High on Health: Sunlight, Dementia, and Your General Well-Being

When Superman becomes weak or injured, a quick flight toward the sun rejuvenates and heals him. Although we don’t have the powers of Kryptonians, humans also need the sun’s energy, and this is even more important as adults age. But sunlight can be a danger as well as a benefit. Too much of it has been linked to skin cancer; too little can cause a plethora of health issues. New research suggests getting some daylight each day can reduce the risk of dementia. But there’s more. It’s not just exposure to that big yellow ball in the sky — the time at which you're exposed to it has an even greater impact.

Sunlight and Dementia – The Study

Research published in General Psychiatry earlier this year suggests that people who receive more bright light during the day may have a lower risk of developing dementia. Scientists looked at information from 87,577 adults who participated in the UK Biobank project. They averaged 62 years of age and, at the time of the study, had not been diagnosed with dementia. The participants wore wrist devices that measured their exposure to light over seven days, and researchers followed them for around eight years. At the end of the research, of those who participated, 741 developed dementia.

Scientists looked at how daytime light exposure compared with known dementia risk factors such as obesity, air pollution, and alcohol consumption, and found that those who received less than 42 minutes of bright daytime light seemed more likely to develop dementia.

Daylight Exposure and Your Health

Our bodies work on an internal schedule known as the circadian rhythm. It’s a 24-hour cycle that helps determine when we feel sleepy or alert and when to release certain hormones. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that the brain contains a master clock in what’s called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The group of nerve cells there receives information about light through the eyes, which helps to coordinate biological clocks throughout the body. When sunlight enters your eyes in the morning, signals are sent to the brain telling the master clock that daytime has arrived. This helps the body adjust its internal schedule to match the outside world.

Free with the Daily Briefing

85Essays

Unravel the Constitution

Hamilton, Madison & Jay’s complete case for America, free and searchable in the Publius Reader.

Join Free & Read

Free with the Daily Briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.

The time at which we first get sunlight matters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained that when we’re exposed to morning light, our circadian rhythm shifts to earlier times, which encourages earlier waking and sleeping times. Bright light during the evening tends to make it more difficult to fall asleep at an earlier hour.

As we get older, changes in our biological clocks can influence when we become tired and wake up. Older adults may spend less time outdoors, reducing the sunlight exposure that helps regulate circadian rhythms. Recently, we experienced the end of daylight saving time, gaining an hour of sleep. CDC recommends using morning sunlight to help adjust to that change. Spending time outside in the morning can help the body adjust to a new schedule, while reducing exposure to bright light before bedtime can help support sleep.

As people age, sleep patterns frequently change. Older adults may wake earlier, get up several times a night, or have trouble keeping a consistent sleep schedule. A 2025 study published in European Geriatric Medicine analyzed 15 older adults, approximately 83 years old, who were hospitalized. Using daylight lamps between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., they examined changes in cortisol, melatonin, and sleep. They found that morning light exposure showed a trend toward improved timing of certain hormone rhythms, although there didn’t seem to be significant improvements in their quality of sleep.

Sunlight has a lot of benefits, including the ability to help the body produce vitamin D. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements explained that ultraviolet B rays from sunlight trigger a chemical process in the skin that allows the body to produce the vitamin, which then helps the body absorb calcium – an especially crucial function for older adults since deficiencies can contribute to weakened bones and muscle problems.

From Liberty Nation News, Trivia, Facts, Check Us Out Stay informed. Today’s news, the Constitution and American history, written for young readers. Visit GenerationLiberty.com

One interesting note: If you think sitting in front of a window to absorb some rays will work, the NIH said glass blocks the UVB rays that are needed for vitamin D production. Still, the visible daylight coming through a window can help regulate the body’s internal clock since the circadian system responds to visible light instead of requiring UV radiation.

Sunlight exposure can potentially improve mental health and reduce depression risks, as well. A 2023 study published in Nature Mental Health examined information from 86,772 adults with an average age of 62. Researchers found that participants who received more light during the day had a lower likelihood of certain mental health conditions, including depression. Light exposure at night was associated with higher rates of several psychiatric conditions.

The sun may not charge us humans up quite like it does Superman, but it still holds great power for us. Scientists are discovering that daylight may play a role in everything from reducing the risk of dementia to getting better sleep, but the time of day we get that exposure could also have an impact. As the poet Walt Whitman is believed to have said: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.”