Natural light is a much sought-after perk among office employees who work within an enclosed space without a window to let the sunshine in. A survey conducted by Future Workplace showed that the majority of office workers consider access to natural light as the best attribute of a workplace together with views of the outdoors.

This means natural light has a way of uplifting the mood of anybody. This is just one of the many benefits of natural light. Here are other benefits you can get when you go out and have a bit of fun under the sun.

Increases Vitamin D Intake

Sunlight is a good source of vitamin D, which is why it’s called the “sunshine vitamin.” Vitamin D is an important nutrient that regulates the amount of phosphate and calcium in the body. These two nutrients are essential for healthy bones and teeth. They also help keep the muscles healthy.

Vitamin D also strengthens your immune system and reduces the risks of certain cancers and heart disease. You’ll also stave off weight gain when you have your daily dose of sunlight. But there can also be other factors that allow you to keep the extra pounds off aside from staying under the sun.

With this, you should go out at least once a day and have your fill of sunshine. Just make sure to wear a mask if you’ll pass by a store and stay a safe distance away from someone who’s not a part of your household.

Improves Sleep

Melatonin is a hormone your body products to help you sleep. It’s only produced when the sun has set, and your room is dark. At this point, you’ll already feel sleepy. This situation normally happens around two hours after the sun has set. This also shows why we normally stay up late during the summer.

Studies have shown that you will sleep better if exposed to natural light for an hour in the morning. Sunlight essentially regulates the production of melatonin in the body. When you’re exposed to more sunlight, your body will produce a suitable level of melatonin during bedtime. A study conducted in 2014 showed that workers experienced better sleep if exposed to more natural light when it’s still daytime.

Fight Stress

Aside from improving sleep, natural sunlight also allows you to reduce stress levels. Studies have shown that melatonin can help reduce the feeling of anxiety in a person. While these studies were conducted on people who were about to go to surgery, it worked better than other medications.

And since natural sunlight helps regulate the production of melatonin, it can help reduce stress by allowing the body to produce the hormone at night. But an active lifestyle will also help reduce stress, especially with the situation we’re in right now.

Fights Feelings of Sadness

Many people feel happy when autumn comes since they get to have a bit of fun on fallen leaves. But others feel down since it’s when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) starts to come in. SAD is a form of depression whose symptoms start to emerge during the autumn and winter seasons. There is less sunlight during these seasons.

While some people say depression is all in the head, it’s been proven that sunlight has a way of improving a person’s mood. It increases serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is a hormone associated with improving a person’s mood and letting them feel focused and calm.

So, if you feel sad, you might need a bit of light in your life. And reading a depressing story can make the feeling worse. To counter this, you can either go out and get some sunlight or use an LED magnifying light when you’re reading, especially at night.

Reduce Fluorescent Lighting Risk

Even as fluorescent light offers many benefits, including being environment-friendly, they also have some health risks. One health risk is the mercury in the bulbs that pose a health hazard if the lights break.

While this risk can be mitigated by safe handling of the bulbs, you’ll further reduce the risk when you spend more time outdoors. Aside from possible mercury vapor exposure, the light itself can cause eye strain and migraines for some people.

This situation was prevalent in the past before changes were made to make the light more user-friendly. Despite the lesser chances of developing eye strain, some people still feel this due to their sensitivity to this light source.

While going out and having a bit of sunlight is good for the health, it’s still important for you to remember to follow proper health protocols and wear a mask. This is particularly true if you’re planning to take a walk around the neighborhood.