Be Mindful: the new spa day setting you on a path to better wellbeing
Luxury spa, Ockenden Manor has created a unique wellbeing experience in a new collaboration with the founder of The Light Technique.
Read full postHow light affects our wellbeing as the clocks change
As the days get longer and the daffodils come up, there are some very real reasons why we tend to feel happier and more positive as we step into spring. It's not just that it's nice when it's light out - there are tangible reasons why more sunlight improves our sense of mental and physical wellness. In this article we look at how light affects our health and what we can do to maximise the health benefits of spring.
Studies show that the increased sunlight improves our mood and energy levels for a couple of reasons. While we all enjoy the increased warmth that typically comes with spring and the move towards summer, it's actually the light that has the biggest impact on how we feel.
Research indicates that sunlight helps the body to produce serotonin, linked to our sense of happiness and wellbeing. It's understood that this can happen in two ways. The first is that exposure to sunlight as it passes through the eye affects parts of the retina that trigger serotonin production.
However, another possibility, according to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, is that sunshine may directly stimulate the production of serotonin through the skin. They say:
"Research indicates that the skin has the serotonergic machinery to perform this task."
Another reason the increased amount of light that we experience in the spring impacts our wellbeing is because of the way it interacts with our circadian rhythm. It's not just that there's more light, but a better quality of light at this time of year, and that can improve our quality of sleep as our inbuilt body clock responds. That in itself tends to make us feel happier, but in addition, the quality of light has a direct impact on our mood as well. An article in The Guardian said: "light can be as effective in treating depression as Prozac."
Sunlight is also known to help our bodies produce vitamin D, which is good for our health in lots of ways. Harvard University wrote:
"It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important roles beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions."
As a result, the reported benefits of natural light include:
With that in mind, how can we take full advantage of the benefits of spring and the longer days as the clocks change?
You don't have to do anything particularly fancy to make the most of the increased levels of natural light - just give yourself a chance to be exposed to it! For example:
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Luxury spa, Ockenden Manor has created a unique wellbeing experience in a new collaboration with the founder of The Light Technique.
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