WHY DO WE NEED SUNLIGHT?
Proper sunlight exposure does more for our bodies than we may realize. It prompts our brain to produce serotonin, a hormone that wakes us up and gives us energy. That serotonin is then converted into melatonin at night, which helps us fall asleep more easily. Sunlight also helps our bodies produce vitamin D and can even benefit our heart, eye, and skin health!

IS SUNLIGHT GOOD FOR YOU?
While yes, too much sunlight can hurt your health, you do get quite a few benefits from it. Getting a healthy amount of sunlight plays an important role in a healthy sleep-wake cycle, adequate vitamin and hormone levels, strong bones, good mental health, a healthy immune system, and much more.

Unfortunately, with Americans spending 90 percent of their time indoors on average, most of us don’t get enough sunlight. Without enough sunlight, our whole lives can be affected. In this article, we’ll outline exactly what can happen when we’re deprived of that necessary light and what you can do to make sure you get it. We'll identify lack of sunlight effects and the science behind why.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH SUNLIGHT?

LACK OF SUN EXPOSURE SYMPTOMS
Sunlight impacts a wide array of bodily functions including your sleep schedule, energy levels, mental health, and more. The importance of sunlight to humans cannot be emphasized enough. Below, you'll find a list of lack of sunlight symptoms that become prevalent and can result in sun deprivation syndrome.

What happens if you don't get enough sunlight: Irregular sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm)
IRREGULAR SLEEP-WAKE CYCLE (CIRCADIAN RHYTHM)
Like we mentioned earlier, sunlight aids in the production of two hormones: serotonin and melatonin. Together, these hormones regulate our sleep-wake cycles and keep us on a consistent schedule, serotonin helping us wake up and melatonin helping us go to sleep.

If lacking sunlight, sleep problems may occur. Too little sunlight exposure can result in deficiencies of these hormones and throw our sleep-wake cycles off. We may have trouble getting tired and falling asleep at night or feel exhausted during the day. Melatonin deficiency, in particular, can cause sleep problems, making it hard to wake up feeling rested even if you’re able to fall asleep at night.