Today is the summer solstice, aka the longest day of the year. It marks the beginning of summer and gives us more opportunities to soak up some sunlight and vitamin N (Vitamin Nature) to positively contribute to our physical and mental health. The Uk will enjoy over 16 hours of daylight. The sun rose at 4.46am and it will set at 9.42pm.

Simply choosing to go out in the open air, instead of sitting inside, brings huge benefits for our physical and mental health. And there are no excuses now the longer summer days and warm bright evenings are here.

From summer staycations and sightseeing to local walks and relaxing in our parks and gardens, we have more daylight hours to enjoy.  Here are 4 amazing facts about some of the many benefits of being outside in the sunlight or natural light can have on us all:

4 benefits daylight has on our physical and mental health.

Vitamin D
Get a vitamin D boost by soaking up the sunshine. Our bodies don’t produce vitamin D naturally. We need it from different sources, like the food we eat or supplements during the winter. In the summer months, getting reasonable amounts of sunshine can give us all our vitamin D levels we need.

Improves Sleep Quality
Exposure to plenty of natural daylight can improve quality of sleep. The best time of day to soak up some sunlight is between 8am and 12pm. Just catching 15 minutes of morning sunlight can help for a better night’s sleep.

Enhances Serotonin Levels
The amount of sunlight we receive increases the brain’s production of the chemical serotonin. The more sunlight we are exposed to, the more serotonin we produce. Serotonin is responsible for boosting mood and can fend off depression.

Lowers blood pressure
When our skin soaks up sunlight, it helps the body release molecules called nitric oxide into the bloodstream. This helps bring down blood pressure. It also relaxes the muscles of the blood vessels increasing circulation.

Any excuse should be made to get outside even for a small amount of time. Even putting the washing out to dry on the line counts to daily exposure to natural sunlight and saves on electricity usage too.