A Call to Reconnect with Light

I had the privilege of speaking with a brilliant group of advanced healthcare practitioners at a retreat in Colorado, and one message kept echoing in my mind:

We must elevate sunlight exposure as a foundational pillar of health.

A powerful (ScienceDirect) article explores mechanisms by which light influences our physiology beyond just vitamin D. The paper underscores a crucial truth:

Sunlight’s effects are multifaceted — affecting circadian regulation, mitochondrial function, immune signaling, and more.

Here are the points I shared with the group, and I hope you’ll join me in committing to them:

☀️ Why Sunlight Deserves a Place in Your Protocols (Beyond Vitamin D)

Sunlight influences circadian rhythm and hormone regulation (including melatonin and cortisol).

It supports mitochondrial energetics via photobiomodulation in skin and deeper tissues.

It plays a role in immune modulation, helping calibrate inflammatory responses.

It contributes to neurotransmitter balance beyond the dopamine boost — for mood, focus, and well-being.

💡 My Minimum & Ideal Practices

Absolute Minimum: 2 minutes of morning light exposure (unfiltered ( no sunglasses), natural sunlight) — this simple habit supports dopamine balance, mood, and circadian entrainment.

Ideal Goal: 15 minutes 3 times daily (morning + midday or afternoon, and near sunset without sunscreen when feasible and safe) — to harness broader systemic benefits beyond just vitamin D synthesis.

We can’t always control our schedules, weather, or access to sunlight, but even small habitual doses of unfiltered light can add up over time. When people tell me they don’t have time or it’s cloudy, I say: do what you can — and start where you are.

🔗 A Broader Invitation

If these scientists are now deepening our understanding of how light interacts with our systems — and not just that it matters — then as health practitioners and mindful individuals, we have a responsibility to weave it intentionally into daily life.

I challenge you (especially my fellow integrative, functional, and holistic clinicians) to examine your light practices and to help your clients/patients reintroduce safe, daily sunlight into their habits.

Let’s reclaim what our ancestors always knew: that we are, at root, creatures of light.

If you’re curious about practical ways to optimize light exposure, or how to balance it with skin protection, I’d love to talk more.

☀️ Here’s to more light in our days — and, through that, more vitality in our lives.