Let There Be Light! Incredible Benefits of Morning Light for Mood, Sleep and Hormones
The summer solstice on June 21 marks the start of summer and the longest day of the year, and for me it always brings a welcome seasonal shift. As a kid, I remember feeling so excited when the school year ended and summer opened up in front of me with long, unscheduled days to read, draw, ride my bike, roller-skate, and simply be outside.
Back in the 80s, my immigrant parents did not fill my calendar with camps or club sports, so I had something that feels rare now: leisure, imagination, and space. One of my favorite early summer memories was lying on the hood of my parents’ old Toyota station wagon, gazing up at the sky and deciding whether the clouds looked more like a dragon or an elephant.
These days, life looks very different. Between raising very young adults, running a busy practice, and helping care for aging parents, I find myself longing for those slower moments that felt creative, peaceful, and gloriously screen-free.
The world my children grew up in has felt much more fast-paced, overstimulated, and digitally tethered, with extracurriculars, school pressures, social media, and constant access to screens. Even though I was strict about screen time in our home, I still felt the steady pressure that so many parents feel to allow more devices for school, socializing, and staying connected.
And then, of course, the pandemic changed so much.[file:1] Virtual learning, isolation, and the sudden need for telemedicine increased screen dependence for all of us, myself included.
That is one reason I keep coming back to something so simple and so powerful: natural light. Going back to simpler moments of being in nature, looking up at the sky, and receiving sunlight instead of endless blue light may be one of the most restorative shifts we can make for our mood, our sleep, and our hormones.
Morning sunlight is one of the most powerful natural tools to anchor our circadian rhythm, the internal clock that helps regulate sleep, metabolism, gut health, hormones, immune function, and even musculoskeletal health. When we get light exposure early in the day, we help our brain know when to feel alert and when to release melatonin later so we can rest more deeply at night.
Why morning light matters
Here are some of the benefits I often think about when I encourage patients to get outside early in the day:
Better sleep, because morning light helps regulate cortisol and melatonin rhythms.
More energy and focus, because early-day light supports a healthy natural cortisol rise.
Better mood, because sunlight supports serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin activity.
Immune support, because sunlight helps the body synthesize vitamin D.
Hormone support, because bright morning light may help support reproductive hormone signaling, ovulation, and menstrual regularity.
Cardiovascular support, because sunlight can help trigger nitric oxide release, which supports healthy blood pressure and circulation.
Digestive and gut support, because circadian rhythm helps regulate digestion, absorption, and gut immune balance.
Bone and muscle health, because vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and healthy muscle function.
How I like to make it practical
This does not have to be complicated. A simple starting point is getting outside for at least 10 minutes within the first hour of waking, or 15 to 20 minutes on overcast days.
Personally, one of my favorite ways to do this is by taking my dogs for an early morning walk. It gives me movement, fresh air, light exposure, and a moment of calm before the pace of the day picks up.
A few simple tips can make your morning light routine more effective:
Step fully outside rather than sitting behind glass, since glass filters out part of the light input your body needs.
Skip the sunglasses for those first few minutes if you can, while of course never staring directly at the sun.
Add a midday sunlight break when possible, especially if you work indoors.
Reduce screen exposure at night by turning devices off 2 to 3 hours before bed, using warm light settings, and charging your phone outside the bedroom.
If you live in an overcast climate or do not get enough natural light, a phototherapy lamp, vitamin D-rich foods, appropriate supplementation, and bright indoor morning light can all help support your rhythm.
This summer, I hope you give yourself permission to reconnect with one of nature’s most accessible medicines: light. Slow down, take deep breaths, get outside, and maybe even spend a moment looking up at the clouds to see what shapes are waiting for you there.
Yours in wellness,
Dr. Suzanne Tang
