19/11/2025
🍁the importance of daylight exposure in winter 🍁A great bit of self-care we can do in winter is to make sure we spend enough time outdoors every day in what little daylight there is at this time of year as this could help to keep our mood buoyant and our sleep patterns nice and regular.
For those of us who work from home, this is even more important, as it's easy to not go out at all at this time of year when it's cold and gets dark so early.
When we expose our eyes to daylight, especially in the morning, it triggers certain parts of our brain and boosts our serotonin levels and along with it our mood and energy. It also helps us sleep better at night by telling our brain to produce more natural melatonin in the evening; the sleepy hormone. If you have a green space near to you to get out into at this time of year that's a great option as you get all the other health benefits that brings, but if not, just being out under the sky and in daylight is really beneficial, even for just 20 minutes a day.
If you can get out into a green space then you'll get the added 'eco-therapy' that this brings, including a lowering of stress and blood pressure, a lift in mood and an increase in immune cells, all which has been scientifically proven to happen when we spend at least 20-minutes in a natural outdoor space.
I’m trying to get out for a daily morning walk at the moment, both because I love seeing the colours of the trees at this time of year, and I'm lucky enough to live near to some green space and trees. I know a morning walk, with the combination of gentle exercise and daylight exposure will help keep my mood and energy up over the darker winter months, as well as help keep me calm and grounded over the coming craziness of the festive season!
If you are someone who struggles with their mood in winter then herbal medicine treatment might also help support you. Feel free to get in touch or book a free 'discovery call' via the links in my bio.
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