Morning Bright Light Exposure

Helps reset my body clock for better sleep & improves my mood but I mustn't forget a hidden obstacle

My friend Jacquie Olds, MD is most famous for her book The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the 21st Century In my interview with her she pointed to the value of exposure to bright light in the morning: “One of the main ways we can treat depression, even without medications is bright light first thing in the morning, they've done about 30 studies on this phenomenon.” Here’s a link to the podcast: Jacquie Olds, MD - Love, Shopping & Cocaine

Taking a cue from Dr. Olds, I try to always get exposure to bright light within 2 1/2 hours of waking up. If I wake up late enough to catch the sun within that window of time, all the better. This fall morning I’m sitting in the living room soaking up the blue-tinged sunlight of that time of day.

If I wake up before sunrise, my backup is this bright light: Sunlight Jr.

It’s a convenient device but requires careful use to get the full benefit. It needs to be almost uncomfortably close to the eyes in order to work. That’s why natural sunlight is much preferred when possible.

Beware hidden obstacles to getting early-morning light exposure such as these reading glasses with blue light filter. They may be great in the evening if I’m looking at a device briefly but I switch to another pair that does not have a blue light filter since it is light in the blue spectrum that is most active in setting the body clock in the AM (as opposed to the red light of the PM which also plays a role).

Best wishes on your efforts to stay fit as you age.

Sal