I was listening to a Podcast the other day about how getting 30 minutes of morning light outside can help improve or correct your circadian rhythm, and strengthen adrenal function. I also remember hearing about this research study that came out earlier this year about how getting morning light can help you weigh less!
There must be some truth to this. We have heard over and over again how getting sufficient sleep can help normalize weight, and regulate hormones. More importantly, getting sleep during the dark hours of the day improves health. So, waking up right before sunrise should be equally as healing.
What This Means for The Thyroid
The root cause for many thyroid issues is inflammation in the body. Getting good sleep, and regulating your body clock properly will help to reduce stress and inflammation.
Another cause or symptom of thyroid disease is abnormal adrenal function or adrenal fatigue. Getting morning light exposure helps set the circadian rhythm right and therefore, balances out those stress hormones (aka cortisol).
Overall, any way we can reduce stress, reduce inflammation, and keep the body processes running optimally will improve health!
My Own Experience
I didn’t like to get up early and exercise in the past, but over the last few months I have been getting more and more morning light. This has helped me get in this routine, and I have felt better and better getting up early. It helps improve my energy for the rest of the day, and definitely reduces stress! Overall, I highly recommend to get in this early waking habit even though it can be tough in the beginning. It took me probably a year to get used to getting myself out of bed in the morning, so don’t be too hard on yourself either.
And, you don’t have to exercise to get this benefit of morning light. You can simply sit outside around sunrise and have a cup of coffee!
