☀️ Episode Summary:

In this episode of Becoming Natural, we explore one of the most ancient and accessible healing tools available: sunlight. Once revered by civilizations across the globe, the sun has become something we fear and block. But is that fear costing us vitality, balance, and even faith? We trace the historical, biological, and spiritual relationship we’ve had with sunlight—from heliotherapy to vitamin D production—and how reestablishing a healthy relationship with light can transform your sleep, hormones, mood, and immunity.

Whether you're struggling with fatigue, anxious moods, or hormone imbalance—or simply want to reconnect with creation—this episode offers wisdom, science, and simple morning practices to help you rise and shine. 🌞

💭 Something to Think About:

"Sunlight isn’t something to fear or worship. It’s something to receive—wisely, rhythmically, and reverently."

📚 Resources Mentioned:

📘 Vitamin D Deficiency – New England Journal of Medicine (2007)

Foundational overview of vitamin D’s role in overall health and deficiency risks

📘 Vitamin D Metabolism in the Skin – Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology (2011)

Explains how UVB light triggers vitamin D synthesis via the skin

💡 Blue Light Has a Dark Side – Harvard Health (2020)

Details the impact of artificial light on circadian rhythm and sleep

🧠 Circadian Light & Mental Health – The Lancet Psychiatry (2018)

Greater daytime light exposure lowers risk of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder

🛡️ Vitamin D & Immunity – Journal of Investigative Medicine (2011)

Demonstrates vitamin D’s ability to regulate immune response and reduce infection risk

💓 UVA & Blood Pressure – Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2014)

Shows UVA exposure reduces blood pressure independently of vitamin D levels

🧼 UV Disinfection & Pathogen Control – Scientific Reports (2019)

UV light’s germicidal properties for sanitizing air, water, and surfaces

Hi friend, welcome back to Becoming Natural. I’m Penny, and I apologize for the unannounced break in podcasting. Summer is a juggle with kids at home and we were able to go on a wonderful trip to celebrate my parent’s 60th anniversary, alongside my sister and brother-in-law’s 29th anniversary. I was really consumed with not getting my podcasts out as I thought I would have so much time to stay on top of it….but that never happens like we think right? I had to let go and just allow myself to focus on my family and being in the moment….practicing what I preach. So I apologize for leaving you in the lurch, but I have some great episodes on deck. I am so excited today to talk about something that every culture, language and species understands. It is something as ancient as the Garden of Eden… and just as healing: sunlight. Have you ever thought about the sun as a healing remedy? It sure is. Lets investigate.

In more recent years, we have been taught to fear it. Sunscreen, shade, and hats are the norm—and the sun has become something to hide from. But for most of human history, it wasn’t like that at all. In fact, we’ve gone from revering the sun… to fearing it.And in doing so, I believe we’ve lost something profound—not just biologically, but spiritually.

I actually quite love hearing this as I am fortunate enough to absorb the sun well, but as an adult I have lived with some regret for never wearing sunscreen as a child and basking in it for hours on end be it laying out at the pool or playing tennis almost every day of my life. So today, we’re going to talk about why your body craves sunlight. How it impacts everything from hormones and immunity to sleep and mental health. Why it’s about more than just vitamin D. And how sunlight, when used wisely, is one of the most powerful and free healing tools we have. Sunlight is actually a very effective medication.

So, as I like to do, let’s do a little dive into the history of the sun. You know, we like to think we’ve got all the answers now with our lab tests, biohacks, and artificial lighting. But ancient cultures already knew what we’re just beginning to relearn:

That the sun is life.

In Ancient Egypt, they worshipped Ra, the sun god—who rose each morning to bring order and warmth to the world. Temples were aligned with solar events. The sun was divine.

The Inca Empire saw Inti, their sun god, as the literal father of their people. They layered temples with gold to reflect and receive sunlight like a sacred transmission.

In India, the Hindu god Surya was honored as the divine eye of consciousness. People practiced sun salutation, bathed in morning light, and believed the sun could purify body and mind.

In Japan, the sun goddess Amaterasu was central to creation itself. The country’s name, Nihon, means “origin of the sun.” Her radiance symbolized vitality and favor.

