Why 15 Minutes of Sunlight a Day Matters

Hello, Shirley! Welcome back to Good Helpful Hints with Jianna. With Daylight Saving Time starting, it’s a great opportunity to talk about the importance of getting outside and spending time in the sun.

After a long winter filled with darkness, snowstorms, and freezing temperatures, many of us are looking forward to the days getting brighter again. With the sun staying out later, it’s the perfect time of year to build the habit of getting outside for at least 15 minutes a day. Research shows that sunlight helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, which supports the immune system, promotes healing, and helps regulate our sleep cycle.

Spending time in the sun also helps regulate our circadian rhythm, which is essentially our body’s internal clock. This system helps guide when our bodies should feel awake and alert versus when they should begin winding down for rest. When our circadian rhythm is balanced, it can significantly improve our sleep quality and overall sleep hygiene.

It may seem obvious, “Of course I’m getting outside!,” but with busy day-to-day schedules, spending intentional time outdoors can easily fall to the bottom of the to-do list. One helpful way to build this habit is by planning outdoor time in advance. We regularly add appointments and meetings to our calendars, so why not treat time outside the same way? When something is scheduled, we are much more likely to follow through.

To summarize, this week’s helpful hint is to plan time to be outside every day (while keeping weather conditions in mind, of course). Try finding one activity you enjoy that gets you outdoors, whether it’s taking a walk, stretching in the sun, or meeting a friend outside.

Sometimes the smallest habits, like spending a few minutes in the sunlight, can have a big impact on our health and well-being.