Benefits of Natural Day Light

Sun is the ultimate source of energy and it holds a special place in Hindu religion, Mythology and Ayurveda. The Sun or Surya, also known as Hiranyagarbha or the “Golden Seed” has been regarded as the first teacher of Yoga and Vedanta in India and has been associated with the great Hindu mantra, the Gayatri Mantra – “song of deliverance”, also known as the solar mantra that can be traced back to Rig Veda, the oldest texts of the Hindu Religion.

Ayurveda as well as modern science has advocated the benefits of Natural Day Light. From ages, sun has been regarded as an ultimate healer. To appraise the value of this celestial body, the sun temple of Konark in Orissa marks a corner stone where the great Yogi Sri Krishna’s son, Samba was healed from leprosy. Such examples illustrate the healing capacities of sun light and inner transformation in ancient cultures. Sunbathing and sun gazing practices have been observed as common practice in many religions and cultures.

Before elaborating the benefits of natural day light, it is important to understand which is the best time to harness the best of benefits of sun? And what is the appropriate duration of solar exposure?  According to the Ayurveda, sun undergoes different transformation in its potentiating capacities throughout the day. The best time for sun exposure is of 10 to 15 minutes early in the morning or late in the evening to get maximum benefits out of it.  In general, one or two-hour window after sunrise and before sunset i.e. the time between 7 am to 9 am is considered to be good for our health as the UV levels are minimum during these hours.

As mentioned before, the right kind of sun exposure is beneficial in terms of both physical and mental health.  Safe sunbathing has been shown to comfort in a variety of problems, ranging from chronic skin conditions to mental depression. Research has shown that natural day light can influence our health and wellness by dropping ailments, reducing hospital stays and supporting the circadian rhythms toward greater health benefits.

Natural Day Light Makes You Happy and Boosted:  It is believed that in our body, the sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin, the body’s natural happy hormone that makes us feel invigorated, happier and more energetic in sun shine, thereby promoting a optimistic attitude while supporting in stress-reduction and augmenting one’s mood, efficiency, endurances and overall well-being.

Natural Day Light Prevents Depression: As discussed before, sunlight promotes mental awareness and many people are unaware about this value of sun. Depression has been often associated with a person’s behavioral preference of isolation and staying inside the enclosures, devoid of natural light. Permitting increased exposure to natural sunlight is advantageous in treating depression and will boost the mood.

Natural Day Light Promotes Better Sleep at Night: More light means greater energy and health. Sunlight increases our energy levels in day time and elicits the brain to stop producing melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep and wake cycles. This allows the person to stay more energized and awake during the day time, hence he can sleep better during the night.

Natural Day Light Helps to Treat Skin Conditions: according to Ayurveda, sunlight has potential to cure a variety of skin disorders like psoriasis, acne, eczema and fungal infections. Specific protocols have been described in Ayurveda that dictate regular controlled sun exposure of the diseased parts of the body to the sunlight in order to get rid of the ailment. Some protocols include alternating exposures of the affected areas to sun and shade followed by the application of medicated oils for the treatment of skin conditions.

Natural Day Light is The Source of Vitamin D – the Sunshine Vitamin.  Sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D for both children and adults. Exposure to sun light stimulates our body to generate the intracellular Vitamin D that promotes the absorption of calcium in the intestine leading to fortification of bones and teeth.

Natural Day Light is good for Heart Health. As medically proven, there is a strong association of vitamin D deficiency and Hypertension IDH, Cardiac Arrests and Cardiac Failures. Controlled Sunlight exposure promotes the production of Vitamin D in our body and lowers the blood pressure levels. Also associations have been made with increased levels of stress-hormones that cause inflammation of the body. These Negative hormones are produced in the body in the absence of sun light. Hence increased natural day light exposure helps in lowering the cholesterol level and blood pressure, thereby reflecting good heart health.

Natural Day Light Strengthens Immune System. Sunlight exposure increases the generation of T-cells. These are produced in our body as a component of our immune system by lymphoid system to kill bacteria and viruses inside our body and to fight against other toxic compounds in the body and boost our immunity. The Sunlight also increases oxygen-carrying capacity of Red Blood Cells.