My Top Tips for Optimal Metabolic Health: Let the Sunshine In!

Want to feel GREAT when you wake up tomorrow morning?

The first place you should start might surprise you: start by getting more sunshine! 

Sunlight is one of the very best tools you can use to optimize your metabolic function. Not only do the sun’s rays signal your body to make vitamin D, but they also send vital signals to your eyes.   

The position of the sun as it changes lets your biology know what time of day it is, and this helps to set our circadian rhythm. 

Circadian Rhythm

Our circadian rhythm is the mental, physical, and behavioral changes that our body goes through during a 24-hour period of time. Natural light helps us to manage this balance. 

This is why the rising and setting of the sun is one of the most important pieces of information received by our biology and by our metabolism. 

Our circadian rhythm is best served when we receive sunlight at 3 crucial times of day:

Sunrise

Sunlight first thing in the morning helps us raise an important neurotransmitter called dopamine.

Dopamine helps us stay motivated and focused, and helps us to exercise and see our goals through to completion by giving us a sense of reward. 

If we are low in dopamine, we will crave dopamine-increasing activities, such as eating foods that are high in fat and high in sugar, which slows down our metabolism.

Midday

Midday time spent in the sun has huge benefits for your metabolic function. Midday should not be confused with 12pm exactly. It refers to the time when the sun is at its peak in the sky, so not necessarily noon. Midday sun will increase serotonin production. 

At this time of day, the sun is directly over our heads, which tells our brains that it’s a time for energy and activity. 

Two other hormones sunlight helps us balance and manage are cortisol and melatonin. These work as antagonists to each other. When one is elevated, the other is low. 

Now the average human being used to sleep about 10 hours a night until they invented the lightbulb. Since we currently use so much artificial light, that average is down to less than 7 hours a night. 

Those three hours are interrupted from their healing functions since artificial lighting keeps mimicking that midday overhead light, keeping us from enough melatonin production, which ushers in the deeper, more restorative levels of sleep.

Sunset

A lovely evening walk during which you catch a bit of the sunset has great health benefits.

With the sun’s position at the horizon line at this time of day, our body receives the message that it is time to wind down for the day and get ready for sleep. 

If possible, all sources of light you use after sunset should be natural light and should be at horizon level or lower. This means avoiding all overhead lighting, and also switching to natural light like candles, campfires, or red bulbs. 

Overhead lighting mimics the position of the sun at midday since the light hits our retina the same way and signals to us that it’s time to be awake and active. This is a confusing and even disruptive message when used in the evening. 

The color temperature of your light sources also plays a role. During the day, the light we take in has a full spectrum of color, while in the evening, natural light sources go down into the 1200, 1000, or 800 Kelvin color temperatures of yellow, orange, and red. 

This message to our brain tells us what time of day it is AND what hormones to produce so that our body can function at its peak.

Start by balancing your circadian rhythms, and you’ll automatically balance your hormones and your metabolic function as well! 

Benefits of Deep, Restorative Sleep Brought On By Natural Light: 

• Increased fat burning
• Improved cognitive function
• Better detoxification

Have fun using sunlight as a tool today! It will regulate and automate your metabolic systems, and get them working for YOU.

If you are struggling with a sluggish metabolism, sleep disturbances, poor energy levels, brain fog, stubborn weight, and chronic aches and pains…

Then maybe it’s time for a new approach. 

I invite you to take action TODAY and fill out an appointment application to find out if our proven Metabolic Reset Program is right for you!

Fill out The Living Proof Application here: https://thelivingproofinstitute.com/apply-now/

Author: Sachin Patel

Sachin founded The Living Proof Institute as part of his own personal transformation. When he couldn’t find answers through conventional medicine he began to explore functional and lifestyle medicine and it dramatically changed his life.

Sachin has delivered hundreds of community workshops and his videos have been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people and his online posts have reached millions all over the world. He is an advocate for changing the healthcare paradigm and has devoted his life for the betterment of humanity.

Sachin leads by example and motivates others to take ownership over their own health. He is a passionate visionary that serves as both a teacher and a guide to help people create their best life and bring out their inner healer.