We've all encountered a touch of the ‘winter blues’ and daydreamed about the warmth of summer days. Yet, the importance of natural light in our lives goes beyond what we might initially perceive. Natural light is vital for our well-being, influencing vital functions such as circadian rhythms, vitamin D synthesis, mood, eye health, productivity, melatonin regulation, and our connection to the environment. This is especially important for people living or working in dark rooms with no daylight and shift workers who sleep during the day and work at night.

Circadian Harmony: The 24-Hour Symphony

Our bodies follow the rhythm of a 24-hour internal cycle known as the circadian rhythm, regulating physiological and behavioral patterns. Our circadian rhythm is Synchronised with external cues, particularly natural light. Any disruptions, like nighttime artificial light exposure, can lead to dissonance within our bodies, resulting in sleep disorders, mood swings, and metabolic imbalances. Unfortunately, our bodies were not designed to work through the dark night hours with artificial light and going against this natural rhythm could put our bodies into disharmony.

Sunlight's Role in Circadian Well-Being

Critical to circadian harmony is sunlight. Specialised eye cells, sensitive to sunlight, send signals to the brain's master clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, regulating essential functions. However, the reduced daylight hours in winter and our modern society's pressures to keep working through darker hours can upset this delicate balance, contributing to circadian misalignment and issues like disturbed sleep patterns and mood changes.

Seasonal Sadness

Seasonal mood changes experienced during the winter months can bring feelings of low energy and sadness. Limited sunlight exposure in winter can disrupt circadian rhythms and affect neurotransmitter production, particularly serotonin as well as impacting vitamin D production.

Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD)

A more serious case of winter depression is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs seasonally, typically in the winter. Individuals with SAD often experience symptoms like fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep patterns, and a persistent feeling of sadness. These symptoms are closely linked to the disruption of the circadian rhythm caused by diminished exposure to natural light. Modern lifestyles, with activities during dark hours, contribute significantly to circadian disruptions, including shift work, blue light exposure, overworking, and limited natural light exposure, posing risks to physical and mental health.

The Role of Vitamin D

Vitamin D, crucial for various physiological functions, plays a significant role in mood regulation and circadian rhythms. Linked to serotonin production and brain function, vitamin D influences feelings of well-being and happiness. It also contributes to the regulation of melatonin, a hormone essential for the sleep-wake cycle, and has receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the body's master clock. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels through sunlight exposure, diet, or supplements contribute to mental well-being and circadian balance.

So What Can We Do?

To mitigate the effects of winter blues we can adopt strategies to promote a healthy circadian rhythm, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, limiting exposure to artificial light in the evening, and ensuring exposure to natural light during the day. It's essential to strike a balance between our modern lifestyle demands and the natural circadian rhythms that our bodies are wired to follow.

Below are some practical tips for combating the winter blues and regulating our circadian rhythms. By incorporating these simple habits into your daily routine, you can achieve a more natural rhythm for your body and improve your mental health and overall well-being.

Natural Light Therapy

Using light therapy lamps can help regulate circadian rhythms, improve mood, and boost energy levels. The light emitted simulates natural sunlight, influencing the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and regulating the body's internal clock. Some lamps even mimic sunset and sunrise light spectrums for a natural sleep and wake up.

Getting outdoors

Ensuring sufficient exposure to natural light during the day is crucial for overall well-being. UVB rays from the sun are responsible for triggering the synthesis of vitamin D in your skin. Clouds can filter and scatter these UVB rays, diminishing their intensity. On overcast days, the level of UVB rays reaching the Earth's surface is lower, which means that the skin's ability to produce vitamin D is also reduced. However, even on cloudy days, some UVB rays can penetrate the clouds, allowing for some vitamin D synthesis to occur.

Establish a Digital Curfew

Limiting nighttime technology use, especially before bedtime, emerges as a practical strategy to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality by reducing disruptions. Set a specific time in the evening to stop using electronic devices. This can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down.

Environment Use "Night Mode" or Blue Light Filters

Many devices now have features like "Night Mode" or blue light filters that reduce the amount of blue light emitted. Enabling these features and wearing blue light glasses is an excellent choice for the evening, especially when watching TV or using screens.

Create a Sleep-Inducing Environment

Dim the lights to minimise exposure to artificial light in your living space during the evening as you approach bedtime. This sends signals to your body that it's time to sleep. Adopting strategies like maintaining a consistent sleep schedule will also help regulate your body's natural rhythms. Consider engaging in relaxing activities before bed, such as reading a physical book, practicing meditation, or taking a warm bath.

Supplement with Nature’s Sunshine’s Vitamin D3

Nature's Sunshine Vitamin D provide 100mcgs of Vitamin D3. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for maintaining the good health of bones and teeth and is required to help our bodies absorb calcium. We get most of our vitamin D from sunlight, and although we can get some from food, such as oily fish, eggs, and meat, it difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone.

Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to summer sunlight, so during the winter months it can be particularly challenging to get enough. During the winter, we must obtain vitamin D from our body’s stores and from food sources.

Some people in England have low vitamin D levels, and several groups are at greater risk of deficiency. These include pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under 5 years of age, people aged 65 and over, and people who are not exposed to much sun, for example, those who cover their skin, are housebound or who stay indoors for long periods.

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