Sunlight, methylation and healing
...and how sunlight is as important to our overall health as food, water and air.
I am unvaxxed
The information provided on this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.
For those who do not like to read, this video summarises the science, but not the relation to methylation and the MTHFR gene.
When should we get sunlight?
Does anyone pay attention to getting sunlight at different times of the day to serve different purposes?
I have read a few articles on the importance of sunlight, but because I have limited mobility and no private outside space, I find it hard to “get out in the sun”. I need extra motivation to 'work at it'. I have learned recently that the better I understand the science behind something, the more motivated I feel, and the less willpower it takes.
After asking ChatGPT some questions to clarify what I wanted to know, here’s what I found.
ChatGPT: The various types of light in natural sunlight can be broadly categorized into ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared (IR) radiation, with each band serving distinct biological and environmental roles. The idea that our body benefits from exposure to different “types” of light aligns with how these segments impact physiology at different times of the day.
Breakdown of Solar Radiation Components:
Ultraviolet (UV) Light
UVA (320–400 nm): Present throughout daylight hours, responsible for long-term skin damage and plays a role in nitric oxide release, which can help lower blood pressure.
UVB (290–320 nm): Peaks midday; crucial for vitamin D synthesis in the skin but blocked by clouds and windows.
UVC (100–290 nm): Almost entirely filtered out by the atmosphere, with little reaching the Earth’s surface.
Visible Light
This spectrum (400–700 nm) is responsible for vision and helps regulate circadian rhythms. Early morning blue light (around 480 nm) is essential for resetting the body's internal clock and promoting healthy sleep cycles.
Infrared (IR) Radiation
Near-infrared (NIR) (700–1400 nm): Penetrates the skin deeply and may assist in tissue repair and circulation. Present throughout the day but peaks in the morning and late afternoon.
Mid-infrared (MIR) (1400–3000 nm): Less studied but involved in thermal regulation.
Far-infrared (FIR) (3000 nm–1 mm): Associated with heat and possibly beneficial for circulation.
Daily Impact and Distribution:
Morning: Higher levels of blue and UVA light help wake the body, trigger serotonin production, and align the circadian clock.
Midday: The peak in UVB enables vitamin D production, while visible and infrared light supports energy and alertness.
Late Afternoon/Evening: Lower levels of blue light and increasing IR levels encourage melatonin production, preparing the body for rest.
Light Variation Throughout the Day:
Not all forms of light are present at equal intensities throughout the day. UVA and NIR are present most of the day, but UVB only becomes available in significant amounts around midday when the sun is at its highest point. Meanwhile, blue light exposure in the morning is critical for circadian rhythm regulation, while exposure to infrared radiation later in the day supports relaxation and recovery.
This distribution of light exposure suggests that our bodies are tuned to respond to changing wavelengths throughout the day. A lack of exposure to key wavelengths at appropriate times (e.g., morning blue light) may disrupt sleep patterns and overall health, supporting the idea that various types of light are essential for optimal function across a 24-hour cycle.
What happens when the sun doesn’t shine?
ChatGPT: Extended periods of low light exposure, such as during winter or in high-latitude regions, can have a range of physiological and psychological effects. These include:
Vitamin D Deficiency:
UVB rays, essential for producing vitamin D, are weaker in winter or blocked by cloud cover. Low vitamin D can impair calcium absorption, weaken bones, and reduce immune function. Deficiency is also linked with depression, cardiovascular issues, and metabolic disorders .
Circadian Rhythm Disruption:
Reduced daylight affects the body’s internal clock, leading to issues with sleep quality, energy levels, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Low light exposure delays melatonin release, interfering with natural sleep cycles.
Mood and Mental Health Impact:
Low sunlight exposure contributes to lower serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter essential for mood regulation, leading to increased risk of SAD and other mood disorders during the winter months.
Me: We have long been coached into believing we will all suffer from a shortage of vitamin D and all sorts of other effects, during winter, when the sun doesn’t shine as much, but is this true? Mankind has only recently learned to supplement with D or anything else, so how did our ancestors cope?
How Did our Ancestors Stay Healthy Without Supplements?
Me: The impacts given to us above, by the always “on the narrative” ChatGPT, are certainly consistent with modern folklore, but are they true? I asked ChatGPT how our ancestors coped without supplements, and here is the reply.
