Happy Thursday, Zapien 👋

Congratulations to all Zapiens who completed our 10/14 Fitness Challenge this week! It's been a great ride and we're proud to have so many wonderful and dedicated people in our midst!

If you’re like us, facing the gray reality of a European Winter, today’s topic won’t surprise you: Natural light can make you happy and healthy.

Let’s dive into the why and how.

Forever,
Lisa, Karol & Simon

TODAY’S ISSUE

LONGEVITY BEAT

It's kind of obvious, but often underappreciated: Proper exposure to daylight can have a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being. So much so, in fact, that Andrew Huberman considers viewing morning sunlight as one of the “top five of all actions that support mental health, physical health and performance”.

Natural daylight plays an important role in regulating the circadian rhythm, our internal clock that orchestrates sleep-wake cycles, hormone release and almost every physiological process. In particular, exposure to morning sunlight has been linked to improved mood, sleep quality and cognitive function.

This is due in part to sunlight's ability to stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and well-being, and to regulate melatonin and cortisol, hormones responsible for waking and sleeping patterns.

But our packed schedules and busy lives often mean we don't get to see the sun as often as we’d like (plus, you know, gray winters). It's not as good as the real thing, but artificial daylight solutions can help:

Light therapy lamps mimic natural sunlight and can be used to treat conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD, or “winter depression”) and circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Research shows that regular use of the artificial lights can reduce symptoms of SAD, improve sleep quality and even improve cognitive performance in people with dementia.

Another plus: Both natural and artificial daylight exposure can boost vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Vitamin D, often referred to as the "sunshine vitamin," is critical for bone health, immune function and reducing inflammation.

If you're lucky enough to be in a place that allows you to sunbathe these days: Don't forget to balance your sun exposure with skin protection to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

SHORT HACK, LONG LIFE

There's one small change you can make to your morning routine that can make a huge difference in how you feel, think and sleep - and it's refreshingly simple.

In a nutshell: 
Get outside and face the sun.

More specifically, get outside as soon as possible after you wake up, but definitely within the hour. Look at the sun, ideally for 10 minutes (less if it's a bright, sunny day and a little longer if it's cloudy).

What you get: 
A healthy dose of AM cortisol, which boosts alertness during the day and sets the stage for a good mood. Essentially, you're optimizing your circadian rhythm, which not only helps you stay energized throughout the day, but also helps you sleep better the next night.

Still dark when you get up? Consider getting a daylight or light therapy lamp.

RECOMMENDED

Daylight Lamps

Daylight or light therapy lamps can help you beat the winter blues. Mimicking the beneficial effects of sunlight, they can help treat SAD, insomnia, jet lag and more.

Price: 40–250 €

With the exorbitant number of devices on the global market, it's impossible for us to give you the one and only product recommendation.

Instead, keep the following in mind as you search for a lamp that meets your needs:

Conflict of interest: None! We get no money for product links. We promote what we find useful. Please do your own research.

HEALTH & LONGEVITY NEWS

ZAPIEN OF THE WEEK

Cosmin 🇩🇰

What are you currently optimizing?

My top priority is mental well being. As a gay man, I feel I'm constantly dealing with toxic energies, and I observe many peers fussing over their bodies, yet their minds don't get the same VIP treatment. To me, true wellness is this awesome trio - mind, body and spirit, all jamming together to a frugal tune. My diet is an extension of this philosophy. I’m all in on eating plant-based foods that I enjoy cooking with organic & local ingredients. My nighttime ritual is all about unwinding: skincare, fresh cotton linens, cool room temp, and slipping into bed (sans clothes – try it, it's liberating!).

What’s your favorite tool?

The new journaling app in iOS 17 is my space for reflection. After an insightful conversation on the New Zapiens community, I've added heat therapy + collagen to my wellness mix. It’s been a game changer for those pesky, overly stretched muscles. The Apple Watch helps tracking. I do blood tests every 3 months and monitor my vitamin levels bi-annually, especially since I follow a vegan diet. But probably the most important tool in my arsenal is my gut feeling.

BECAUSE WE LOVE NUMBERS

⚡️ 1-3% ⚡️

Of adults living in temperate climates (e.g. US, EU) experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD or “winter depression”).

ABOUT US

Lisa has a PhD in Medical Biology. She was a researcher at Harvard Medical before developing D2C laboratory diagnostics.

Karol is a serial founder who helped thousands of people build healthy eating habits with Upfit.

Simon is a healthcare entrepreneur who brought the doctor online-booking service Doctolib to Germany.

WHEN YOU ARE READY, THIS IS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

Health Disclaimer

New Zapien’s products and services are not intended to substitute for professional medical guidance. Our content and media offerings do not aim to diagnose, cure, or address any medical issues.