Hot To Expose Yourself To The Right Rays At The Right Time!

Brightening up your environment can boost your energy, slim you down, and improve your health, cutting-edge research says. But to harness the power, you need to smartly work the rays into your day. Here’s the plan.

Scientists, after extensive studies, are finally beginning to fully understand the crucial effect that light has on our internal systems. “The light receptors in our eyes communicate directly with the brain, synchronising the circadian clocks that affect our immunity, appetite, mood, energy, and even pain tolerance,” says Dr Charles Czeisler, director of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders in the US. Exposing yourself to the right rays at the right time has a huge impact on every aspect of your health.

The light-brain connection

When light enters your eyes, it’s transmitted directly to a small cluster of cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus section of your brain. It is your body’s master clock , says Dan Pardi, a researcher in the Departments of Neurology and Endocrinology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It uses the intensity as well as colour of the light you see to determine what time of day it is, and then sends various signals to the “clocks” that reside in every tissue in your body.

“Your entire system knows what time it is based on the light you’re exposed to,” Dan says. “That’s important because cells perform different functions at different times of the day.”

For example, daylight has a lot of blue wavelengths. When you open the blinds in the morning, those beams enter your eyes and relay a signal to your brain that it’s daytime. This helps kick-start the body processes that keep you alert and awake.

Your hypocretin neurons become more active, for example, which promotes wakefulness and speeds up your metabolism, preparing you for breakfast, Dan says.