How Daily Light Exposure Can Supercharge Your Immunity, Moods, and Metabolism

The Power of Natural Light

In my last post, I shared how the simple act of reconnecting with the sun—especially in the morning—transformed my sleep. But what I’ve discovered since then goes far beyond circadian rhythms. I now see sunlight as one of the most profound healing forces we have—free, abundant, and often forgotten in modern wellness conversations. Much of what I’ve learned has been inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Jack Kruse, a neurosurgeon and pioneer in the field of quantum biology, who teaches how light, water, and magnetism shape human health.

I was born in the middle of May in Brooklyn, New York, and my mother took me to the beach when I was just two weeks old (against the pediatrician’s orders) for the summer. She told me that when we returned to Brooklyn in September the doctor was stunned by how I had thrived being exposed to the sunshine and ocean air. When I was a teen, I used to mix baby oil and iodine, smear it on my skin and lay on a beach chair in front of my house, in the midday sun. I even made a reflector with three pieces of cardboard that I covered in aluminum foil. Maybe those weren’t the wisest things to do, but I felt fantastic!

Then things changed. I moved to New York City where I hardly saw the sun, except maybe once a week when I went to Central Park. I worked inside tall skyscrapers whose windows didn’t open. I stayed up late and slept past 8. I lived in an apartment that faced a shady courtyard. I started to not feel all that fantastic anymore.

Most people I know have been conditioned to fear the sun. They slather on SPF at the first glimmer of light. They spend their days indoors, under flickering fluorescent bulbs and glowing screens. They are not healthy. They are in pain. They have migraines. They are diabetic. They are overweight. They are depressed. I’ve come to realize that when we remove ourselves from nature’s rhythms, we sever a vital source of energy and information our bodies are designed to receive.

The truth is: sunlight doesn’t just light up the world—it lights up our biology.​
It influences everything from immune strength to hormone balance to mental well-being. And when used wisely, it becomes a powerful tool for deep healing and cellular repair.

Sunlight matters more than we think.

You’ve probably heard that sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D—and that’s true. When UVB rays hit your skin, they trigger a cascade of reactions that lead to the creation of this essential hormone (yes, vitamin D is technically a hormone, not a vitamin). It plays a pivotal role in:

• Regulating the immune system

• Reducing inflammation

• Supporting bone density and muscle strength

• Defending against autoimmune conditions

• And, according to my dentist, helps fight cavities

But here’s the kicker: most people today are deficient, even in sunny climates. Why? Because they’re rarely outside during peak UVB hours with enough skin exposed—and when they are, sunscreen blocks the process.

Sunlight does far more than produce vitamin D.

• Infrared and red light in sunlight nourish your mitochondria—your cellular energy factories—helping them function more efficiently and repair damage.

• Sunlight also stimulates the release of nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and improves circulation.

• Regular exposure to natural light has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve glucose metabolism, and enhance mitochondrial biogenesis.

You won’t get these benefits from a supplement or a multivitamin. Only from the sun.

If you’ve ever felt your mood lift on a sunny day, you’ve already experienced the emotional power of light.

• Morning sun boosts serotonin, which improves mood, focus, and calmness.

• It also enhances dopamine, our motivation and reward chemical, which helps regulate energy, attention, and drive.

• Sunlight exposure has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—with results rivaling antidepressant medications in some studies.

Many people don’t realize that light enters not only through the eyes, but also through the skin, sending signals to the brain that regulate neurotransmitters and hormones. My understanding is getting sunlight on our throat even helps regulate the thyroid. No wonder we feel better after a walk in the sun.

We need to rethink our fear of the sun.

For decades, we've been told the sun is dangerous—that it causes skin aging and cancer, and should be avoided at all costs. But this is an oversimplified story.

What matters is the dose, the timing, and your skin type.

• Early morning and late afternoon sun contain more red and infrared light, which help repair skin and reduce inflammation.

• Gradual, consistent sun exposure builds melanin, the body’s natural sunscreen.

• Research now suggests that chronic sun avoidance may actually increase the risk of certain diseases more than moderate sun exposure does.

The goal isn’t to burn. It’s to build a relationship with the sun that nourishes your health, not damages it.

Your body runs on a 24-hour cycle governed by light and dark. Dr. Kruse refers to this light-based signaling system as nature’s ‘quantum thermostat’—a deeply intelligent mechanism that links sunlight to everything from hormone cascades to mitochondrial repair. This internal timekeeper—your circadian rhythm—controls far more than sleep. It regulates:

• Hormone release (like cortisol, melatonin, insulin, and sex hormones)

• Digestion and metabolism

• Mood and cognitive performance

• Detoxification and cellular repair

When we align with nature’s light cycles—sunrise, midday sun, and sunset—we signal the body to function optimally.

Morning Sunlight = Nighttime Melatonin

That first hour of sunlight in the morning resets your internal clock. It tells your brain, “It’s daytime now,” which shuts down melatonin and starts serotonin production. And here’s the key: That serotonin gets converted into melatonin after dark—if you've had enough light earlier in the day.

No morning sun = poor melatonin = shallow sleep and sluggish healing.

A friend said, “I don’t see the morning sun because I live in a valley,” and another said, “I don’t see the sun til 10 or 11,” and I say, just open a window and get light in your eyes at dawn if that’s all you can do.

At night, the problem flips. Our homes are flooded with artificial blue light—from phones, TVs, tablets, and LED bulbs—which tells our brain it's still daytime.

This disrupts our ability to produce melatonin, delays sleep, and increases:

• Insulin resistance

• Fatigue and brain fog

• Risk of obesity and mood disorders

• Cellular stress and mitochondrial dysfunction

The solution isn’t to live in darkness. It’s to manage your light environment intentionally.

Try these simple strategies:

• Get outside within 30 minutes of waking—no sunglasses, no glass between you and the sun

• Eat your meals in natural light whenever possible

• Use red or amber lighting in your home after sunset

• Avoid screens (or wear blue-blocking glasses) 1–2 hours before bed

• Ground your body while outdoors—barefoot contact with earth reduces inflammation

• Try red light therapy during winter or when sunlight is limited

• Move your body in sunlight—stacking light with movement amplifies the healing effect

Sunlight is more than a source of vitamin D or a way to get a tan—it’s a language your body understands.
It tells your cells when to rest, repair, and regenerate.
It boosts your immune system, stabilizes your mood, and charges your mitochondria. It is, quite literally, a life force.

By returning to the rhythms of light and dark—by stepping outside each day and letting the sun touch your skin—you’re giving your body what it’s been longing for: Safety. True vitality. Healing.

If this topic resonates with you and you’d like to go deeper, I encourage you to explore the work of Dr. Jack Kruse. His insights into circadian biology and the quantum effects of sunlight have been a powerful catalyst in my own healing journey.

And stay tuned for details on my upcoming Costa Rican retreat and healing kitchen course, where we’ll go deeper into ancestral light practices, quantum health, and whole-body renewal.

With sun in my cells,
​Beth