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Mind, Sense & Soul: Light
Bright, natural light, especially in the morning, boosts alertness, improves mood, reaction speed, gut health and helps you fall asleep faster at night. Without enough of it, we are all grumpier, slower and fatter!
Light is measured in ‘lux’ and even on a gloomy day, heading outside will give you 5000+ lux when compared to just 2-300 lux in a regular home or office. The upshot? Get outside, every day, in the light, especially between 8 and midday. It will make a huge difference to your mental health.
S.A.D
Do you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)? Whether you think you do or whether you just need more light, it might be worth investing in a SAD light, to boost your daily lux intake. Find one we’ve tried and tested here (UK) and here (US).
Take Vitamin D!
Take Vitamin D, especially if you are in the UK right now. We need Vitamin D to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies and keep our bones, teeth and muscles working. Not having enough can lead to deformities and tooth problems, especially with children. The NHS says we need to take 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day between October and early March and now is particularly important as we have not been outside as much due to the pandemic.
Our bodies create vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors. You can also boost your intake from oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel), red meat, liver, egg yolks, fortified foods (such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals) and of course, supplements. Try this minty tasting daily spray. Kids love it too ( I can confirm!)
There’s so much to learn about how getting enough sunlight benefits our physical and mental health. Here are some fascinating things to read and listen to by the experts:
Podcast
The Power of Light to Transform your Health. Linda Geddes talks to Dr Rangan Chattergee on the Feel Better, Live More podcast.
Bitesize podcast (8 mins)
Full Podcast (1 hr 45)
Book
Chasing the Sun, by Linda Geddes. Buy it here.
Articles
What is SAD and do I have it? Read here.
The hidden power of light - Ingrid Fettell Lee. Read here.
The psychological impact of light and color. Read here.
To see our other Mind Sense & Soul videos, links and articles, click here.
This video series was made in partnership with Mcguigan ZERO,
the premium, alcohol-free, Australian wine range.
McGuigan Zero is alcohol-free wine created using state-of-the-art spinning cone technology. By drawing the wine into super fine layers for efficient vaporisation, alcohol may be removed at lower temperatures than ever before, thus resulting in a wine that retains its taste.
