I Spent 15 Minutes in the Sun Every Day for 30 Days—And It Had a Huge Impact on My Mood

Small habits can make big differences in your well-being—and sitting in the sun in the mornings may just be one of them.

Research shows that getting as little as 10 minutes of daily sun exposure boasts many benefits: improved mood, better sleep, and increased vitamin D levels, to name a few. Sounds like an easy task for some pretty major benefits, but it turns out that many people aren't spending enough time outside.

In a survey conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association, 43% of people spend less than 30 minutes outside daily. That percentage is even higher if you're a millennial or Gen Z. In fact, 9% of Gen Z survey respondents said they don't spend any time outdoors each day. One study suggests that younger groups are seeing a decline in outdoor time due to a rise in technology and social media.

I'm a great example of this trend: I live in California where there's no shortage of sunlight, but I'll be the first to admit that I often take our weather for granted and spend far more time indoors than I should. (So many good TV shows to watch, so little time, you know?)

When the opportunity to bask in the sun for 15 minutes every morning as an experiment arose, I knew this would be a great way to hold myself accountable and spend some time in fresh air. (After all, if the sun can hold the entire solar system together, it must be able to keep my life together too, right?)

Spoiler alert: The biggest star in the galaxy is worth the hype, but how big of a difference does a few minutes of sunlight really make? Here's what I found out—and why I recommend you follow my lead.

Benefits of Sunlight—and Risks of Not Getting Enough

We've all heard the dangers of spending too much time in the sun: faster skin aging, sunburn, wrinkles, and a higher risk of developing skin cancer. But not getting enough sunlight can be harmful to your health too. In fact, too little sunlight may increase your risk of:

• Vitamin D deficiency
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Breast and colorectal cancer
• Alzheimer's disease
  

It's important to note that a lack of sun exposure is not the only risk factor for the above health conditions. Several other genetic and environmental factors can also play a role. However, getting the right amount of sun exposure may help lower your susceptibility to developing a condition and improve your overall well-being.

One of the primary reasons the sun is so vital for your health is because it helps stimulate the production of vitamin D. Each vitamin serves a different function, but vitamin D specifically helps your body absorb and process calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are essential to grow and maintain strong bones.

When you're spending time in sunlight, ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun come into contact with a protein in your skin called 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC). This interaction eventually converts into vitamin D3.

The benefits of vitamin D don't just stop at bone health. Vitamin D also supports muscle growth, boosts immunity, regulates blood pressure and blood sugar, and promotes cognition (thinking) and memory.

Getting sunlight touts several other benefits as well. Research claims that spending a few minutes in the sun daily may:

• Help your body make a chemical called serotonin which can boost mood, energy, and focus
  
• Decrease symptoms of depression and seasonal affective disorder
• Minimize your stress levels
• Reduce the risk of bone fractures, osteoporosis, and osteopenia due to higher vitamin D levels
• Lower your systolic blood pressure
• Regulate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality
  
• Increase your overall life expectancy

All these health benefits of spending time in the sun AND it's free? Sign me up!

My Days in the Sun

One of the best parts about this experiment was that it was a low-lift way to potentially reap high rewards. Even on the busiest days, I had a few minutes when I could make a quick trip outdoors and sit in the sun.

I didn't want to aimlessly go into this experiment just to see if I noticed any changes in my health, so I decided to focus on a few aspects. Specifically, I set out to see if getting sunlight improved my mood, increased my energy levels, and helped me sleep better.

Of course, I was still spending some time in the sun before the experiment started. But I usually only got sunlight when I was running an errand, going for a short walk, or sitting near a window while working. For these 30 days, I opted to be more intentional about actually soaking up the sun and relaxing under its rays.

To do this, I took at least 15 minutes out of my day and went outside. Most days, I went downstairs to lounge in one of the chairs on the terrace in my apartment building. But sometimes, I'd sit on the boardwalk near the ocean or in my parents' backyard when I was visiting home. Changing up the scenery always felt nice.

I also really appreciated how flexible this experiment was from a time perspective. News flash: The sun is out for much longer than 15 minutes a day, so it was easy to incorporate "outside time" when I was taking a break between meetings or even after the work day was done.

Researchers recommend getting your sunlight in the morning to optimize the benefits, but schedules don't always allow for that (mine sure didn't). If you can't get sunlight in the morning, don't sweat it. Some days, I didn't get a chance to be outside until 3 p.m., but the sun still did me some good.

