AI assisted blog – inspired by the struggle I see in women as they enter their 50s. Centralized medicine tells us its our hormones and wants to prescribe us pharmaceuticals. New science shows us we are out of sync with Nature.
In recent years, science has been uncovering what ancient wisdom always believed: aligning our lives with the sunrise and sunset can profoundly improve our brain function. If you’ve been struggling with forgetfulness, “brain fog,” or midday fatigue, the secret to renewal might be as simple as reconnecting with the natural rhythm of light and dark.
Why Your Body Clock Affects Your Brain
Do you ever feel “off” for no obvious reason? One possible cause is your circadian rhythm – your internal 24-hour body clock – being out of sync. When your cells don’t know what time of day it is, it’s like they’re jet-lagged even if you haven’t traveled anywhere. Research shows that when this internal clock is misaligned or weak, people (especially older adults) perform worse on memory and thinking tasks. In fact, a recent study of adults over 60 found that those with poor circadian alignment had slower processing speed and weaker working memory (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders).
Translation: if your body clock is out of tune, your brain might feel groggy and slow.
The good news: you have the power to tune this clock. Your brain has a master timekeeper called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), located deep in your hypothalamus. Think of it as your personal sunrise-sunset coordinator.
Each morning, light enters your eyes and signals the SCN to reset your internal clock, syncing your biology with the outside world. This keeps your hormone cycles, energy levels, and brain functions on a healthy schedule. When your circadian rhythm is strong and steady, it supports clear thinking, stable mood, and even protects against faster brain aging (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders)
In short, a well-tuned body clock is a foundation for a sharp mind.
Morning Sunlight – Fuel for Your Brain and Mitochondria
Ever notice how a walk outside on a sunny morning wakes you up better than a cup of coffee? Morning sunlight is like a signal that charges your brain’s batteries. Sunlight tells your body that it’s time to be alert, boosting hormones and neurotransmitters that support focus and mood (6 Benefits to Morning Sunlight Exposure – Community Rec).
Exposure to natural light first thing in the morning triggers a spike of cortisol (your “get-up-and-go” hormone) and increases serotonin (the “happy” brain chemical). This not only lifts your spirits, it sets the stage for melatonin to be released later at night, improving your sleep rhythm (6 Benefits to Morning Sunlight Exposure – Community Rec).
Importantly for brain function, morning light directly enhances cognition. One scientific study found that people who got sunlight in the morning performed better on cognitive tests than those who stayed in dim light (6 Benefits to Morning Sunlight Exposure – Community Rec).
Researchers believe the improved brain function was due to sunlight strengthening the circadian signal – essentially syncing the brain’s timing for peak performance (6 Benefits to Morning Sunlight Exposure – Community Rec).
Imagine your brain as a orchestra: morning light is the conductor ensuring all sections play in harmony at the right time. Without that cue, you might feel like you’re mentally playing out of tune.
What’s happening on a cellular level? Your neurons and their mitochondria (the tiny “power plants” in each cell) thrive on these daily light cues. Sunlight in the blue spectrum early in the day hits special photoreceptors in your eyes, signalling your brain and body to wake up and produce energy.
Mitochondria – often called your “cellular batteries” – are highly responsive to light and the hormones light influences. When you soak in morning rays, you’re essentially telling your mitochondria “it’s time to produce power and fuel my brain.” Over time, this can sharpen your mental clarity and reduce that dreaded morning fog.
Action Step: Sunrise Recharge. Make it a gentle morning ritual to get at least 5–15 minutes of natural light within an hour of sunrise. Sit by a bright window or, better yet, step outside for a short walk or stretch. No sunglasses, contact lenses or glass in between– you want that light to reach your eyes and skin. This simple practice entrains your master clock each day.
You’re likely to notice you feel more awake in the morning and more clear-headed through the day. It’s a small shift in routine that yields big dividends for your brain health.
