Been spending a bit too much time indoors? You’re not the only one. Many of us now spend up to 90 per cent of our lives indoors and our retinas are bombarded with artificial light late into the evening.
That means compared with our ancestors, we’re exposed to less light during the day and more light at night. This disruption to the light-dark cycle we evolved with is having a profound effect on our circadian rhythms, shifting sleep patterns and affecting our health way more than we might realise.
Light levels help to regulate alertness and mood. We also rely on sunlight to convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D, which helps build strong bones, and plays a beneficial role in our immune system. Some headlines even suggest that sunlight could and help protect us from the coronavirus. But does the science back that up? And what do we miss when we’re confined indoors?
In this week’s Science with Sam, we take a look at the evidence for the health benefits of sunlight, its importance for your mood and some simple tips to maximise your exposure.
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