The Circadian Classroom

The Circadian Classroom

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The Circadian Classroom
The Circadian Classroom
You're Supposed To Be Addicted To Sunlight

You're Supposed To Be Addicted To Sunlight

The shocking mechanism behind our urge to tan and be outside

Zaid K. Dahhaj's avatar
Zaid K. Dahhaj
Oct 20, 2023
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The Circadian Classroom
The Circadian Classroom
You're Supposed To Be Addicted To Sunlight
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With all the discussion today about mental health, sunlight needs to be a serious and foundational part of the conversation.

There’s a strong reason why everybody (or at least I’d hope so) loves sunlight and sunbathing, regardless of the propaganda campaign against it.

This taps into a level of human biology that cannot be denied.

Evolution has biologically driven you to become addicted to sunlight.

I firmly believe it’s a necessary component to crushing anxiety and depression through the endogenous stimulation of something called beta-endorphin.

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UV Light & Beta-Endorphin

Cue this study done in Cell.

This was a UV-exposure mouse model.

Dorsally shaved mice received a dose of 50 mJ/cm2 of UVB 5 days per week for 6 weeks ~ equal to 20–30 minutes of midday sun exposure in Florida during the summer for a fair-skinned person of average tanning ab…

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