Tag: improve sleep

Why You Should Get Sunlight Everyday

by Amorette Walker

The sun is one of the best healing tools out there. When we get a healthy amount of sunlight, our minds and bodies can benefit in so many ways.

These days, so many people do not get enough sunlight each day. We have become so busy with working and running from one thing to the next that we have forgotten that it is okay to take a moment and do something positive for our mental and physical health. And we shouldn’t feel guilty doing so.

If you let lots of sunlight into your home, do you notice a difference in your mood and sleep cycle? Even letting sunlight in through your window can have lots of benefits, keep reading to find out why.

It is okay to take a moment and do something

positive for our mental and physical health.

This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.

The Benefits of Sunlight

Improved Sleep

If we open the window or go outside when we wake up, it helps our minds set a good sleep/wake schedule.

Morning sun exposure is best done within an hour of waking up to get the most benefits.

Studies have shown that individuals with sleep disorders can have improved sleep by spending 30-45 minutes each day in the sunlight. This is due to the increased levels of Serotonin.

They even make Sunlight Stimulating Alarms to help improve our sleep patterns if going outside is harder to do right as you wake up.

Increased Serotonin

Serotonin is linked to wound healing, bone health, digestion, and improved mood.

So opening your windows to let in natural light can actually go a long way for your mental health.

Low levels of Serotonin are linked to seasonal depression, insomnia, weight gain, nausea and fatigue.

Our bodies produce Serotonin in our brains when sunlight is absorbed through our eyes. (But that does not mean look directly at the sun!)

If you need to supplement your serotonin levels, here is a good Serotonin Supplement.

Vitamin D

Sun exposure is the best way to boost Vitamin D levels. Our bodies produce Vitamin D when exposed to the UVB sun rays.

UVB rays cannot be absorbed through windows as they are made to filter them out, so you must go outside for this benefit.

Vitamin D supports our immune function and targets inflammation. It is also linked to bone health as it helps our bodies absorb Calcium.

Low levels of Vitamin D can cause fatigue, hair loss, bone pain or muscle pain.

Its always a good idea to supplement with Vitamin D if needed.

Healing Skin

Although excess sun exposure is linked to skin cancer, a safe amount of exposure can aid in healing different skin conditions such as:

  • Acne
  • Psoriasis
  • Jaundice
  • Eczema

If you do not have the time to go outside and soak in those healing sun rays, you can try this light therapy system that targets inflammation and blemishes.

When outside, be sure to use sunscreen. But not just any sunscreen because so many of them contain harmful chemicals. This sunscreen brand is free of those chemicals and is safe and effective to use throughout the day. I will link more non toxic brands below!

Conclusion

Safe amounts of sunlight are very important to get everyday. There are so many more benefits but these ones are important to me and are the most prevalent ones. Check out the products I have linked below to help you get the most of these benefits!

Non Toxic Sunscreen

These are some of the top rated non-toxic brands on ewg.org. Their ingredients are safe and they do not contain any harmful chemicals or fragrances. Just click the pic!

Attitude Mineral Sunscreen
Biossance Sunscreen
C’est Moi Sunscreen

In case you missed the product links in the post, click the pic!

Light Therapy for Skin
Vitamin D Supplement
Serotonin Supplement
Sunlight Alarm Clock

© 2021 A Balanced Lifestyle – All Rights Reserved.

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Waist down of a woman in a white dress walking in shallow water on the beach.

What is Grounding and Why Should I do it?

by Amorette Walker

Our bodies are amazing and are made to do incredible things. My body has recently gone through a lot of stress and change with pregnancy and birth, so I have been looking for ways to help my body with this healing process.

I have been a little MIA for a bit… The end of pregnancy honestly kicked by butt a little but luckily now I am on the postpartum recovery.

If you’ve been here before or if you know me personally, you know that I love natural ways of doing things. I am a firm believer that our bodies know what they are doing when it comes to surviving and thriving. I have recently discovered the method of grounding and love it so far, so I thought I would share my knowledge with you all.

Me and my baby, Olivia sitting under a tree.
My feet in the grass.

This post contains affiliate links that, if you click through to buy the product, will earn me a small commission at not extra cost to you. View my full disclosure on this page.

What is Grounding?

Woman's feet on a rocky shore with her toes in the water.

Grounding, or Earthing, is the act of connecting yourself with Earth’s natural electrical charges via skin-to-ground or skin-to-water contact.

This technique was originally discovered in 1998 by Clint Ober, who noticed that our shoes with their rubber soles were preventing us from connecting with the electrical waves of the earth.

Once Mr. Ober began to use grounding techniques, he noticed improvement with his sleep and pain levels. See more info here.

Benefits of Grounding

Now I know that this might be sounding a little strange and you may be a little skeptical about it, but there are science-based studies that prove there are lots of benefits to earthing.

Like I mentioned above, grounding can help improve one’s pain levels and quality of sleep. But the Earth’s electrical currents have much more than that to offer. Here are some of the benefits:

  • Strengthens the immune system
  • Improves cardiovascular health
  • Lowers inflammation
  • Aids in muscle recovery
  • Improves overall mood

How do I do it?

Girl meditating on a log.

Grounding is very simple, you can take a barefoot walk outside in the grass, on the beach, etc. It can also be done by laying or sitting so that your skin is coming into contact with the ground (not sidewalks or concrete – the actual ground).

Grounding can also be done via contact with the ocean, lakes or rivers. So when you are wading out in the waves on vacation you are actually doing more for your health than you think!

You do not need to spend a lot of time doing this either, just a 5-10 minute walk each day can give you so many benefits.

But… Allergies?

A lot of you are probably thinking that there is no way you are doing this because your allergies will go nuts. There is a solution for that too!

If you cannot come into contact with the ground with your bare skin, try using this grounding mat or these grounding shoes and socks. The mat can be used indoors and the attachment to your shoes and socks can conduct the electricity to you in the same way.

Sharing is Caring!

I hope you enjoyed learning about this topic, I personally find grounding very fascinating. If you liked this post, don’t forget to share it with your friends! See you guys at the next post!

© 2021 A Balanced Lifestyle – All Rights Reserved.