I don’t know about where you live, but here in Surrey, the sun has returned, and spring is in the air.
Birds are chirping, daffodils are standing tall, and for the first time in a while—there’s not a cloud (or chemtrail) in sight. What a beautiful sight.
But the sun isn’t just a nice thing to look at—in fact, it’s proving to be the most important factor in human health.
And I'm optimistic that the growing appreciation for the healing powers of the sun (and the dangers of artificial light and indoor living), represents a slow but steady evolution in the way we understand what good health really means.
The Sun: Your Body’s Master Regulator
Most people think of the sun as a source of vitamin D, but its impact goes far beyond that. Every single cell, organ, and system in your body is influenced by light.
Without proper sunlight exposure, your body falls out of sync, leading to dysfunction that can show up in all kinds of ways—low energy, poor digestion, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and weakened immunity.
All leading to?
You guessed it - disease.
When you don’t get enough sunlight, your body struggles to regulate hormones, neurotransmitters, gut bacteria, and immune responses—because all of these systems are tied to your circadian biology.
Circadian Rhythm: The Foundation of Health
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s 24-hour internal clock, controlled by natural light cycles.
Research has shown it dictates when you should wake up, when you should eat, how well you digest food, when your brain is sharpest, and when your body repairs itself.
Yet in today’s world, we spend most of our time indoors, under artificial lights, staring at screens, and completely disconnected from nature’s rhythms.
This mismatch between modern life and our biology is why so many people struggle with poor sleep, low mood, metabolic issues, and chronic inflammation.
The Real Hierarchy of Health
Most people focus on diet, exercise, and supplements—but those are all secondary to light exposure and circadian alignment.
If your body isn’t getting the right signals from the sun, your diet, exercise sessions, and supplements may help, but they won't will fix the underlying problem.
That’s why the return of the sun is huge. It’s an opportunity to reset your health naturally.
How to Harness the Power of Sunlight
1. Get Morning Sunlight
The first thing you should do after waking up is step outside and expose your eyes and skin to natural sunlight. This simple habit anchors your circadian rhythm and sets you up for a day of higher energy, better mood, and improved focus.
How It Works:
- Sunlight enters your eyes and signals the brain's suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), your body's master clock, to start the day.
- This triggers a cortisol spike, which wakes you up, sharpens your brain, and prepares you for action.
- Early sunlight also boosts serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential for mood regulation. Higher serotonin levels in the morning lead to better melatonin production at night, improving sleep quality.
How to Do It Right:
- Go outside within 30 minutes of waking up—even if it's cloudy, the natural light is still much stronger than indoor lighting.
- Get at least 5-10 minutes of direct exposure (longer if it's winter or cloudy).
- Don't wear sunglasses—your eyes need full-spectrum light to send the proper signals to your brain.
- If possible, let some sunlight hit your skin to start priming your body for vitamin D production later in the day.
2. Avoid Artificial Light at Night
At sunset, your body expects darkness. But in modern life, we surround ourselves with blue light from screens, LED bulbs, and streetlights—which tricks our brain into thinking it’s still daytime.
How It Works:
- Artificial blue light suppresses melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep and reducing sleep quality.
- Poor melatonin levels don’t just affect sleep; they also disrupt your immune system, metabolism, and mental health.
- Excessive nighttime light exposure is linked to higher stress levels, weight gain, and even increased risk of chronic diseases.
How to Fix It:
- Dim the lights after sunset. Use warm, red, or amber bulbs instead of harsh white or blue lighting.
- Avoid screens (phones, laptops, TVs) 1-2 hours before bed. If that’s not possible, use blue-light-blocking glasses or screen filter apps.
- Use candles or salt lamps in the evening to create a more natural, relaxing environment.
- Limit bright overhead lighting—switch to lamps with low-wattage, warm-colored bulbs.
3. Expose More Skin to Sunlight
Your skin is designed to absorb sunlight—not just for vitamin D, but also to activate energy production, immune function, and mental clarity.
How It Works:
- Sunlight stimulates vitamin D synthesis in your skin, a hormone crucial for bone health, immune function, and mood regulation.
- Infrared and UV light interact with mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of your cells), enhancing ATP production, which means more energy and better cellular repair.
- Natural light exposure signals your nervous system to regulate neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, boosting mental focus and emotional resilience.
How to Do It Right:
- Aim for at least 15-30 minutes of direct sun exposure daily (without sunscreen for the first few minutes).
- The best time for vitamin D production is midday (between 10 AM and 2 PM).
- Expose as much skin as possible—arms, legs, back, and even your torso if possible.
- If you’re worried about sun damage, start slow (5-10 minutes) and build up tolerance.
