The Most Overlooked Wellness Essential...

LIGHT is the most overlooked wellness essential that affects core vitality, weight, sleep, mood and other body-mind functions. Without the sun there would be no life on this planet. Just like a green plant, our bodies require the full-spectrum of light exposure to thrive which is equivelent to the process of photosynthesis; a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy.

The sun is not only essential for wellness it can also be quite a natural healer as well. As a matter of fact, research shows that — our genes are programmed to respond to exposure to full spectrum light — now believed to be critical for the development, growth and maintenance of a healthy body and mind.

Pioneering photobiologist Dr. John Ott demonstrated that humans are adapted to sunlight as a vital stimulus that helps keep our biological systems running smoothly. Dr. Ott coined the term mal-illumination; a condition that he likened to malnutrition. This medical syndrome silently occurs when we are out of sync with nature and don't receive the full-spectrum of light in the correct dosage at the appropriate time of day. 

When we talk about sun exposure, researchers are identifying the biological activity influenced by the various wavelengths of the sun’s light spectrum. For example, we now know that a whole host of physiological processes are directed by one’s circadian rhythm (internal time clock) which is calibrated by exposure to natural light and darkness. Natural sunlight consists of approximately 1500 wavelengths and will expose you to the full light spectrum, which encompasses the entire spectrum of colors: violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.

The late Dr. Auguste Rollier known as The Sun Doctor, is inevitably associated with the treatment of skeletal tuberculosis by heliotherapy. Dr. Rollier had written text books on heliotherapy, a medical therapy involving exposure to sunlight to treat disease. His books emphasized that the composition of the different parts of the light spectrum are of vital importance to achieve all of the benefits you can get from the sun.

For example, UVB synthesizes vitamin D in our skin and UVA generates nitric oxide, also in our skin, which influences our body in a number of beneficial ways. Most notably, nitric oxide protects our heart by relaxing our blood vessels and lowering our blood pressure. It also stimulates our brain, kills bacteria, and helps defend against tumor cells — obviously UV light can be very beneficial, provided it’s not excessive.

In short, the full blend of light wavelengths in sunlight enables our bodies to react in a balanced and beneficial way, which is one of the reasons why regular sun exposure is such a critical component of a healthy lifestyle.

Enhance Your Health By Spending More Time in the Sun

It is important to receive essential sun exposure all year long, preferably every day and especially in the morning. Morning light, entering our eyes, regulates our vital circadian rhythms that control appetite, energy, mood, sleep, libido and other body-mind functions. Interestingly, morning light has been linked to weight loss in recent research from Northwestern University.  Fifty four participants with an average age of 30 and, using wrist monitors, kept tabs on their light exposure, activity, and sleep patterns for seven days. They also followed participants’ eating patterns via food logs. The findings: Even after controlling for all non-light exposure factors, the influence of morning light on weight was considerable—it accounted for roughly 20% of the subject’s BMIs, meaning those with earlier light exposure weighed less.

Our bodies are adapted to very specific lighting conditions: bright balanced, full-spectrum light during the day, and low level fire-light in the evening followed by darkness. This rhythm of light and dark is what drives our circadian clock. Disregarding the biological adaptation to sunlight is a recipe for poor health because so much of our biology is regulated and influenced by various wavelengths of light. Unfortunately for millions of people, the advent of the computer age has created an indoor lifestyle of 'contemporary cavedwellers' that are unwittingly starving for light! Weight gain, poor sleep, depression and fatigue are some of the serious side affects associated with being out of sync with the natural rhythm and radiant energy of light.   

Absorbing daily sunlight or balanced, full-spectrum light when indoors, is an all year ideal for optimum wellness and disease prevention.  Additionally, it’s also important to reduce indoor environmental lighting (half hour to an hour) prior to bedtime, especially blue light emitted from cell phones, computers and TV. Too much light at night, blue wavelengths primarily, inhibits the production of the sleep hormone; melatonin.

If you’re interested in more information and research about light and your health please visit Science of Light (SOL), a non-profit organization focused on biologically beneficial light research for enhanced vitality and wellness. SOL offers a free e-Book & MP3 and cutting edge full-spectrum light bulbs for wellness.

SOL is dedicated to the memory of pioneering photobiologist, Dr. John Ott — the father of full-spectrum light technology and works to raise awareness of mal-illumination.