To Stay Thin Have A Heaping Helping Of….Sunshine!

Spring is coming, swimsuit season is close behind or maybe it’s just time to shed a few extra winter pounds, whatever your motivation, you’ll probably have better success if you drag the process out into the light – literally.

If you’re looking to get and stay slim you might want to try getting a little extra sun while you get ready in the morning.

The Daily Mail reports on a study from the journal PLOS One where researchers looked at participants, measuring the relationship between their Body Mass Index (BMI), their sleeping habits and their exposure to ambient light.

The scientists discovered that light exposure can influence sleep and the circadian rhythm (internal clock) of the body, and that both things influence a person's weight as they regulate metabolism, hunger, and energy levels.

In more practical terms it was discovered that just 20 to 30 minutes of light exposure can influence weight, even when controlling for sleep timing and duration. In addition the individuals who received more sunlight had lower BMIs regardless of what their foot intake was. (Daily Mail)