The days are getting longer, and that means more natural light for all!
(No, I’m not talking about that nasty tasting beer)
It’s time to take advantage of the extra daylight hours to revitalize your body,
mind and spirit!
Light governs your natural circadian rhythms, which regulate everything
from sleep to hormones, mood and libido.
The thing is, most of us only get a a fraction of our minimum daily requirement.
Researchers at the University of California at San Diego found that people need
three to eight hours exposure to sunlight every day to fine-tune our circadian
rhythms, but even the residents of San Diego only get an average of 58
minutes per day.
I know it’s easy to say, but if I lived there I’d be outside every day, teaching
classes outside all over the place.
Here are a few things you can do to boost your light quotient. If you have a porch,
sit on it to eat your breakfast. If you’re in a city, then eat at an outdoor cafe.
Take your workout outdoors (I LOVE teaching outdoors!), or add a morning walk
around the block to your routine.
I keep talking about morning, because studies show that early- morning exposure is
more beneficial than late-day light among people with seasonal affective disorder.
I happen to believe that we all have a touch of s.a.d., it just shows up more in some
than in others. So get out in the morning!
And don’t forget your sunscreen. Something with topical antioxidants like alpha
lipoic acid, ascorbic palmitate or coenzyme Q10. You can also protect yourself by
ingesting antioxidants, like Vitamins E and C. Best advice there is to just get a healthy multi-vitamin.
Step into the Light!!!
Your Fitness Coach,
Miranda Zukowski