The Greeks and Romans took it a step further—not just worshipping the sun, but using it. Physicians prescribed heliotherapy—sunlight—to treat skin disease, joint pain, and even melancholy. Their god Apollo was both the sun god and the god of medicine.

In early Christianity, Jesus was described as “the Sun of Righteousness,” rising with healing in His wings. Churches were built facing east to greet the dawn.

And in Native American traditions, the sun was a spiritual guide. The Sun Dance was a prayer for harmony, healing, and clarity. The sun governed their planting, harvesting, and seasonal rituals.

Across every culture, people knew:

🌞 Light gives life.

🌿 Light heals.

🕯 Light anchors us in rhythm.

They didn’t need words like circadian or melatonin—they had wisdom and experience. And they designed their lives around it.

Today, we block it out with blackout curtains, LED lights, and sunscreen. We’ve stopped honoring the light—and maybe that’s why we’re so tired, anxious, and inflamed. Just maybe.

So the question becomes: What if we befriended the sun again?

Not as a god.

Not as a threat.

But as a gift—designed by our Creator.

🌑“When Did We Start Fearing the Sun?”

So we know ancient civilizations honored the sun…

But I wanted to know—when did that change?

When did we go from sunlight as sacred and healing…

to sunlight as something to fear, block, and avoid?

Let’s rewind the story—because it didn’t happen all at once.

☀️ In the Beginning: Sunlight Was Medicine

Doctors treated diseases like tuberculosis, rickets, and even chronic skin conditions using heliotherapy—exposure to natural sunlight. In fact, Dr. Niels Finsen, a Danish physician, won the Nobel Prize in 1903 for his work using concentrated light to treat lupus vulgaris.

Sanatoriums and clinics were built with sun rooms, open-air porches, and rooftop gardens, specifically so patients could soak in the healing light.

Back then, doctors didn’t yet know about vitamin D, melatonin, or nitric oxide. But they watched how sunlight improved patients’ energy, helped infections clear, and soothed inflammation.

We were still revering the sun—just with more science to back it up.

⚠️ Mid-Century: The Narrative Begins to Shift

The first commercial sunscreen was introduced in 1938, but it wasn’t until the postwar era, with the rise of beach vacations, tanning culture, and increased leisure time, that concerns grew louder.

Limit your sun exposure.

Wear protective clothing.

Use sunscreen.

Avoid tanning altogether.

The messaging was well-intended—and some of it necessary, especially in preventing dangerous burns and melanoma in high-risk populations.

But it marked a cultural turning point:

We began to fear the very thing that sustained us.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, anti-sun campaigns were in full force.

Australia launched the now-famous “Slip, Slop, Slap” campaign:

“Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat.”

TV ads, school curriculums, and public health posters cast the sun as an invisible danger—something lurking in the sky, ready to give you cancer. And for many people, this was the first time the sun became something to avoid, not embrace.

In the U.S., SPF 15 became the new normal, then SPF 30, then 50+. Dermatology advice began leaning heavily toward full daily sunscreen, even on cloudy days. **

We replaced our time outside with indoor lighting, office cubicles, air conditioning, and screens.

And with good intentions—we started seeing sunlight as a toxin, not a tonic.

🧴 But Then… Vitamin D Deficiency Skyrocketed

Despite all our health-conscious behaviors… people were getting sicker.

Autoimmune diseases were on the rise

Depression and anxiety were climbing

Sleep issues were everywhere

And coincidentally, researchers started noticing that vitamin D levels were plummeting

Suddenly, people began connecting the dots.

Vitamin D deficiency wasn’t just about weak bones—it was tied to immune dysfunction, chronic inflammation, mood disorders, and even cancer susceptibility.

And for the first time in decades, the question resurfaced:

Could our sun avoidance be making us sick?

🧭 So What Do We Do Now?

Today, we’re living in the tension between two truths:

☀️ Yes—too much sun can damage skin and increase cancer risk.

☁️ But too little sun can disrupt your hormones, your immune system, your sleep, and your mental health.

It’s not about swinging back to reckless sunbathing or ignoring the science of skin protection.

It’s about rediscovering balance.

It's about returning to a rhythm where light is something to be received wisely, not feared completely.

So maybe the real question isn’t, “How do I avoid the sun?”

Maybe it’s, “How do I rebuild a relationship with it—one that’s respectful, consistent, and deeply nourishing?”