Eating with the Light (and Why It Matters)
Believe it or not, when you eat can be just as important as what you eat for brain health. Your digestive organs have their own clocks that take cues from food timing and daylight. Ever have a heavy meal late at night and sleep poorly? That’s because eating at odd hours can confuse your body’s peripheral clocks (like those in your liver and gut), which prefer to sync with the master clock in your brain (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders)
During the day, sunlight and activity signal your body to digest efficiently and use nutrients for energy. At night, darkness signals that it’s time for rest and cellular repair, not heavy digestion.
To support brain function, try aligning your meals with the sun’s cycle. This means having breakfast after getting morning light, enjoying your main meals in daylight, and avoiding big meals late in the evening. By doing so, you’re telling your body and brain, “I’m active in the daytime and resting at night,” which reinforces a healthy circadian rhythm.
Research in chronobiology (the science of body clocks) indicates that consistent eating times during the day can improve metabolic health and even cognitive performance (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders)
In essence, eating with the sun strengthens that internal rhythm we keep talking about – and a stronger rhythm means a clearer mind.
Action Step: Light-Aligned Eating. As an immediate tweak, try to finish your dinner earlier in the evening, ideally by sunset or within an hour or two after. If you’re used to late-night snacking, see if you can swap it for an herbal tea or another calming routine. Not only will your sleep likely improve, but your morning alertness might too (because your body isn’t busy digesting at 2 AM). Over time, aim for a pattern of eating more in daylight hours and less at night. Your brain will thank you with steadier energy and sharper focus.
Sunset Signals – Preparing Your Brain for Rest and Repair
As the day winds down, sunset becomes your ally in achieving a clear and rested mind. In the late afternoon and dusk, the sun’s light shifts to more oranges and reds and naturally contains less blue. This change is a signal to your brain that evening is here, and it’s time to start producing melatonin – the hormone that makes you sleepy and kicks off nightly repair for your brain cells.
Melatonin is incredible; it’s not just for sleep – it’s also a potent antioxidant that helps heal your brain and mitochondria each night. In fact, melatonin enters your mitochondria (those cell batteries) and acts like a clean-up crew, mopping up harmful free radicals that accumulate from the day ( Melatonin as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant: one of evolution’s best ideas – PMC ). Think of nighttime melatonin as the maintenance team recharging your mental batteries so you wake up clear.
But here’s the catch: to get that melatonin surge, you need to avoid bright artificial light at night. Our modern world’s screens and LED bulbs emit a lot of blue light, which tricks the brain into thinking it’s still daytime.
Even relatively dim indoor light can confuse your circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin (Blue light has a dark side – Harvard Health). Harvard researchers note that exposure to ordinary room lighting (like a table lamp) late at night can significantly delay your body’s clock and reduce melatonin levels (Blue light has a dark side – Harvard Health). That means your brain misses out on crucial repair time, and you may feel groggy or foggy next day.
Action Step: Embrace Evening Darkness. As the sun sets, try to dim the lights in your environment. You can switch to warm, low-level lighting (think red and amber-hued bulbs) after sunset.
Wear blue-light blocking glasses if you must use screens . And make your bedroom as dark as possible – imagine a cave at midnight. By creating a contrast between bright days and dark nights, you signal your brain to release melatonin on cue. The result? Deeper sleep, better overnight repair, and a clearer head in the morning. In short: let dusk be dusk. Your ancestral body will recognize the cue and respond with better sleep and sharper cognition.
There’s also a beautiful psychological benefit to honoring sunset.
Take a moment at day’s end, perhaps stepping outside or simply looking out the window, to absorb the changing colors of the sky. Allow yourself to unwind with the setting sun. You might reflect on the day with gratitude or simply breathe deeply as darkness falls. This gentle ritual not only calms the mind (lowering evening stress hormones), but it cements the transition from day to night.
Many women find this practice empowering – it’s a reminder that you’re allowed to slow down. As the sky darkens, give yourself permission to shift into a softer, more restorative mode. In doing so, you align not just your biology but also your spirit with the natural flow of the day, setting the stage for healing sleep and a brighter tomorrow.
Grounding: Plugging Into Earth’s Energy
Do you remember running barefoot in the grass as a kid and feeling free? That intuitive joy might have had health benefits. Grounding (or “earthing”) means physically connecting your body with the Earth – like walking barefoot on grass, soil, or sand.
