“Getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is absolutely vital to mental and physical health.”
Dr. Andrew D. Huberman
Back to school means back to routine!
We love finding new ways to integrate the latest health science research into our day-to-day routines to optimize our health and overall wellbeing. That’s why we’ve been loving our morning walks to help us get back into our morning routines, and for good reason.
What does a morning walk have to do with back-to-school and overall wellbeing? More than you might think. Here’s why…
According to Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew D. Huberman, “getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is absolutely vital to mental and physical health.”
What does sunlight have to do with mental and physical health?
Natural light is known to stimulate brain regions that modulate mood, stress and learning in animals and humans [1]. Many studies have shown that light profoundly affects our mental and physical health. In particular, light, when not delivered at the appropriate time, may have detrimental effects [2].
What can I do to make sure that my family and I are getting sufficient natural light exposure at the right time of day?
That’s the easy part! According to Dr. Huberman, getting out for a 10-15 minute walk is enough to ensure that these neurons in the eye (ipRGCs) communicate to the brain that it’s daytime and time to be alert — even on cloudy days!
Don’t have 10 minutes to spare?
Don’t fret! As little as 2 minutes of outdoor light exposure can help you reap the benefits of natural light and ensure you start your day on the right foot.
So, what’re you waiting for?
Getting back into new routines is a great opportunity to build in a few extra moments with your family, your four-legged family members or even with your own thoughts while giving your health a boost at no cost. Now let’s get walking!
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