“Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset that you should be sitting under.”
If you’re part of the 9-5, city jungle culture, you could well be advised by up-to-date psychologists, physicians, and clinicians to reawaken your forgotten ‘ecological’ self by connecting regularly with nature.
While many of us plan vacations in the great outdoors, new studies strongly indicate that humans benefit enormously from watching as many sunrises and sunsets per week as possible.
Incredible Benefits of Watching Sunrises and Sunsets
Research has proven the benefits of repeatedly observing sunrises and sunsets to humans. Here are a few you might be surprised to learn about;
- Circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) - brain cells respond to light and dark in specific ways and key hormones, metabolism, and body temperature are either activated or slowed down accordingly.
- Mental wellbeing - starting and ending a day peacefully does marvels for the human psyche and outlook on life.
- Inflammation - the induced feeling of awe has been proven to lower proinflammatory cytokines
- Depression - the body responds to sunrises and sunsets, which supply a moment of quiet gratitude and a big-picture perspective, which lifts the mood.
- Weight loss - according to a study by Danilenko, ‘exposure to at least 45 minutes of morning light for 3 weeks in obese women resulted in reduced body fat and appetite,’
- Focus - spending time in nature restores brain function and the kind of awareness that produces joy and appreciation.
- Digital detox - a few deep breaths at sunrise and sunset detoxes the body from negative digital impact.
Naming Nature’s ‘Philes’
There’s a good side to all things labelled ‘phile’ - besides the notorious ones most are familiar with. Javaphiles, for example, reference people who love coffee.
Here are some that reference people who love specific aspects of nature:
- Heliophile - (from the Greek word hēlios, meaning sun) is a love of the sun
- Opacarophile - loves sunsets as part of a daily routine
- Umbraphile - loves eclipses
- Astrophile - loves stars
- Selenophile - loves the moon
There are plenty more, referencing nature, such as thunderstorms (Ceraunophile), darkness (Nyctophile), rainy days (Pluviophile), cold weather (Chionophile), seas (Thalassophile), forests (Dendrophile), mountains (Orophile), and clouds (Neophphile)! Which are you? You possibly even identify with more than one.
Find Your Inner Solist
Persons who experience intense benefits from watching sunsets, sunrises, or eclipses are modernly called Solists. Adding this dimension of nature’s apothecary to your healthcare routine will radically improve your health and well-being.
Take it from anthropologist Keith Tidwell; “What this is going to be seriously useful for is to be able to continue to work to make the case that physicians and clinicians can actually prescribe outdoor time, outdoor recreation, even outdoor space because of these pathways that they’ve identified…If we continue on a pathway as a species of being in a state of ecological amnesia, we’re going to find ourselves out of habitat and out of time and, therefore, out of luck.”
Try it for a week and you will likely join the caravan of happy, contented people who do so 24/7 365.
911 Emergency Protocol - At worst, on days when it's either inclement weather, you you can't get outdoors, it has been shown to be beneficial even to have sunrises and sunsets as your wallpaper theme or as a screensaver.
Summary: Pausing long enough to watch the sun rise every day of your life is a new dimension of healthcare being advocated for city dwellers. Ending every day by watching the sun setting, evokes the feel-good neuropathways that help you end the day well no matter what sort of a day you’ve had.
Taking care of yourself includes looking after your physical health too. Feel free to explore the Cures & Creams online store and get yourself stocked with the natural remedies that are just right for you and your loved ones.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