4. Sync Your Daily Routine to Natural Light
Your body evolved to function in alignment with the sun’s natural cycle. Ignoring this leads to hormonal imbalances, metabolic dysfunction, and poor mental health.
How It Works:
- Your digestive system, immune function, and cognitive performance are all time-dependent—they perform best when synced with light exposure.
- Eating and exercising at the wrong times (e.g., late at night) disrupts metabolism and can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, and sluggish energy levels.
- Working in dim indoor lighting all day can reduce dopamine and serotonin levels, making you feel more anxious, fatigued, and less productive.
How to Fix It:
- Wake up with the sun and get morning sunlight ASAP.
- Eat your biggest meal when the sun is highest (midday)—this aligns digestion with your body’s peak energy cycle.
- Exercise during daylight hours—preferably outside, to maximize light exposure.
- As the sun sets, wind down your activities. Reduce intense work, stop eating heavy meals, and prepare for sleep.
5. Sleep in Total Darkness
Your body regenerates at night based on light cues. Even small amounts of artificial light can disrupt sleep, suppress melatonin, and impact recovery.
How It Works:
- Light exposure at night (even dim light) tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, reducing melatonin production.
- Poor melatonin levels lead to shallow sleep, increased stress hormones (cortisol), and a weakened immune system.
- Streetlights, nightlights, and even standby lights on electronics can disrupt deep sleep stages (especially REM and deep-wave sleep).
How to Fix It:
- Use blackout curtains to eliminate streetlights or moonlight from your bedroom.
- Turn off all screens and unnecessary electronics (even small LED standby lights can interfere with sleep).
- If you need a nightlight, use a dim red light, which has minimal impact on melatonin.
- Wear an eye mask if complete darkness isn’t possible.
Esoteric Perspectives on Sunlight: Is the Sun a Conscious Life-Giver?
For centuries, mystical traditions, ancient religions, and esoteric schools of thought have revered the sun—not just as a source of physical light, but as a conscious force of creation.
Modern science now acknowledges that light is literally life—Quantum physics shows that everything is fundamentally made of light (photons).
So what if the sun is more than just a burning ball of gas?
From an esoteric perspective, the sun is the source of all life on Earth and light is the primary building block of existence.
In Hermeticism, Hinduism, and Gnostic traditions, the sun is often described as a divine being, a portal to higher consciousness, or the physical manifestation of a spiritual force.
Ancient Egypt revered Ra, the solar deity, as the giver of life and consciousness. And pharaohs were seen as earthly embodiments of the sun’s divine power.
And now in modern day, quantum physics has blurred the line between matter and energy, showing that everything is fundamentally made of light (photons).
Maybe mystic traditions are on to something?
The Rise of the Modern Sun-Worship Movement
There is a growing movement of people rediscovering the power of the sun, not just for health but for spiritual and energetic well-being.
This movement has its roots in obscure online forums, health-conscious influencers, and independent researchers sharing obscure studies, forgotten books, and ancient wisdom about the sun.
More and more legitimate health experts are also embracing sunlight as the foundation of health.
Many have highlighted research on sunlight’s effects (often from the 1800s to early 1900s) that have been buried or ignored in favour of pharmaceutical solutions (AKA patentable, profitable drugs).
Now, people are uncovering long-lost research on heliotherapy, infrared healing, and light-based medicine.
Many practicing sun gazing (staring at the sun during safe hours), infrared therapy, and daily solar exposure are reporting increased energy, mental clarity, and even spiritual insights.
Ancient British Traditions of Sun Worship & Springtime Rituals
The return of the sun in spring has been deeply honoured in British and English traditions for thousands of years.
Long before modern Christianity, the people of these lands celebrated the sun’s rebirth through seasonal festivals, stone monuments, and fire rituals.
Some key traditions include the Spring Equinox (March 20th) at Stonehenge & Avebury - giant stone circles built in alignment with the movements of the sun to marking key solar events.
At the spring equinox, sunlight aligns with specific points in these structures, signalling balance between day and night and the return of longer days - hooray!
Beltaine (May Day) is one of the most important ancient festivals of the British Isles.
Huge bonfires were lit to honour the sun and its life-giving power, with people dancing around the flames to welcome fertility, abundance, and renewal.
You might also recognise this ancient symbol of nature’s rebirth - the Green Man.
He's depicted with leaves growing from his face to symbolise the awakening nature after winter.
Final Thoughts: Are We Witnessing An Enlightenment?
Between:
- The rediscovery of sunlight-focused research and ancient solar traditions,
- The rise in sunlight-focused health experts,
- The increased awareness of artificial light dangers,
… it’s clear that something is happening.
Could it be that people are waking up—not just physically, but energetically—by reconnecting with the sun?
This Spring time could be the start of a revolution in not only health, but our relationship with light, nature, and life itself.
