It’s starting to feel like winter now, however, this doesn’t mean we won’t see any sunshine over the next few months. In fact, that early morning winter sun can be extremely powerful. In out latest blog, we explain how to make the most of it and why the winter sun has so many health benefits. Next time the sun appears, make sure you get outside and maximise the health benefits offered.
We are often advised to avoid direct sunlight in the summer. The opposite is recommended in winter, when we really need to try and expose our face and body to the sun, whenever opportunity knocks.
5 Benefits of The Winter Sun:
1. The sun gives us vital Vitamin D, needed to strengthen our immune system and fight off those bugs, which are so prevalent during the colder months.
2. Just a few minutes in the sunshine can help improve our mood and reduce anxiety and depression. This is something we can suffer from more when there is less daylight. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that can affect people as the days turn darker and lose access to an adequate amount of sunlight. It is only from the sun that we can get the full spectrum of light, which is includes more than just visible light.
3. A morning dose of sunrays helps us produce more melatonin at night, the hormone which makes us feel sleepy. The more daytime sun we get, the better our sleep at night will be.
4. If you suffer from high blood pressure, exposure to the sunshine can help lower blood pressure.
5. The sun can help energise you and even contribute to a longer life. Exposure to the sun increases the amount of Dopamine we produce, the ‘feel good hormone”, responsible for allowing you to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. When you feel good that you have achieved something for example, it’s because you have a surge of dopamine in the brain.
Just 15-20 minutes of walking or sitting in the morning winter sun can be of huge benefit. Wrap up warm on a cold, sunny day and eat your breakfast outside!
The Benefits of Sun Gazing
We carry out sun meditations as part of our Recharge Overnight Retreats and Self-Care Days, whenever the weather permits. A meditative practice that involves looking at the sun during off-peak times.
The meditation takes just a couple of minutes of standing outside and looking up to the sun with our eyes closed (to protect them from the UV). We then ask our guests to imagine the sun coming into your brain and stimulating your pineal gland, your thymus and thyroid.
We normally encourage our guests to be bare footed so you can be grounded at the same time, we appreciate you may not fancy doing this part in winter though!
This practice not only helps improve your immunity due to the Vitamin D gained, it also helps reduce high blood pressure and swelling.
We have a number of Recharge Retreats running in the first quarter of 2023, from one day to a longer two night stay. We’d love to welcome you along to spend some wonderful time in nature relaxing and resetting for the year ahead. Find out more and book your place today. Christmas Gift Vouchers are also available, what better way to surprise someone special in your life then with the gift of a wonderful experience.