02/26/2026
Your sign to get some sun 👆🏼☀️
Getting sunlight before 10 a.m. can help reset your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality.
Your circadian rhythm is your internal clock. It helps decide when you feel alert and when you feel sleepy. That clock is highly sensitive to light, especially in the morning.
In a large population study published in BMC Public Health, adults who got more sunlight before 10 a.m. had an earlier sleep midpoint. The sleep midpoint is the halfway point between when you fall asleep and when you wake up. It’s one way researchers measure sleep timing, which simply means when your sleep happens on the clock.
Aim for 20 to 30 minutes of natural light before 10 a.m. Step outside with your coffee. Take a short walk. Sit in direct daylight if you can. Morning light is one of the strongest signals your brain uses to set your daily rhythm.
Small changes in light exposure can influence when your body feels ready for sleep at night and alert in the morning.
de Menezes-Júnior LAA, Sabião T da S, Carraro JCC, Machado-Coelho GLL, Meireles AL. The role of sunlight in sleep regulation: analysis of morning, evening and late exposure. BMC Public Health. 2025 Oct 6;25(1):3362.
