One of my favorite things when the evening comes around is dimming the lights, lighting a candle or turning on the diffuser with the orange/yellow tint, and curling up on the couch with a blanket. Bonus points if the dishes are done after dinner too lol.
There’s something about it that’s warm and cozy. It feels like a little hug for my nervous system.
My son taught me to go outside more
And when I had my son, I noticed how much more content he was outside. Isn’t it so cool how kids help us get back to the things we need most?
We started spending a lot more time outside, and after being outside more, I noticed I just craved it more often.
There’s something about being outside that being inside could never quite mimic. It’s currently getting up to 103 degrees outside for us right now, so I don’t even always feel refreshed because I start sweating instantly haha, but it still feels better. Like I go back inside and already miss being outside, but I need a water and some A/C.
Being outside feels more freeing and grounding. Everyone just seems happier outdoors – ask any new mom where their baby is the happiest!
Maybe my body was asking for what it needed all along
Turns out, my body was onto something, and yours probably is too 🙂
I think our bodies are looking for the signals they’ve always had and can still get, even in our modern-day world.
I honestly didn’t think much about this before. I was the girl who was always inside. Outside was always too hot, too cold, or there were bugs….gross.
That’s still true, andddd I also have a little more appreciation for the seasons and what each one has to offer (past the hot and cold). I don’t really have much more appreciation for wasps, flies, and mosquitoes though. But those are def on my list of questions for God one day…like why though.
But when I had chronic headaches, chronic tummy issues, and was searching for answers that felt simple, I started noticing things I had never paid attention to before.
Craving less bright light at night.
Craving sunlight.
Craving outside time.
It sounds so simple and obvious. Like, yeah Brittany, when your environment is darker, your body winds down easier lol.
Getting back to the basics
But I think it’s a fair assumption that you might be in the same boat as me, so I think we can all give ourselves some grace.
With an ever-changing and fast-paced society, we aren’t always taught the basics. The things that are free. The things God provided for us that have always been there, but are so easily overlooked.
With all the hubbub about this thing and that thing to buy, I’m all ears for the free and simple things.
Why light matters more than I realized
Blocking blue light has been a popular topic for a while (maybe it still is). But there is so much more to it than that!
But hear me: I am very tired of the swinging pendulum mentality.
You need to go no carbs. Wait, no carbs is terrible for you.
You need to do no dairy and drink almond milk. Wait, almond milk is terrible for you.
So I promise that’s not what I’m saying!!!
Blocking blue light can be very helpful, but understanding the “why” behind it helped me understand how our bodies are designed to work and a deeper understanding of blocking blue light.
Your body has a clock (and it’s pretty amazing)
Natural sunlight contains blue light. It contains lots of different colors, and those colors naturally shift in concentration throughout the day.
Blue light helps signal to our bodies that it’s time to wake up. It gradually rises as the sun comes up. The blue light from a phone or computer is different because it is a concentrated amount of blue light coming at us all at once.
The blue light from the sun helps our bodies naturally rise in cortisol, which is something we actually want in the morning! Cortisol helps us wake up and get going, but it happens as part of a natural rhythm.
As the day goes on, blue light naturally decreases. This signals to our bodies that it’s time to slow down and prepare for sleep.
When blue light decreases, our bodies naturally begin producing melatonin. This is all part of our circadian rhythm, our internal clock that helps our bodies know when to be awake, when to rest, when to digest food, and so much more.
So when I grab my phone at 8 p.m., my body can get a little confused because it’s receiving a signal that it’s still daytime.
And if you were like me and thought, “Well, I kind of like being a night owl,” because same, there are so many benefits to having a more synced circadian rhythm beyond just falling asleep easier 🙂 It plays many important roles in the body, including supporting cellular repair processes while we rest!
What changed when I started working with my body instead of against it
I learned a little bit more from Christi Collins and started getting outside as soon as I woke up and again when the UVA rays came up (you can easily check this on an app called: MyCircadian).
Since I still sometimes need to be on my computer or phone at night, I started wearing orange glasses after sunset (orange was much easier for me to adjust to than red, and I personally feel like they work just as well).
And since I was already grabbing orange glasses, I also got yellow ones for daytime screen use when I can’t take my computer outside to work! Since yellow mimics more of the natural light environment our eyes are used to, it’s easier on my eyes, better for my health, and makes screen time much more enjoyable.
It really didn’t take long to notice a difference.
My tummy issues are so infrequent these days that I forget I used to struggle with them, and it’s the same with my headaches! While this was just one piece of my health puzzle (which I think will always be a work in progress), it has been one of the easiest ways to make huge strides in my health.
And sunlight is free!!
I spent about $80 on two pairs of glasses for indoor time, and I haven’t looked back since. It’s been about two years now, and they only have a couple scratches from my toddler lol.
I love our modern technology and the ability to make adjustments so we can still enjoy the things we need and want while also helping our bodies stay more connected to the rhythms they were designed for.
My simple sunlight routine
If you’re like me and want to know what this looks like practically, I got you:
Morning: wake up with the sun
I wear my orange glasses when I open my eyes and keep them on until the sun rises and I can go outside for about five minutes.
In the summer, I only wear them for a couple minutes while I go pee and then head outside since the sun is typically already up. In the winter, I usually keep them on for an hour or so because it’s still dark when I wake up.
Morning sunlight
I go back outside once the UVA rays come up (or within an hour of them rising) and aim to be outside for at least 20 minutes. I often work outside longer in the summertime!
During the day: little moments outside count
I try to wear my yellow glasses whenever I’m on screens. I’m currently writing this post and not wearing them because I don’t want to get up from the couch LOL, so I’m not a stickler about it. But I do notice that my eyes actually crave having them on. I’m also embarrassed to wear them during virtual work meetings 😉
I try to get outside here and there throughout the day.
Sometimes I just peek my head outside when I let the dogs out and get some sunshine on my eyes while giving my eyes a break from screens (since I work full-time on a computer).
It also communicates to my body what time it is and helps keep my circadian rhythm synced up as much as possible.
Evening: helping my body slow down
Once the sun sets, I grab my orange glasses and wear them until bed (you’ll be amazed at how naturally tired your body gets after about 30 minutes of wearing these) . THAT’S IT!
After following a few people that I trust, I have found this is a very reputable brand with the most affordable glasses! I just got an affiliate link that can save you 10% too: Major10
Christi has a free guide that has some other recommendations for blue light blockers too! Grab it from her website here.
A few little things that make this easier
I have a reading light with an orange/red setting so I can take my glasses off, head to our room, and read for a bit with a softer light. Here’s the reading light I have!
I also have a setting on my phone that easily flips my screen to a red tint at night so I don’t accidentally grab my phone and get blinded by the blue light. Christi has step by step instructions for this hack too!
Chasing the sunshine
I hope this is a simple and easy wellness routine that makes a big difference in your health like it has for me <3 One thing that has been really helpful for me is that when I want to buy a test to look at health markers or a new health gadget, I check in with my foundations first, especially sunlight.
It’s been pretty amazing to watch how getting back to the basics has caused some of the most dramatic positive changes for my health.
And honestly, I find myself not wanting or needing the expensive things as much. Don’t worry though, I still have plenty of wants just like every other human hahaha.
But I find myself feeling so much more content when I’m “chasing the sunshine.” And I love being an example for my son to do the same.
We all feel a little more joyful and grounded when we start our days outside. And our bodies can relax and say, “thank you” for giving them what they needed.
Much love + I’m rooting for you!
<3 Brittany
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