We all crave sunshine, and for good reason! It boosts our mood, stimulates the production of Vitamin D, and completes our day. Some days it seems impossible to get that well-needed sunshine, whether you’re bored on a rainy day, sick in bed, or weathering winter. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get some of the benefits! We’re sharing our best tips for bringing sunshine indoors, both literally and figuratively. Get ready to make some changes to light up your life!

We were all created to breathe fresh air and let the sun shine on our faces. We’re not meant to live in the dark or solely indoors. If your home feels dreary, it’s time to make a change. The best way to start your morning is opening all of the blinds to let the sun rays in. If possible, open a window for some fresh air and turn on the lights in your house. This tells yourself that it’s time to start your day. Plus, here’s a pro tip for those of you hoping to have more natural light in your homes. If possible, take the screens off of your windows. It lets more sunshine in and overall looks a lot cleaner and brighter. 

Moving your body boosts your mood, one of the crucial benefits we often get from the sun. If we’re not getting it there, we need another source and there’s none better than exercise. If you’re unable to exercise outdoors, it’s important to have an alternative. Maybe that means investing in a cycling bike. Or maybe it’s as simple as finding an app that gets you motivated to move. Or maybe, just maybe it means turning on your favorite song and dancing like nobody’s watching! Anything that gets your heart rate up is a must! The most important thing is finding a form of exercise that you enjoy. That in itself is the single most likely factor to keep you going back for more.

You know that spot in your house that has the most sun? Make that your happy place! Taking the time to meditate in the sun is a perfect way to practice gratitude for sunshine. Start by focusing on what you feel. Let the warmth of the sun bathe your whole body. Let the light seep through your closed eyelids. Let yourself think about memories in the sun, what it does for your mind, and what it does for the earth. If you’re new to meditation, there’s also an incredible variety of apps that can guide you through. One of our favorites for beginners is Headspace. There’s no better time than the present to start learning!

Plants liven up a room like nothing else! They freshen up the air and bring an outdoor feel to your very own home. So start your own indoor garden, get some new hanging plants, and choose some new succulents. Not only does it help brighten up the room, but also it makes us more aware of where the sunshine is coming from and how much light the plant (as well as ourselves) are getting. It just may be the reminder you need to open up those blinds and look outside. 

We often refer to Vitamin D and sunshine interchangeably, but learning about their functions in more detail helps us recognize what each of them do for us that makes them so essential. Our best source of Vitamin D is from the sun, but there’s a lot more to it. When the sun’s rays hit our skin, it cues our body to create Vitamin D, which is crucial for absorbing calcium, ultimately strengthening our bones. Although we typically get this from natural sunlight, supplements and Vitamin D fortified foods can bring us the same benefits. Start by trying to implement foods like wild salmon, tuna, mushrooms, egg yolks, and natural cheese. You can also find fortified foods at the grocery store that are specially labeled such as milk, orange juice, and even some breakfast cereals. Adding these into your diet will help you as you strengthen your bones through exercise.

We all thrive in sunshine, but when it’s not available it affects some more than others. Light therapy is often suggested for people with seasonal affective disorder, but it is relevant to us all. As the seasons change and we’re forced to spend more time indoors, light therapy can help set our minds in the right place to be motivated throughout the day when it doesn’t come as naturally to us. Using a light box for 20-30 minutes a day is a great alternative when sunshine isn’t abundant. Often, you can eat breakfast, read a book, or meditate during this time as long as the light is hitting your eyes indirectly as instructed. So why not give this a try? It may be just the thing you need to add to your morning routine to get you feeling motivated for the day.