5 Minutes
Sunlight is far more than a natural source of warmth and brightness. It’s a powerful orchestrator of our internal biological processes. From regulating our sleep-wake cycles to supporting skin health and even influencing our cardiovascular system, the sun’s rays play an important role in our body’s proper function.
Modern lifestyles tend to keep us inside under artificial lighting, and we have been told for years that sun exposure is dangerous, but the right amount of sun at the right time can change our health and vitality in remarkable ways.
Rise and shine: The circadian rhythm reset
Morning sunlight exposure is a precise timekeeper for our internal biological clock, helping to synchronise our circadian rhythm, the natural 24-hour cycle that regulates many of our bodily functions. When we step outside in the morning light, we’re doing much more than simply enjoying the fresh air; we’re actively calibrating our entire physiological system.
In the morning, sunlight helps to tell your circadian clock what time it is, essentially providing a reset button for your internal timekeeper. This morning light exposure sends signals to your brain that it’s time to be alert and active and sets the stage for quality sleep later that evening. Without this natural morning light cue, our internal rhythm can drift, leading to disrupted sleep patterns, daytime fatigue, and even mood disorders over time.
Your circadian rhythm orchestrates a cascade of hormones and signals that coordinate everything from your metabolism and digestion to your cognitive function and immune response. Without proper light exposure, particularly in the morning, these delicate biological processes can fall out of tune, contributing to various health issues, including metabolic disorders.
Sleep-wake cycle re-sync
For people who struggle with sleep issues, morning sunlight might be the missing link. People who receive adequate sunlight in the morning fall asleep faster and enjoy better sleep quality at night. This is because morning light exposure helps suppress melatonin (your sleep hormone), helping you feel alert. As the day goes by, the effects of the morning light wear off, and in the evening, melatonin rises. This helps you fall asleep more easily.
Invisible rays, visible benefits
Sunlight contains a spectrum of light wavelengths, including near-infrared (NIR) light. While we can’t see this light, our bodies respond remarkably to its presence. NIR light penetrates deeper into our tissues than visible light, stimulating cellular energy production and triggering healing responses at the cellular level. This natural component of sunlight provides therapeutic benefits that modern medicine is only beginning to harness through targeted light therapies.
Boosting circulation
One of the most fascinating aspects of near-infrared light is its positive influence on our vascular system. NIR light promotes vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels, which improves circulation throughout the body. Improved blood flow increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells while facilitating the removal of metabolic waste products. Improved circulation triggered by NIR light also supports faster healing of tissues, reduction of inflammation, and relief from joint and muscle pain.
The sunlight-collagen connection
Excessive sun exposure poses risks to skin health, but the right amount of sunlight exposure at the right time of day is important for skin integrity. Sunlight helps the skin produce vitamin D, which supports numerous processes, including collagen synthesis. Collagen, the most abundant protein in our bodies, provides structure and elasticity to our skin.
Research shows that enhanced collagen levels support the skin’s natural barrier, potentially reducing the effects of UV exposure on skin health. This creates an interesting balance. Moderate sun exposure may help strengthen your skin’s resilience, while excessive exposure breaks down these same protective mechanisms.
Morning sunlight’s perks
- Mood elevator: Morning light exposure increases serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood regulation and feelings of well-being. People who wake earlier and get morning sun exposure are less likely to develop depression, anxiety or other mood disorders.
- Vitamin D boost: Morning sun triggers vitamin D synthesis in the skin, supporting bone health, immune function, and calcium regulation.
- Cortisol regulation: Morning light exposure increases cortisol levels in a healthy pattern. This small early morning spike in cortisol helps to regulate your cortisol throughout the day and make you more resilient to stress.
- Weight management aid: Early light exposure helps regulate hormones involved in appetite and metabolism, supporting healthy weight maintenance.
Radiate health: make sunlight your ally
Living naturally means working with, not against, the elements that have supported human health for millennia. In our modern world of indoor living and artificial lighting, we’ve often lost touch with the profound health benefits of natural sunlight.
Reconnecting with sunlight, particularly during morning hours, changes our health in remarkable ways. To incorporate more morning light into your routine, open your curtains as soon as you wake up. You can also take a 30-minute morning walk, enjoy breakfast near a window, or simply step outside when you first wake up. These small changes will help you harness the natural healing power of sunlight.
Sunlight doesn’t simply provide brightness and warmth. It synchronises your body with nature’s rhythms. When you make the morning sun your ally, you tap into the innate power of nature to improve your well-being, one sun-kissed moment at a time.
References and additional reading:
- 4 benefits to waking early and how to make the transition (no date) Summa Health. Available at: https://www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2023/09/4-benefits-to-waking-early-and-how-to-make-the-transition
- 5 benefits of near-infrared light therapy (2024) TheraLight. Available at: https://www.theralight.com/theralight-blog/5-benefits-of-near-infrared-light-therapy
- Burns, A.C. et al. (2021) Time spent in outdoor light is associated with mood, sleep, and circadian rhythm-related outcomes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in over 400,000 UK Biobank participants, Journal of affective disorders. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8892387/
- Fleury, N., Geldenhuys, S. and Gorman, S. (2016) SUN exposure and its effects on human health: Mechanisms through which sun exposure could reduce the risk of developing obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction, MDPI. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/10/999
- Lomas, E. and Hughes, L. (2025) The benefits of Morning Sunlight & how to make it a habit, The Pulse Blog. Available at: https://ouraring.com/blog/benefits-of-morning-sunlight/
- Smith, C. (2023) More sunlight exposure may improve sleep: Restorative sleep, Lifestyle Medicine. Available at: https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2023/08/17/more-sunlight-exposure-may-improve-sleep/
- The ‘Hidden’ power of (sun)light: How near-infrared light can improve your well-being (2023) Home | Good Light Group | Foundation. Available at: https://www.goodlightgroup.org/post/the-hidden-power-of-sun-light-how-near-infrared-light-can-improve-your-well-being