Why I Rarely Wear Sunglasses Under Sunlight

I’m happiest under sunlight. Most people are. Why is that? 

The Relationship Between Sunlight and Mood

Sunlight getting into the retina of your eyes promotes the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin. One job of serotonin is to stabilize our moods and promote feelings of happiness. Serotonin is also used to be converted into melatonin in the pineal gland. Melatonin is the hormone that helps you get to sleep at night and affects your circadian rhythm. So, getting sunlight into our eyes must be pretty important, right? 

Why I Rarely Wear Sunglasses

I rarely wear sunglasses outside, and this is why. We are taught to protect our eyes from the sun with glasses. However, how will we naturally maintain our circadian rhythm? On top of that, we sit inside most of the day, letting blue light stream into our eyes. Blue light stimulates our bodies to stay awake even longer than they should and slowly damages our retinas.

What Should You Do?

I’m not asking you to go outside to stare at the sun…

Alternatively, I challenge you to get outside more often without your glasses on (contacts included if possible). In fact, just get outside more often in general. Take a quick walk in the morning, on your lunch break, and/or at dinner, and see how you feel. Also, I know you all aren’t as fortunate as me to live in such a sunny state like Arizona… so look into photobiomodulation devices to simulate the light you need to thrive.

Above all, don’t let all of the efforts go to waste though when you step back inside and stare at your computer screen again for 8 hours. Look into some apps that change your screen to a red tone, or try some blue-light-blocking glasses. Your eyes, mood, and sleep will thank you!

For tips on preventing blue light from affecting your sleep, you can read my blog post here.