Why is morning light so crucial to your health? The idea is nothing new – ancient medical texts dating back thousands of years such as India’s Charaka Samhita specify that you should wake up at least 45 minutes before sunrise for physical and mental health and longevity. But I’ve always wondered about the science behind it. Is it simply that the exposure to light signals to your brain that it’s time to wake up, or is there something extra special about that red and golden light at sunrise?
I’ve wanted to get to the bottom of this question for a while now, so as to understand whether there really are added benefits to getting out in my hiking boots bright and early, as I so often do, or if it really doesn’t matter what time I go so long as I get some exposure to some sunlight at some time, to top up my vitamin D levels.