The Biological Need for Sunlight

Just to break it down, here is a comparison of the three types of ultraviolet (UV) rays—

☀️ Simple Comparison of UV Rays: UVA vs UVB vs UVC

UV Type

Wavelength

Penetration

Effects on Body

Where It’s Found

UVA

Longest

Deep into skin (dermis)

Skin aging, wrinkles, indirect DNA damage

Sunlight, tanning beds

UVB

Medium

Upper skin layers (epidermis)

Sunburns, vitamin D production, direct DNA damage

Sunlight (especially midday)

UVC

Shortest

Blocked by ozone (doesn’t reach earth naturally)

Germicidal—kills viruses, bacteria, fungi

Artificial sources (e.g. hospital sterilizers, UV lamps)

"Think of UVA as the 'aging' ray—it’s the one that penetrates deep and contributes to wrinkles and long-term skin damage.

UVB is the 'burning' ray—but also the vitamin D ray. It only hits the surface of your skin but kicks off that whole cascade we talked about for making vitamin D3.

And UVC? That’s the strongest, but it never reaches us naturally—it’s used in hospital-grade sanitizers because it’s powerful enough to kill viruses and bacteria."

When sunlight—specifically UVB rays—hits your skin, it triggers the synthesis of vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol. "When UVB rays hit your skin, they interact with this cholesterol compound and start a chain reaction—converting it into vitamin D3, which your body then activates through the liver and kidneys. It’s like photosynthesis, but for humans. No sun? No vitamin D."

Vitamin D isn’t just for bones. It’s actually a hormone that influences over 1,000 genes, including those that regulate:

Immune function

Calcium absorption

Mood regulation

Blood sugar

Cell growth and repair

But here’s where it gets more interesting…

Sunlight also releases nitric oxide from your skin. When UVA rays from sunlight hit your skin, they trigger the release of nitric oxide (NO) from stores in your skin and blood vessels. This nitric oxide then enters your bloodstream, where it helps:

Dilate blood vessels

Lower blood pressure

Improve circulation

Reduce inflammation

Support immune function

So sunlight doesn’t just nourish your bones—it supports your heart too. Even a few minutes of morning or late-afternoon sun can set that in motion.” Other studies suggest this nitric oxide pathway might partly explain why cardiovascular disease is more common in winter, when sunlight exposure is lower.

Sunlight also regulates your circadian rhythm—your body’s master clock. Morning light sets off a cascade of signals in your brain, telling you when to be alert and when to rest.

Without it? That clock gets confused—and everything from hormones to digestion to mood is thrown off.

Sunlight and Mental Health

You know that feeling when you step into the sun after a long, dark winter? That rush of clarity, calm, or even joy?

That’s serotonin.

Light stimulates serotonin production in your brain—especially in areas related to mood and emotional regulation.

And it’s not just a feeling. There’s clinical evidence:

This is why Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is so common in darker months—and why light therapy is now a legitimate treatment.

Do you notice when you are stuck inside for days or weeks because of weather or seasons, you don’t feel as good. No energy, no clarity, no motivation. But if you start going outside in the early morning—even just to sit on the steps—it’s like someone turned the lights back on.

Light resets your nervous system. It reminds your brain that you’re safe. That it’s morning. That life is still happening.

Sleep, Hormones & Circadian Rhythm

Here’s a little refresher from my previous episode about sleep loss and something wild: Your sleep actually starts in the morning. Here is How? Because when light hits your retinas, it tells your brain to release cortisol (in a healthy amount), which gives you energy and sets a timer for melatonin—your sleep hormone—to kick in 12–16 hours later.

If you miss that morning light? Your melatonin production may be delayed, suppressed, or completely off. This is why it is so valuable to live on a predictable schedule. Your body truly NEEDS it.

Light also impacts other hormones:

Thyroid

Estrogen/testosterone

Insulin

Leptin (hunger cues)

Which means if you’re struggling with hormone balance, fatigue, or PCOS—start with your light hygiene before jumping to supplements. How amazing would that feel if you can help to heal yourself just with light. “Sunlight’s free!” It may sound crazy to us now because we have been trained to rush to the pharmacy for every little thing.