ChatGPT: While vitamin D supplements are now widely available, our ancestors used natural strategies to maintain health during winter:
Dietary Sources of Vitamin D:
Traditional diets in high-latitude regions relied heavily on vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish (e.g., salmon, cod, and herring), seal liver, or fermented fish liver oil. Some cultures ate organ meats, eggs, and animal fats, all of which contain smaller amounts of vitamin D.
Migration and Outdoor Exposure:
Early humans often migrated to regions with more sunlight in winter or spent more time outdoors, maximizing UVB exposure during daylight hours. Even indirect exposure to UV rays through outdoor activities helps with vitamin D production.
Stored Body Fat:
Some indigenous populations developed metabolic adaptations, storing vitamin D in fat tissues during sunny months, which could be gradually released in winter.
Cultural and Lifestyle Adaptations:
Communities relied on physical activity, sun rituals, and exposure to reflective surfaces (like snow) to catch as much sunlight as possible. Some northern populations also built homes or used clothing designs that optimized exposure to natural light when available.
In summary, a combination of dietary strategies, physical activity, and occasional migration or sun exposure enabled our ancestors to maintain health through low-light conditions. These practices reflect a close integration of lifestyle with environmental rhythms, compensating for seasonal fluctuations in sunlight without relying on modern supplements.
So what about the impact of artificial light at night?
Me: There is one serious difference between our lives and the lives of our ancestors, and that is artificial light. We are now being told to purchase various lighting equipment that has less blue light - which wakes us up, and more red light - which helps send us to sleep. Is this really necessary? My parents and grandparents had access to electricity and artificial light but did not supplement in any way. However they did not have the devices we now how that expose us to who knows what through the eyes. What are we confronting that they did not, and what should we be doing about it? It’s not just about nighttime lighting.
ChatGPT: The key difference between our modern environment and that of past generations lies in the intensity, timing, and spectrum of artificial light we are exposed to—especially from digital screens and LED lighting. Our grandparents and parents used artificial lights, but those were often warmer incandescent lights that emitted more red and yellow wavelengths. Today, we are exposed to blue-enriched LEDs and screens (phones, tablets, and computers), which interfere with circadian rhythms in ways that were previously absent from daily life.
How Artificial Light Affects Us Today
Blue Light and Circadian Rhythm Disruption:
Blue light (~480 nm) suppresses melatonin production, a hormone essential for sleep. Exposure to this light at night, especially from screens and LEDs, tricks the brain into thinking it's still daytime, delaying sleep onset and reducing sleep quality.
Devices and Constant Exposure:
Modern screens emit more blue light than older technologies, and we use these devices late into the evening. Even exposure during the day can interfere with natural rhythms if it’s inconsistent with morning sunlight patterns that reset the biological clock.
Shift from Natural Sunlight to Indoor Living:
Many people spend most of their time indoors, reducing exposure to natural sunlight. This affects not only vitamin D production but also the body’s ability to maintain proper circadian regulation—as early sunlight exposure helps set the internal clock .
Electric Lighting vs. Natural Light Cycles:
In previous generations, indoor lighting was dimmer and warmer, mimicking evening firelight more closely. With the advent of bright, blue-rich LEDs, evening light exposure now resembles daytime light, creating a mismatch between internal rhythms and environmental cues.
So what are our solutions?
Me: This is all consistent with the narrative and you and I already know but that we cannot always do much about.
Chat GPT:
Reduce Evening Blue Light Exposure:
Use blue-light filtering settings on devices, wear blue-blocking glasses, or switch to warmer, dim lighting (like amber or red) after sunset. Studies show that red light has less impact on melatonin levels and sleep quality .
Morning Light Exposure:
Get exposure to natural sunlight early in the day to reset your circadian clock. This signals the brain to start the countdown toward bedtime and ensures melatonin will release properly at night.
Light Hygiene:
Follow regular sleep-wake schedules and avoid bright lights, especially from screens, at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you need light, warmer-toned lamps can help prepare your body for sleep.
Spend More Time Outdoors:
Exposure to full-spectrum daylight during the day—especially in the morning—can help regulate mood, sleep, and overall health. Natural light contains both blue and red wavelengths in a balance that supports optimal biological functioning.
Circadian Lighting Solutions:
New circadian lighting systems aim to mimic natural light patterns by emitting cooler tones in the morning and warmer tones in the evening, aligning artificial light with our biological rhythms.