It might sound a little woo-woo, but there’s growing evidence that grounding can reduce stress and improve sleep by syncing us with Earth’s electrons.
One small study found that when people slept grounded, their nighttime cortisol levels normalized – essentially their stress hormone cycle synced up more with a healthy 24-hour rhythm. These folks reported better sleep and less stress and pain. The effect was especially notable in women participants, suggesting grounding might be extra beneficial for balancing hormones in females. See: The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress – PubMed
How might this help your brain? By calming your nervous system and aligning cortisol (which follows a circadian pattern) to a natural schedule, grounding can indirectly support better focus and mood.
When your body isn’t fighting inflammation or high nighttime stress hormones, your brain can use that energy for clear thinking and memory. Some researchers think that Earth’s gentle electric charge might act as an “energy infusion” that stabilizes our biology, much like sunlight does. See: Practical applications of grounding to support health – ScienceDirect)
Grounding has been reported to improve sleep quality and reduce feelings of anxiety – all factors that can contribute to a clearer, sharper mind the next day. (Influence of electromagnetic fields on the circadian rhythm …).
Action Step: Earthing Everyday. This one is delightful: simply find a safe, pleasant spot to kick off your shoes and stand or walk on natural ground. Your backyard, a local park, or a sandy beach work great. Even 5-10 minutes of connecting your bare feet (or hands) to the earth can be calming.
Try doing this in the morning sun for a double boost – you’ll get light therapy and ground therapy together, a one-two punch for your circadian rhythm. Many women describe an immediate feeling of peace or tingling warmth when they do this, as if discharging the static of daily life.
Over time, a daily grounding practice – even just a few times a week – may help stabilize your mood, improve your sleep, and by extension, brighten your mental clarity. It’s free, it’s simple, and it literally helps you find your footing when life feels mentally chaotic.
Temperature Therapy: Cool Down to Power Up
Another natural tool to enhance your brain function is temperature – specifically, exposing yourself to cycles of cool and warm in tune with nature. If you think about it, our ancestors experienced cooler temperatures after sunset and warmer ones in daylight. Mimicking these patterns can cue your body to respond in brain-boosting ways. For instance, exposing yourself to cold (like a brisk cold shower or a morning splash of cold water on the face) can kick-start your mitochondria. Studies show that cooler temperatures can actually improve mitochondrial efficiency in the brain, making energy production more effective. In one experiment, mice exposed to cold had mitochondria that conserved energy better and maintained cell viability under stress (Effects of cold on murine brain mitochondrial function | PLOS One). This suggests that a bit of cold makes your cellular batteries more resilient – translating to potentially more mental energy and clarity for you.
Cold exposure also releases a surge of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter linked to alertness and focus (Deliberate Cold Exposure: The Medical Benefits of Cold Plunges). Ever felt that invigorating rush after dipping into a cold pool or finishing a cold shower? That’s your brain chemistry getting a positive jolt. Some people even report that regular cold showers reduce their brain fog and improve mood over time, likely due to these neurochemical boosts and the increase in mitochondria-rich brown fat.
Action Step: Try a Contrast Boost. An easy way to start is with a 30-second cool rinse at the end of your morning shower. You can start lukewarm and gradually make it colder as you get used to it. Breathe deeply – you might even smile as you feel the zing! This practice tells your body “wake up and generate energy.”
Later in the day, especially if you feel mentally drained or overheated, stepping outside in cooler air or splashing cold water on your face can re-energize you.
Embrace the Light: Putting It All Together
Improving your brain function in your 50s (and beyond) may be as uplifting as watching the sunrise and as peaceful as honoring the sunset. The steps are simple and deeply empowering because they put you back in rhythm with nature’s wisdom. Modern science is catching up to this ancient knowledge: aligning our lives with natural light cycles improves our mitochondria and clears our minds (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders)
As Dr. Jack Kruse, a neurosurgeon known for his work in quantum biology, eloquently said: “Food is an electromagnetic barcode of the sunlight as you rotate around the sun. Your mitochondria deciphers that code” (Bayou Health | Balancing Circadian Rhythms with Locally Grown Food – BayouLife). In other words, the energy of the sun is encoded in everything we do – from what we eat to when we sleep – and our cells are listening.
