THOUGHTS FROM METTE
“A while back I was sent an article, based on scientific studies, that flipped my world of skincare upside down. Recent scientific studies have discovered why healthy skin is an essential part of longevity.”
HOLISM
We need daylight
SUMMARY
Daylight is not just light – it is a life-giving force that supports our health.
It guides our circadian rhythm, lifts energy levels and supports the immune system.
Morning light helps the body find its natural rhythm so that sleep, mood and focus remain balanced. Even a few minutes in daylight can make a noticeable difference to both body and mind.
Dive into the article to learn how you can bring more light into your everyday life.
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Daylight - nature's medicine
We hope this article inspires you to prioritise daylight every day – especially during the long, dark winter months.
Perhaps the sun’s rays can remind you to “drop everything” and step outside for a moment.
Stand by an open window and let the sun touch your skin.
Open your eyes and allow them to absorb the daylight.*
If that isn’t possible, consider prioritising light therapy or other biohacks that bring more light into your daily life.
We humans need daylight – perhaps more than we realise in everyday life.
*Never look directly at the sun – simply allow daylight to reach your eyes naturally when you are outdoors.
A few minutes in the morning light, with your gaze directed forward or towards the horizon, is enough.
Nature’s medicine – for the body, the skin and your inner energy system
Daylight is not just something we see. It is something we live by. When the sun’s spectrum reaches the eyes and skin, physiological processes are initiated – processes that modern research now understands more deeply than ever before. Light influences our hormones, neurotransmitters and even the water inside our cells.
Nature’s medicine – for the body, the skin and your inner energy system
Daylight is not just something we see. It is something we live by. When the sun’s spectrum reaches the eyes and skin, physiological processes are initiated – processes that modern research now understands more deeply than ever before. Light influences our hormones, neurotransmitters and even the water inside our cells.
Sunlight and the body’s internal clock
When morning light reaches the retinas, it signals to the brain that the day has begun.
Exposure to morning light naturally reduces melatonin levels and activates the body’s natural alertness and serotonergic system.
Serotonin is not just a “happiness hormone”. It influences mood, appetite, focus and sleep quality. Studies show that people who receive more natural daylight tend to have higher serotonin levels and fewer symptoms of winter fatigue.
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Conversely, when darkness falls, the body increases its production of melatonin – a hormone derived from serotonin that makes us sleepy.
Light speaks directly to the body’s internal clock – our “master clock”, known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain. It regulates our circadian rhythm – a natural 24-hour cycle that humans have always followed.
Until the late 19th century and before electricity, we lived by the sun:
Light during the day. Darkness in the evening. A simple, natural alternation between activity and rest.
Today, everyday life looks very different. We can switch on lights around the clock – and our society and working lives are structured in entirely new ways.
When this rhythm is disrupted, we feel it throughout the body: energy becomes uneven, sleep lighter, digestion slower and hormones imbalanced.
This is why morning light is so important: it resets us and our internal clock. Gently awakens us. Tells the body: a new day begins now.
Perhaps something essential for our health lies in returning to the simple – and allowing ourselves to be guided once again by nature’s rhythm.
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Conversely, when darkness falls, the body increases its production of melatonin – a hormone derived from serotonin that makes us sleepy.
Light speaks directly to the body’s internal clock – our “master clock”, known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain. It regulates our circadian rhythm – a natural 24-hour cycle that humans have always followed.
Until the late 19th century and before electricity, we lived by the sun:
Light during the day. Darkness in the evening. A simple, natural alternation between activity and rest.
Today, everyday life looks very different. We can switch on lights around the clock – and our society and working lives are structured in entirely new ways.
When this rhythm is disrupted, we feel it throughout the body: energy becomes uneven, sleep lighter, digestion slower and hormones imbalanced.
This is why morning light is so important: it resets us and our internal clock. Gently awakens us. Tells the body: a new day begins now.
Perhaps something essential for our health lies in returning to the simple – and allowing ourselves to be guided once again by nature’s rhythm.
THOUGHTS FROM METTE
“In the days following Copenhagen Health Week, a summit on holistic health, biohacking and longevity research, I found myself reflecting: what were my most important takeaways? What had I learned? It struck me that much of what we do today is, in many ways, an attempt to live as we once did. Eat unprocessed food. Eat seasonally. Get daylight. Dim the lights in the evening. Move your body. Sleep. Spend time in nature. So many of these things once happened naturally. We can biohack a great deal, but nature offers most of it to us – if we simply prioritise it.”
– Mette Skjærbæk, Founder of Karmameju Skincare
Light and the body’s energy-storing water
Water is not just water. Research by Professor Gerald Pollack suggests that the body forms a special type of structured water known as EZ water (Exclusion Zone water). It has been described as water’s “fourth phase” – functioning almost like a biological battery that stores energy.
You might imagine it as a small internal energy reservoir, recharged by light.
It forms and expands when the body is exposed to infrared light – the part of sunlight we cannot see but feel as warmth on the skin. When we receive sunlight or use infrared light, we support the body’s ability to generate energy from within.The more infrared light, the more EZ water – and potentially improved energy production, circulation and cellular renewal.
Why your morning shapes the rest of your day
Stepping into the first light of the day – without sunglasses – sends a clear message to the brain: “Wake up and be alive.”
It improves:
- circadian rhythm
- energy
- focus
- sleep balance
- mood
- stress regulation
And in the evening? Dim the lights. Switch off overhead lighting. Avoid bright white light. Your brain needs to understand that night is approaching so melatonin can rise again.
We spend 90% of life indoors – and it has consequences
The study “The Indoor Generation”shows that modern humans spend the vast majority of life indoors under artificial lighting. Artificial light lacks the full spectrum of sunlight and may contribute to fatigue, headaches and reduced wellbeing, as the brain attempts to compensate for the missing colours in the light frequencies surrounding our eyes. Daylight is therefore not just light. It is a complete biological signal that no lamp can fully replace.
Vitamin D – the sun’s gift to the immune system
When the skin is exposed to UVB rays, it produces vitamin D – essential for immune function, hormonal balance, muscles and bones.
In Nordic countries, UVB radiation is weak during winter, and supplementation is therefore recommended in the darker months. Vitamin D is vital, and many people are deficient. If you feel tired, ask your GP to test your vitamin D levels. As it is a fat-soluble vitamin, excessive intake is not advisable – testing is recommended.
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Illness and sunlight
Beyond vitamin D, sunlight provides powerful support for the immune system. When you are unwell, spending time in natural light – ideally in the morning – may help. Light helps reset the circadian rhythm, supports energy and mood, and assists the immune system in restoring balance. Even a few minutes can make a difference.
“Seeing the light of day” – a daily practice
Whether it is a walk, a bike ride, a lunch break outdoors, or simply a few minutes with your face turned towards the sky – daylight is self-care. It supports the body, the brain, sleep and your inner energy system.
Respect the sun – use sun protection
The sun is vital for life – but UV radiation can damage the skin when exposure is too high.
Use sunscreen:
- from spring to autumn, especially between 12–3 pm
- when near water, snow, the beach or strong reflective surfaces
- during prolonged periods in direct sunlight
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The sun is your friend – and like plants, you need both light and hydration to thrive.
Give yourself small moments of sunshine so body and mind can flourish.