Conclusion
The issue isn’t just the presence of artificial light but the timing and quality of exposure. Unlike previous generations, we are bombarded with blue-rich light at unnatural times, mainly through modern devices. Managing light exposure by aligning it with natural cycles—morning sunlight to wake us up, dim light in the evening to help us sleep—can significantly improve sleep quality, mood, and health. This approach offers a way to address circadian disruptions without needing excessive supplements or interventions.
What I am doing about it
My journey towards death
Having spent the last 2/12 years trying not to die, and quite simply not having the money to afford the help and support that only those with vast reserves of disposable income can afford to buy, I have been having to find cheap or free ways of turning around my health. I have travelled through a journey of learning about:
the vagus nerve, and how to help it repair with free exercises
the autonomic nervous system, the interrelationship between all our hormones and neurotransmitters, and how to get them back into balance, using free breathing exercises:
including sports medicine
the underlying causes of cancer, and how to prevent further improper cell division:
including anti-parasitic protocols
mitochondrial and cellular level health:
including longevity medicine with supplements to support the mitochondria
sunlight, grounding and artificial light, finally arriving at
the MTHFR gene and methylation, with supplements to support the methylation cycle.
My journey back to life
The MTHFR gene and methylation is my destination; the last station of my previous journey that was focused on not dying, and the first station of my new journey towards regaining my health. I now travel back through all of those stations on the way, integrating my new understanding of the MTHFR gene and methylation and its previously unknown role in my decline into sickness.
My last few articles have been about methylation and the fact that my body does not produce the necessary amounts of methyl groups as required by modern life.
On this journey I have come to the conclusion that sunlight is food, and that without sunlight, we starve to death, quite literally. So I asked ChatGPT what connections there might be between poor methylation and sunlight.
Sunlight and methylation
Chat GPT: While there isn’t extensive direct research on sunlight’s impact on methylation, there are indirect ways sunlight may influence the methylation process, particularly through its effect on vitamin D levels, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health.
Vitamin D and Methylation:
Sunlight triggers the production of vitamin D, which influences the regulation of many genes. Some studies have shown that vitamin D affects the expression of methylation-related genes, such as those involved in DNA repair, inflammation, and immune regulation . A lack of sunlight and low vitamin D levels may impair methylation by altering these pathways.
Circadian Rhythm and Methylation:
Sunlight exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms, which control many biological processes, including gene expression and DNA methylation. Disrupted circadian rhythms (from low light exposure) are associated with altered methylation patterns, particularly in stress-related and metabolic genes .
Sunlight’s Role in Mood and Neurotransmitter Balance:
Exposure to natural light, especially in the morning, boosts serotonin levels, which may indirectly impact methylation by reducing the need for excessive methyl donors to process stress-related chemicals (such as dopamine or norepinephrine). This may benefit individuals with slow COMT function, as methylation demand is reduced when neurotransmitter levels are well-regulated.
Seasonal Variations in Methylation:
Some research indicates that DNA methylation levels fluctuate with the seasons, suggesting that environmental cues like sunlight may play a role in modulating gene expression over time. This aligns with observations that diseases linked to methylation imbalances, like autoimmune disorders, may have seasonal patterns .
While the relationship between sunlight and methylation is still emerging, the current evidence suggests that regular sunlight exposure supports healthy methylation through:
Vitamin D production
Regulated circadian rhythms
Balanced neurotransmitter levels
This suggests that maintaining natural light exposure throughout the day can support overall methylation balance and metabolic health.
Can you help?
I intend to keep writing of my journey through this rather strange time in my life, and for this planet. As soon as I know, I will share with you, what does and does not work to exorcise this bio-weapon from our bodies and take back some level of control of our lives.
If you think my writings are worthwhile, you can help me get more subscriptions and donations by sharing this article on other social media platforms, and by re-stacking this article in Substack Notes.
Or make a PayPal donation here to help with ongoing medical costs. Every little bit helps. The last donations, thank you, paid for a red light to help me find restful sleep and experimental nitric oxide gummies to see if increasing nitric oxide levels improves my overall health (it does). I now have a non-intrusive blood glucose monitor on the way and the next order for AgeMate longevity supplement is placed.
As always, thanks for the research tips!