By consciously tuning into morning sunlight, eating with the sun, darkening our nights, grounding with the Earth, and even embracing a bit of cold therapy, we send our body and brain powerful signals at the quantum level: signals to heal, energize, and flourish. These practices are not about adding complicated tasks to your day; they’re about rediscovering the natural rhythms that your body craves.
You have the ability to sharpen your mind and lift the fog. It starts with stepping outside at dawn, barefoot in the dew, breathing deeply as the sun kisses the horizon. It unfolds with savoring daylight and then welcoming the twilight by candlelight or starlight. Bit by bit, these habits teach your brain to function at its best – awake when it should be awake, and deeply rested when it should rest.
Women in their 50s often describe feeling more like themselves again – remembering things more easily, thinking more clearly, and having steady energy – after adopting these light-alignment strategies. You are not doomed to live with brain fatigue or fuzzy memory. By getting in sync with sunlight and sunset, you’re giving your brain and mitochondria exactly what they need to shine.
So tomorrow morning, when the sun peeks over the horizon, step outside and greet it. Feel the warmth on your skin and know that you’re charging your inner batteries. In the evening, let the sunset be your cue to slow down and prepare for healing rest. Your body is wise – when you give it the cues nature designed it to have, it will reward you with better clarity, energy, and joy. Embrace the journey of syncing with the sun, and watch your brain light up with renewed life. You’ve got this, and the science backs it up: a brighter, clearer mind is well within your reach – all you have to do is step into the light.
Action Summary – Start Today: To make it easy, here’s a quick recap of steps you can begin right now:
- Catch the Morning Sun: Get 5-15 minutes of daylight in your eyes as early as possible each day (ideally at sunrise). This boosts your alertness and sets your body clock for the day (6 Benefits to Morning Sunlight Exposure – Community Rec).
- Dim Evenings: After sunset, minimize blue light. Dim the house lights, use lamps with warm tones, or wear blue-blocker glasses. This protects your melatonin and supports deep sleep (Blue light has a dark side – Harvard Health).
- Eat with Daylight: Align meals to the sun – a good breakfast, a hearty lunch, and a lighter, earlier dinner. Try to avoid heavy meals late at night so your body can focus on brain repair, not digestion (Healthspan Research Review | Circadian Rhythm Synchronization as a Strategy for Enhancing Healthspan and Preventing Metabolic Disorders).
- Ground Yourself: Spend a few minutes barefoot on grass, soil, or sand. This can calm your nervous system and sync your cortisol (stress hormone) to a healthy rhythm (The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress – PubMed). It’s a wonderful way to feel centered and reduce stress.
- Temperature Therapy: Use cool mornings to your advantage. A brief cold exposure (cold shower or cool outdoor air) in the morning can fire you up (Effects of cold on murine brain mitochondrial function | PLOS One).
By incorporating these habits, you’re aligning your lifestyle with your biology. It’s like flipping a switch from “struggle” to “flow.”
Your brain fog won’t stand a chance against consistent healthy circadian signals. Remember, change doesn’t have to be overwhelming – even one or two small shifts can start to make a difference.
Listen to your body and go at your own pace. This is about empowering yourself with knowledge and simple daily rituals that nurture your well-being. Here’s to brighter mornings, clearer thinking, and the beautiful journey of getting back in sync with the rhythms of life!
References: AI has assisted in the collecting the scientific references and expert insights included throughout this post to support each point. This is not to be considered medical advice.
The information here blends modern science with the ageless wisdom of Mother Nature. By following these practices, you’re engaging in a form of self-care that is both grounded in evidence and attuned to the deeper connection between your body and the natural world. Here’s to improving your brain function by greeting the sun and living in harmony with its rise and fall. You deserve all the clarity and vitality that this world has to offer, one sunrise and sunset at a time.