The Power of Natural Light

(Foreword: This post was written and meant to be posted over a week ago, on June 11th, 2019. But then life got busy and I got lazy, so here it is a week late! Enjoy!)

Good morning! Currently, I am sitting in the kitchen at my boyfriends’ cottage, a little later than I had originally planned. It’s going to be my birthday later on this week, so this our mini celebration. He knew I just wanted to sit by the water, soak in the sunshine and eat as many blackberries as my stomach will let me. It’s a beautiful sunny morning and there’s a nice cool breeze coming in through the screen door, the birds are chirping, the dragonflies are buzzing and there is a chipmunk that’s made a home under the porch. I know, I feel a little bit like I’ve been placed into a Disney movie and I am incredibly content.

Today, I wanted to talk about the power of natural light and the positive impact it has on my mind and body. When I was around seven or eight years old, I made the decision to start my days by opening my window, letting in the natural light and breathing fresh air into my lungs. I don’t remember exactly where or why I had gotten the idea that this was good for me but it was probably a subconscious thought from something my parents had told me.

I’ve always been an early riser, so I would wake up and open as many windows as I could. I remember the feeling it gave me to let the morning light filter into my room and feel the cool outdoor breeze wake up my sleep addled brain. I didn’t know why it was important, only that it was, and that I should hold on to the sensation natural light gave me.

If you were to research the health benefits of natural light on the human mind and body, it would talk about the importance of getting your vitamin D, about how it increases productivity and how it aids in stabilizing our circadian rhythm, which is just the body’s natural sleep cycle. There is a feeling of calm that comes with just turning your face to the window and allowing the sunlight to sit on your skin and bring you a fleeting moment of calm. Those couple of seconds you took to just enjoy the sun and not look at your phone, which is constantly emanating destructive blue light and positive ions, has helped to calm your cortisol levels (your bodies stress hormone) on a minuscule level . Now, imagine taking a few minutes every day to do just that, sit by the window or even go outside, breathe deeply into your chest and stomach, and allow your brain to calm. That, in and of itself, is a small form of meditation and is good for your physical and mental health long-term. Those few minutes you took to meditate and be mindful can help to reset your mood and your brain for the day.

It’s one of my favourite feelings in the world; waking up, standing in the sun and stretching the sleep from my body. I feel happy, rejuvenated and ready to take on the day, as sappy and cliché as that sounds. Open your window, let in the sunshine and start your day in a positive way. Keep being mindful and kind to your body and I hope you have a great morning.

Love, Sy