To hold myself accountable and maximize the benefits (and joy) of this experiment, I made a checklist. It looked a little something like this:

For me to really be committed to my well-being, I know it's important to also be intentional. That's why I never went outside with my phone, laptop, book, or any other distractions. I knew that if I had something to look at or do, I'd be more focused on completing a task or scrolling on social media instead of relaxing. But I did make sure to wear sunscreen, fill up my water bottle, grab my sunglasses, and wear my watch (to use as a timer) before I left my place.

Something to keep in mind: You don't have to use my exact method. It's not always easy to fully disengage from your daily responsibilities, but I wanted to use this time to really enjoy basking in the sun and take a moment away from the stressors of the day. It was my version of being mindful of the present. Turns out, this did wonders for me.

Results

The 30 days of this experiment went by too quickly, but I'm happy to report that sitting in the sun is something that I'll be incorporating into my daily routine moving forward. Here's a quick recap of what I noticed after the monthlong challenge came to an end.

I felt happier.

Your emotions can fluctuate throughout the day. Your family life, social relationships, work, health, and daily life situations all play a role in your mood. I knew that sitting in the sun wouldn't make all my problems go away, but I did notice positive effects after being outside.

Before I sat in the sun, I made a note each day of how I was feeling. Most of my "before" notes said stressed, tired, or anxious. I then repeated this process and wrote down how I felt right after sitting in the sun. These notes were much different. In fact, 28 out of the 30 "after" notes were all associated with positive feelings, such as happy, calm, and hopeful. One note even said "at peace."

I slept slightly longer.

Generally, I get a little over six hours of sleep per night. While I don't usually wear my Apple Watch to bed, I did during the experiment so it could accurately track how long I was sleeping. The week before I started this challenge, I got an average of 6 hours and 9 minutes of sleep per day. According to my watch's data, here's how long I slept on average each week since spending more time in the sun:

These results aren't exactly drastic, but even a few more minutes of sleep before my alarm woke me from my slumber definitely helped.

My energy levels didn't change.

Research on sunlight claims that the UV rays from the sun help your body produce more serotonin—a chemical in your brain that regulates mood, energy, sleep, and more. Studies report that some people may feel more energized after being in the sun.

Unfortunately, I didn't notice any changes to my energy levels over the month-long period. Oftentimes, I actually felt more sleepy after being in the sun. So I did some research on why that happens.

Apparently, the sun can make you feel sleepy because as your body temperature rises from sunlight, your body releases sweat to help cool you down. As a result, it's easier to become dehydrated and experience fatigue. This is often the reason why you might feel more tired than normal during the summer. To mitigate this effect, it's important to stay hydrated. That's why bringing a water bottle with you when you're outside is essential.

How to Spend Time in the Sun Safely

If my fun in the sun has inspired you to go outside more often, I'd like to shed some light on how you soak up the rays safely. Here are some tips to consider next time you're outdoors:

• Protect your skin: Apply sunscreen to any exposed skin before you go outside to reduce your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.
• Wear protective clothing: Opt to wear loose, but long-sleeved shirts and pants to limit the harmful effects of UV light.
• Make accessories your friend: Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your vision.
• Go outside at the right time: UV rays are at their strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, so experts recommend getting sun exposure before or after these hours to reduce the risk of sun damage.

If you're not able to go outside during the work or school day, there are still ways to incorporate more sun exposure into your schedule. Consider the following methods:

• Work or study near a big window
• Open the curtains or blinds in your home
• Opt to do an outdoor workout, such as walking or biking
• Plan for weekend activities outside
• Ask your healthcare provider about artificial light therapy options like sun lamps, light therapy boxes, and sunrise alarm clocks
  

The Final Verdict

Growing up, my parents often told me to go outside because "your body needs the sun." They were right and I should've listened to them earlier. Good thing it's never too late to try new things—and more time in the sun is what I'll be adding to my daily routine moving forward. I often spent most of my daylight hours studying and working indoors or doing chores, only going outside to run errands, exercise, or meet friends. Sitting in the sun without a purpose also felt like I was wasting time.

Aside from feeling happier and getting more sleep, what this experiment really did for me was change my mindset. I've learned it's okay to spend a few minutes of my day lounging on a comfy chair in the warm weather and do nothing. In fact, it's helped me in ways I can't even put into words. And while basking outdoors won't permanently make you feel like you're walking on sunshine, you owe it to yourself to have some moments of peace and joy in an otherwise busy and chaotic world.