Monash University. “Natural light may be key to improving mood and reducing insomnia.” 11 Oct 2021, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-10-natural-key-mood-insomnia.html.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash