Vitamin D & early morning daylight
There is a reason why we tend to feel low in mood in the winter months. Darker, shorter days, wet, cold weather, and less time out side, means our exposure to sunlight is reduced along with our vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities, arthritis, inflammation and depression. The government actually recommends that every adult in the UK takes a vitamin D supplement over the winter months because we do not get enough sunlight exposure. Other sources of vitamin D are; oily fish such as salmon, sardines and herring, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals.
Our bodies natural rhythms are affected by light and dark; this daily cycle is known as circadian rhythms.
When we are exposed to natural, early morning daylight, this signals to our bodies that it is time to get up and start our day by releasing more of the hormone cortisol.
With the comforts of modern houses, cars, and more recently, working from home, we are getting less and less natural daylight (particularly at the right time of the day). We are fortunate enough that we don’t have to run out to the outside loo anymore but this does impact on that early morning burst of light we would have received in the good old days.
In fact, our modern living now means we sleep on average 2 hours less a night than our grandparents. We stay up later and have exposure to blue light, which then affects how much melatonin we produce. Melatonin is the sleep hormone and it begins to rise once it gets dark. Its production reduces our risk of all chronic diseases and is what gives us a good night sleep.
By going outside first thing in the morning to exposure yourself to natural daylight, you reduced your risk of diseases and depression, you improve your immune function, your absorption of vitamin D and improve your sleep quality.
If you can’t get outside, open the window and poke your head out, the earlier and the longer the better.