Sunlight Exposure And Your Writing Success

Go outside and get some sun.

You've heard it before, your parents probably told you to do this time and time again.

And they were right to do so. Feeling the warmth of sunshine on your skin does incredible things for your wellbeing and in turn, it does wonders for your writing.

Here is a list of the benefits of sunlight:

1) Gives you Vitamin D.

Vitamin D, just like many vitamins is a magical little thing. For one, it's completely free, all you have to do is sit by a window or go outside for 10minutes and you've absorbed some. Vitamin D has a range of benefits including helping with the absorption of calcium in your body which aids in bone growth and bone/muscle health.

2) A natural disease killer.

The Vitamin D you get from the sun aids in your overall health and can help you fight off illnesses. Have you ever gotten sick, with a cold or flu, and had to sleep in a cold, dark, damp room and hated it? You hated it because your body was telling you it wasn't getting enough vitamins. When you have a cold or a flu, the sunlight can feel so nice on your body. It feels nice because that is how your body tells you it's getting enough vitamins.

3) Good for skin conditions.

Skin conditions like Psoriasis and Eczema can be greatly improved with exposure to the sun. Whether you lay the infected areas in the sun or you go outside for a walk or game of soccer, with exposure every day, your skin will thank you.

4) Boosts your mood.

When sunlight enters through our eye (we look at something that has sunlight on it, NOT the actual sun) our brain starts to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in our brain that makes us feel happy in a content kind of way. Serotonin also brings down our anxiety levels and makes us feel relaxed. Do you know that feeling when you are sitting in the sun and you just don't want to move? That's the serotonin talking.

5) Helps fight away depression.

If you suffer from depression, sunlight can aid in recovery. Serotonin is typically used in

anti-depressants. This is because serotonin makes us feel content and relaxed. Sitting in the sun may not be as good as what your doctor/mental-health profession has prescribed but it can certainly aid in recovery.

6) Sleep.

The circadian rhythm and melatonin. The circadian rhythm is when your body naturally wants to be awake and when it naturally wants to sleep. As humans we have evolved to want to be awake during the day and to want to be asleep at night when it is dark. Well, some of us have evolved that way. When you are exposed to sunlight that is a natural way to tell your body to stay awake. The stronger the sun exposure, the more melatonin you will produce when it gets dark. If you travel you may have heard about melatonin helping with jet lag. This is because melatonin helps you sleep. It is the chemical your brain produces at night to make you drowsy and sleep.

The more sunlight during the day, the more melatonin produced at night.

7) Productivity sky rockets.

Due to feeling relaxed and having a regulated mood, due to regular sleep patterns and due to illnesses getting better, there is more room for writing. The more sunlight the easier it will be for you to concentrate for longer periods on trickier problems. You will be able to nut out tricky scenes that seemed impossible from your dark room. With more exposure to sunlight you will have more energy and therefore you will be able to work a lot faster.

Your productivity levels will sky rocket.

Next time you feel like doing some work on your writing, why not take your laptop or your notebook outside and improve your wellbeing while you're at it.

Always stay Sun Smart:

• Keep a water bottle with you when you go outside.

• Wear sunscreen.

• Cover up with shade, long sleeves, or a hat.

• Be careful of overheating and have a way to cool off when the need arises.