Sunshine ---The Bright Rays of Healing

Ever since ancient times, light has been used to heal a whole spectrum of illnesses. Now that we have sunny days ahead of us we can capitalize on the affects that sunshine has on our central nervous system, especially the body's clock known as circadian (daily) and seasonal biorhythms. Research has proven the affects that lack of sunshine has had on all our bodily functions. This phenomenon has been known to cause many disorders such as; depression, insomnia, jet lag, problems adjusted to working different shifts, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual irregularity, and other conditions. In some instances artificial light may be used to help with these problems and used to treat SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder also known as winter depression. However, the artificial light used to regulate the bodies rhythms needs to be intense, because typical indoor lighting is far too weak to affect the hormones involved. Only in the last century or so have we spent significant time under artificial light, which is far dimmer that sunlight. So even when we work all day in light that's bright enough to see by, we may be operating in biological darkness as far as our nervous system is concerned. Some researchers believe that this historic change in light exposure may have resulted in throwing some of our biological functions off kilter because these functions evolved in response to natural light cycles. Other symptoms of lack of sunshine include; lethargy and fatigue, which lead to oversleeping and intense carbohydrate cravings, which promote overeating and weight gain. SAD can also mimic similar symptoms, such as sluggish thyroid, low blood sugar, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia.
THE BEST WAYS TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAYS - Take morning walks outdoors, brighten your surroundings by trimming bushes around your windows and keeping the curtains open. Take a winter vacation in a sunny resort. Choose light sources carefully. Overly concentrated light, such as from halogen lamps, can cause headaches and eyestrain. Don't rely on tanning lamps or plant lights for your light source. Phototherapy has been proven to be helpful with these symptoms. Some companies rent light boxes.
Make sure to wake up to as much natural sunlight as possible, which will set your circadian rhythms and allow your body to function to properly.