Light and joy are two things we can all use. This post is based on Proverbs 15:30:
“The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart.”
Sight
Light allows us to see. You can have very good eyes, but without light penetrating the eye we cannot see. The light from our environment enters the eye through the pupil. It then passes through the lens, which focuses the image, and falls on the retina at the back of the eyeball.
The retina mainly consists of rods and cones. The rods ensure that we can see contrast. This allows us to perceive the contours of objects. We mainly use the rods when there is less light and they allow us to see things in shades of gray. The cones need more light, but they allow us to perceive all possible colors.
Thanks to the functioning of our eyes, we can enjoy everything there is to see in our environment.
Mood
In addition to the rods and cones, the retina also contains a specific type of nerve cells: light-sensitive ganglion cells. These types of cells do not or hardly help with vision, but they are important for our day-night rhythm. Sunlight is the most important signal for our body to tune our biological clock to. During the day, the light intensity changes, which these cells register and pass on to the brain.
Exposure to sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin. This neurotransmitter has multiple functions. Serotonin has a major influence on our mood and is therefore also called the happiness hormone. In winter, when we can enjoy the sun for less, a too low serotonin level can lead to depressive symptoms. That is a reason to go outside, despite the cold and clouds, to let the daylight penetrate our skin and into our eyes. Because even then our body produces serotonin under the influence of daylight.
--- Be sensible with the sun. Do not look directly at the sun.
This is too intense and can damage your eyes. ---
Our body starts producing melatonin (early) in the evening. Melatonin is a hormone that helps us sleep. The serotonin, which we make during the day, is needed to make melatonin in the evening. The level of serotonin determines how much melatonin we create. Too little serotonin can lead to too little melatonin and therefore cause sleeping problems.
The earlier in the day we expose ourselves to the intense light of the day, the better it is for our day-night rhythm. Because that determines when and how high the melatonin peak is. This affects the quality of sleep. No or too little contact with daylight and the presence of artificial light in the evening (especially the blue light from screens) can shift the day-night rhythm. The melatonin peak then comes later and this can cause sleeping problems.
So you can see that exposure to sunlight also plays an important role for happiness in our hearts while sleeping. After a good night's sleep you wake up refreshed and often cheerful. But a bad night's sleep has a negative effect on our mood.
Hold on to the Light
In these dark days it is important for our physical and mental well-being to hold on to the light. Both to the sunlight, for the points described above, and to the Light, Jesus.
When David is in distress and beset by enemies, he begs God to enlighten his eyes (Psalms 13). In Psalms 19, David says that the commandments enlighten the eyes and make the heart glad. “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." Psalm 19:8.
God's commandments and love bring joy. By loving God and keeping His commandments, the joy abides in you and becomes complete. Jesus says, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:9-11.
It is my prayer for you that you may experience that joy in your heart.
Light therapy
If it's difficult to come into contact with sunlight, for example in autumn and winter, light therapy can support you in a natural way. You can read about light therapy in the blog 'Light therapy'.
The AYOlite light therapy glasses are now for sale at Word and Well-being. Are you interested? Click here to go to the webshop.
An appropriate gift is ready for the first 10 customers to celebrate the opening of the webshop together! We only ship for free to addresses in The Netherlands.
You can ask questions about light therapy by sending an e-mail to info@woordenwelzijn.nl. I would like to help you.
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