For many people, the solar time brings with it many negative aspects, related to the fact that the days become shorter and the darkness of night overtakes more quickly, giving us the impression that we do not have enough time to carry out our regular daily chores. Actually, this is not quite the case; in fact, in some respects it is quite the opposite. In fact, giving up an hour of evening glow in exchange for an hour of full morning light has so many beneficial effects on our bodies, starting right from our brains.
And it is precisely these positive aspects that need to be focused on, especially for those individuals who are negatively affected by the transition from the summer months (associated with heat, vacations, and relaxation) to the winter months (when we return to the routine of school and work and temperatures drop precipitously). As an article in The Conversation magazine reports, an extra hour of sunshine in the morning brings great benefit to our brains, our moods and makes for a much more productive day. Let’s see why!
Nature and autonomous clock
All life on our planet is marked by the alternation of day and night during the 24-hour period. These two “moments” of the day mark our rhythms and influence our biological functions beyond what can be perceived by sight. For this reason, in fact, we become sleepy as evening approaches, and it is more difficult to wake up if we are in an environment that is still dark. In fact, the intensity of light is perceived by special cells in the retina that are directly connected with the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a group of neurons that is responsible for regulating the circadian rhythms ( the changes in biological activities ) of our body. And this is where what we most commonly call the “biological clock” is located.
Get off to a flying start thanks to the sun
This whole mechanism allows our brain to regulate the amount of hormones to be produced based on the amount of light around us. About 30 minutes after morning awakening, there is a major release of cortisol (called cortisol awakening response, CAR). This hormone is critical for starting the day with the right drive and energy needed. Higher amounts of cortisol in fact have been associated with higher learning capacity and better brain plasticity, as well as a more pronounced ability to make decisions and plan. The release of this hormone occurs more strongly when we wake up in an environment filled with natural light, and its beneficial effects on the body are greater.
For this reason, being able to have an extra hour of sunlight in the morning only gives us a greater charge to start our daily routine in the best and most hassle-free way possible.
