Get Morning Daylight
Getting natural morning daylight (it does not need to be sunny) is important for regulating the body's internal rhythm. There are cells in the back of your eyes that can detect different wavelengths of light from the sun. This process influences sleep, hormone levels, and alertness. When people get enough sunlight early in the day, it helps synchronize their circadian rhythm with the day-night cycle, leading to better and more consistent sleep.
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Morning light influences cortisol, a hormone that regulates energy and stress. Cortisol levels start to increase early in the morning, and then increase significantly shortly after waking, helping you stay alert during the day and sleep soundly at night. Getting natural light in the morning helps maintain balanced cortisol levels, which supports a good mood and clear thinking. Daylight also has an impact on the pineal gland in the brain, which impacts melatonin production, a hormone that is important for nighttime sleep.
Keeping circadian rhythms aligned and maintaining balanced cortisol levels are crucial for mental health. People who get morning daylight feel better, experience less anxiety and depression, and think more clearly. Simply adding morning daylight to your daily routine is a natural way to help balance hormones and improve mental health
Even on cloudy days, spending time outside provides enough natural light. On sunny days, 15 minutes usually suffices. On cloudy days, aim for 20 to 30 minutes. Any amount is better than none. Don’t look directly at the sun. Blink frequently to keep your eyes comfortable. Sunglasses can block the beneficial natural light.
Consult your eye doctor or medical provider if you have health concerns related to light. If you’re not used to being outside, you might experience a mild headache initially.
Spending time outside at sunset is also beneficial, but has less impact on our sleep than morning sunlight. For more information, visit Huberman Lab, created by Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He shares a lot of free information on this and other interesting topics.
For more information on cortisol:
Stalder, T., Oster, H., Abelson, J. L., Huthsteiner, K., Klucken, T., Clow, A. (2025). The cortisol awakening response: Regulation and functional significance. Endocrine Reviews, 46(1), 43–59. https://doi.org/10.1210/endrev/bnae024
For more information on circadian rhythm:
Ding, M., Zhou, H., Li, Y., Zheng, Y. (2024). Molecular pathways regulating circadian rhythm and associated diseases. Frontiers in Bioscience. (Landmark Ed) 2024, 29(6), 206. https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2906206