6 Ways Natural Light Can Make You Healthier (and How to Get More)
It benefits vision
What happens if you stare directly at the sun? Nothing good, that’s for sure. But just because staring at it directly can result in eye damage, it doesn’t mean that the light created by the sun is not beneficial to your vision. In fact, the best light to live and work in is natural light.
According to researchers, natural sunlight boosts the production of dopamine, a hormone and a neurotransmitter with an important role in healthy eye development. Soaking up in the sun for at least three hours every day can turn your eyes from dull and lifeless to glowing and healthy.
On that note, check out Eye Health: 6 Effective Tips to Maintain Healthy Vision and watch out for important warning signs: Eye Problems? Here’s What It Says About Your Health.
It reduces health risks of fluorescent lighting
“Computer screens, smartphones and fluorescent light can cause eye strain that can lead to permanent eye damage. Natural light has been shown to lower the risk of nearsightedness in children and young adults by helping the eye produce dopamine, which aids in healthy eye development,” revealed a North Carolina State University research.
The more you deprive yourself of natural light and spend in the unnatural light of fluorescent bulbs, the higher the risks for associated side-effects such as migraines, eye strains and increased stress. Not to mention that broken compact fluorescent light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury that could get released in the air and potentially affect human health.
It helps with weight loss
It might sound too good to be true, but according to a recent study that links weight to light, 20 or 30 minutes of sun exposure in the morning can help you ward off extra pounds. According to the authors of the study, higher levels of serotonin (activated by natural light) curb cravings and suppress appetite.
In addition, a study conducted in 2014 and published the journal Diabetes revealed there’s an important connection between ultraviolet (UV) radiation and obesity, in that it suppresses levels of hunger and reduces symptoms of metabolic syndrome.
Read also 8 Popular Weight-Loss Diets That Could Be Total Disasters For You.
