HEALTH: Lifestyle Changes and Our Need for Natural Light

[Guest guest]

Lifestyle Changes and Our Need for Natural Light

by James F. Balch, M.D.

 

The other day, after a long session of video games that stretched

through the afternoon, the son of a colleague of mine announced that he

was both bored and tired. " There isn't anything to do, " he said

disconsolately.

 

For a growing number of us, this has become a common complaint. Millions

of us have redefined relaxation as hours spent in front of the

television set, surfing the Internet, or planted on the living room

floor with eyes glued to the latest video game. And instead of relaxed,

we find ourselves as irritated and listless as my colleague's son.

 

This " relaxation " often comes after a day at the office, plugging away

at a computer. Frequently we find ourselves working in factories or

inside a cubicle in an environmentally sealed office building that keeps

us far from natural light.

 

The electronic revolution has been celebrated for increasing

productivity, and for creating our phenomenal connectivity, and the

latest video wonders that keep us so enthralled. It has helped make us

the richest nation on Earth, where even the poorest people can afford a

car or television set. But instead of making us happier, healthier

people, all the latest gadgetry has helped lead us down a blind alley of

bad health.

 

You don't have to go farther than the Bible to see how we've grown away

from the simpler, healthier lifestyles of our ancestors. A work day that

started with first light and stretched to night left us outdoors for

much of the day. At night we prepared our camp sites carefully, making

sure that the smoke from our fires was free to escape. We lived our

lives according to the seasons.

 

Night was a time for sleep. But now we've learned to despise sleep and

celebrate that " work hard, play hard " attitude we're so famous for. We

stay out late at night clubs or find ourselves back at the computer or

television set, restlessly searching for entertainment.

 

The body, which is being starved of sleep at night and cut off from

natural light in the day, responds with a host of ailments. Depression

has reached epidemic proportions. We find ourselves aging prematurely,

and illnesses ranging from heart disease to cataracts are increasing in

frequency as we weaken the body's immune system.

 

There are many things we can do to counter this unhealthy trend, which

we will review in other topic areas here on my web site. But first, I'd

like to start out by suggesting a simple, common sense way to improve

your health.

 

You need regular exposure to natural light or its artificial version,

full-spectrum light, in order to lead a healthy life. Light is as

crucial to firing up your body chemistry as gas is to a car. Exposure to

light makes us perform at peak capacity, whether you're in the office or

competing at the Olympics.

 

Turn off the light and our ability to perform takes a nose dive,

accidents increase, and we become more ineffective. Emotionally, we are

far more likely to feel upbeat and exuberant after even a brief dose of

sunlight, just as we feel occasional touches of sadness after dark.

 

This cycle of light and dark triggers the pineal gland, which produces

melatonin. As you learn how to work with light and dark, you'll also

feel the effects of increased melatonin, which slows aging and prevents

some illnesses. Check out other sections of my web site to see how we

can supplement the melatonin in our bodies as we grow older. Updating my

web site will be an ongoing process, so be sure to check back for more

information.

 

Unless you're independently wealthy, you're going to want to keep your

job in that office or factory. But that doesn't mean you're helpless.

You need to plan ways to increase your time outdoors, rain or shine.

 

Here are some examples:

 

-- Instead of fighting for the parking spot closest to the entrance of

your building, pull up on the fringe of your lot or in a lot farther

from work. The hike to work is healthy and a great way to begin and end

your day.

 

-- Get up and go outside! Your morning and afternoon break should be

spent outdoors, and that's not just for smokers. And instead of staying

inside for lunch, take a salad and fine someplace to eat outside.

 

-- Put dimming switches on your lights at home. As it gets dark, you can

dim the lights as it gets later, allowing the pineal gland to begin the

production of melatonin needed for a good night's sleep.

 

-- Finally, night workers should get exposed to a much bright light as

possible, or at least plan their sleeping schedules to allow for periods

in the sun.

 

I know that we've all been bombarded with news about the dangers of the

sun. So start by making sure that you're blocking out potentially deadly

UVA and UVB rays with a good suntan lotion and always wear good

protective clothing, like shirts with long sleeves and tinted

sunglasses.

 

You can take it from here with some ideas of your own. Remember, this is

all about common sense, which you have plenty of. To get more

information on how light affects the body and more on nutritional

healing, keep checking my web site for constantly updated material. As

new research comes available, we will be bringing it to you here at

" JamesBalchMD.com "

 

***

JamesBalchMD.com