In Genesis, God didn’t create the sun as something to be worshipped, but as something to serve us. It was designed to separate light from darkness, to govern time, and to sustain life on earth. The rhythms of light and dark aren’t just physical—they’re spiritual. And God saw that light… was good.” The sun was made to “rule the day” and to govern the rhythms of days, seasons, and years—a strong tie-in to how sunlight drives circadian biology, plant growth, and life cycles.

Vitamin D, made from sunlight, plays a huge role in immune regulation. It helps your body identify and destroy pathogens while also preventing overactive immune responses (think: autoimmunity).

But sunlight’s benefits go beyond vitamin D.

UV rays trigger:

Nitric oxide like I mentioned earlier (which has antimicrobial effects)

T-regulatory cells (which calm inflammation)

Improved skin barrier function

Historically, people were treated with heliotherapy—sunlight exposure—for conditions like tuberculosis, rickets, eczema, and psoriasis. And it worked.

In fact, many dermatology clinics still use phototherapy for skin conditions today—and it’s not all because of vitamin D. Light itself is healing.

🧼Something else we don’t talk about enough...

Sunlight is a natural sanitizer.

Before chemical disinfectants, before antibiotics, before even indoor plumbing—sunlight was used to kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

📚 Scientific support: Ultraviolet (UV-C and UV-B) light is well-documented in medical literature as having germicidal effects. A 2019 study in Scientific Reports found that UV light exposure significantly reduced airborne and surface bacteria—even resistant strains【Raeiszadeh & Adeli, 2019】.

Even today, UV light is used in:

Water purification systems

Air sterilizers in hospitals

Disinfection of surgical tools

Food preparation surfaces

And while most of these use concentrated artificial UV-C light, natural sunlight still has broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects, especially in environments with open air and consistent exposure.

So when you open your windows, hang clothes in the sun, or take your body into natural light—you’re doing more than resetting your circadian rhythm. You’re participating in one of creation’s original forms of cleansing.

Long before bleach and hand sanitizer, God gave us sunlight. It kills germs, calms inflammation, and restores balance—not just in the world around us, but in our bodies, too.

Let’s be clear—I’m not advocating for reckless sunbathing or burns. Too much is harmful.

But there’s a sweet spot: small, regular, unfiltered doses.

☀️ Start with 10–30 minutes daily, ideally before 10 AM or after 4 PM.

👩🏾‍🦱 Darker skin tones need more—about 30–60 minutes to make the same vitamin D.

🧴 Avoid chemical sunscreens before your brief sun exposure—use mineral-based zinc if needed afterward.

🌿 Let large areas of skin see the light—arms, face, chest, legs.

🙌 Segment 7: Spiritual Reflections (3–4 min)

Isn’t that beautiful?

God gives us light for warmth, energy, guidance—and He also shields us. The sun was never meant to be feared. It was meant to be received as a daily mercy.

Jesus Himself is called “the Light of the World.” And He invites us to walk in the light, both physically and spiritually.

Sometimes the most healing thing we can do… is simply go outside.

Sit in the morning sun.

Pray in the warmth.

Let His creation touch your skin and calm your nervous system.

It’s not woo-woo. It’s not weird.

It’s wisdom.

🎯 Segment 8: Easy Sun Habits You Can Start Today (2–3 min)

Let’s make this practical:

Take your morning coffee or tea outside.

Walk your dog or kids in the early morning light.

Do your devotionals or stretching on the porch.

Open your blinds. Let the light in.

Park farther away and get a little sunlight on your skin.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about returning to the rhythms your body was designed for.

So this week, I want to challenge you:

👉 Can you get 15–30 minutes of sunlight each day—especially in the morning?

Make it a ritual. Make it sacred. And watch what shifts in your mood, your sleep, your hormones… even your faith.

Let’s take the morning sun challenge. Rise and Shine friends. Lets soak up the sun!

Vitamin D & Sunlight Studies

Bikle, D. D. (2011). Vitamin D metabolism and function in the skin. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 347(1–2), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2011.05.017

Circadian Rhythm and Light Exposure

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

Mental Health and Light Exposure

Immune Function and Vitamin D

Nitric Oxide and UVA Study

Sunlight as a Sanitizer

(Note: This study focuses on UVC in artificial systems but supports the antimicrobial capacity of UV broadly.)