To see the podcast of this episode, click here.
Why is life so hard—if you missed episode 2, click here and read about the biggest reason. Satan has enacted a strategy that works. For this episode, one aspect of the problem that makes life so hard is a light issue.
Not light in the sense of not being very important or heavy, but as in light as a force of nature. Light is amazing in the way it interacts with us as embodied spirits, or as the Hebrew language calls us, nephesh.
Light can help us keep our head on straight, boost our immune system and mood, and totally wreck all of that. We need some wisdom to know how to embrace light in the right way, and avoid the light when it is harmful.
Really Good God, Really Good Light
A major study from 2022 involving more than 80,000 participants demonstrates the creative genius of our God. Here is a link to the study—the full paper is behind a paywall and in my opinion, is well worth the cost. The study goes by the catchy title, Day and night exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: and objective light study in >85,000 people.
Here’s a bonus, if you are not familiar with the Huberman Lab podcast, this study is talked about in detail here. They unpack the significance of light exposure and its impact on our mental state in a very accessible way. Dr. Andrew Huberman has some other great topics that can help you in managing your health.
Here’s the skinny on good light exposure. The study found by attaching light, time, and motion sensors that those who got the most daylight sunshine exposure and the lowest light exposure at night had the highest mental health. For those with conditions including psychosis, bipolar, anxiety, PTSD, and self-harm behaviors the relationship was highly significant.
If you want more details, click on the link to the Huberman lab podcast. It is exceptional in its quality and Dr. Huberman will even email you a recommended protocol for his best health recommendations if you join his mailing list.
For now, here are some simple ideas to improve your light exposure, and the lack of it.
Get out in the sunshine, especially in the morning and evening when the sun is low. Low angle sunlight is beneficial in keeping your circadian rhythm in proper alignment. You wakefulness and energy will be higher and you will sleep better at night. Do not stare into the sun, but align your eyes so that the sun’s rays are entering your eyes.
Even on a cloudy day, get outside and get exposure anyway. A cloudy is far more intense lighting that what you will get indoors, it will still do good for your mood, energy, and immunity.
On a separate note, sunshine on your skin is a primary source of vitamin, a key component of your immunity and overall health. The impact of vitamin D on your overall health and mood is great—and sun exposure once again is key to the quality of your sleep.
Consider eliminating sunscreen. In general we were designed with a system that gradually darkened us (yes, even those with dark skin) as the sun grew more intense and warm seasonally. This is a darkening from “melanin” and it not only makes us marginally more attractive (some people are spectacular, I’m marginal!) and protects us from skin cancer, enabling us to spend more time outside without burning. The rates of skin cancer have gone up with the quantity of sunscreen used. For some of you with very fair skin (or albino), this will not work. You need sunscreen, most of us just need to gradually increase our sun exposure as we tan.
Avoid bright light exposure at night, especially in the blue spectrum and directed into the eyes. Television, smartphones/tablets, and LED lighting really mess with your bodies natural rhythms. The study above showed those with the highest levels of nighttime exposure had the worst mental health outcomes, I.e., the higher levels of anxiety, bipolar events, psychosis, and worse PTSD.
Reduce and change the lighting you use in the areas where you spend your last two hours before bedtime. There are light bulbs available (I use the “relax” branded bulbs available at big box or building supply stores) that are more in the yellow/orange/red spectrum which help your body get sleepy.
Put your devices to bed and out of arms reach at least two hours before getting in bed. The light from a phone is not the only element that disturbs your peace, but the content agitates your mind as well. (More on this in a later blog) Put the phone where you can hear the phone ring but turn off all other notifications. Use the “Do Not Disturb” function to limit those who can call you during the night.
Never use your phone while in the bed. Read a book before bedtime (choose your topic appropriately), relax, make love (if you are married only, and only to your spouse), and sleep.
Light, the First Creation Rhythm
The way our Creator designed the earth with its tilt, rotation, and circling of the sun interacts with the design of our body. Our skin, eyes, and brain react well when we respect the rhythm first described in the Creation account, “Let there be light” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (Gen. 1:2-5)
Five days later he would place the children he designed in the environment he designed to nurture them and give them health. By nature, when we do not have the distractions of artificial life and on-demand entertainment, as the light shifts to red and eventually all becomes dark and still-we become sleepy.
Why is life so hard?
One reason is we do not understand or honor the physical body God meticulously and brilliantly engineered. We are inside with our head bowed before devices too much in the day, and taking in blue light during the evening—messing up our naturally activated rhythm of sleep.
That failure to honor the light rhythm increases our agitation, anxiety, and decreases the quality of our sleep.
All together, this is why life is so hard as a byproduct of light.
Trust God, live in the light—the way He intended.
Need Help with Electronic Device Usage?
If you recognize that your use of smartphone and other tech is disturbing your light rhythm, get my book Superhero: Being Who God Says You Really Are. In the appendix is a twelve-week digital detox plan that works. It works because it isn’t focused on just stopping a bad habit, using devices, but it puts in place great and healthy habits first. Get Superhero at this link!
Till next time…
(Image by kieferpix/Istockphoto)
Why is Life So Hard, Ep. 3 —Light Issues
Last Updated: January 15, 2025 by Stephen K. Moore · Leave a Comment
To see the podcast of this episode, click here.
Why is life so hard—if you missed episode 2, click here and read about the biggest reason. Satan has enacted a strategy that works. For this episode, one aspect of the problem that makes life so hard is a light issue.
Not light in the sense of not being very important or heavy, but as in light as a force of nature. Light is amazing in the way it interacts with us as embodied spirits, or as the Hebrew language calls us, nephesh.
Light can help us keep our head on straight, boost our immune system and mood, and totally wreck all of that. We need some wisdom to know how to embrace light in the right way, and avoid the light when it is harmful.
Really Good God, Really Good Light
A major study from 2022 involving more than 80,000 participants demonstrates the creative genius of our God. Here is a link to the study—the full paper is behind a paywall and in my opinion, is well worth the cost. The study goes by the catchy title, Day and night exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: and objective light study in >85,000 people.
Here’s a bonus, if you are not familiar with the Huberman Lab podcast, this study is talked about in detail here. They unpack the significance of light exposure and its impact on our mental state in a very accessible way. Dr. Andrew Huberman has some other great topics that can help you in managing your health.
Here’s the skinny on good light exposure. The study found by attaching light, time, and motion sensors that those who got the most daylight sunshine exposure and the lowest light exposure at night had the highest mental health. For those with conditions including psychosis, bipolar, anxiety, PTSD, and self-harm behaviors the relationship was highly significant.
If you want more details, click on the link to the Huberman lab podcast. It is exceptional in its quality and Dr. Huberman will even email you a recommended protocol for his best health recommendations if you join his mailing list.
For now, here are some simple ideas to improve your light exposure, and the lack of it.
Get out in the sunshine, especially in the morning and evening when the sun is low. Low angle sunlight is beneficial in keeping your circadian rhythm in proper alignment. You wakefulness and energy will be higher and you will sleep better at night. Do not stare into the sun, but align your eyes so that the sun’s rays are entering your eyes.
Even on a cloudy day, get outside and get exposure anyway. A cloudy is far more intense lighting that what you will get indoors, it will still do good for your mood, energy, and immunity.
On a separate note, sunshine on your skin is a primary source of vitamin, a key component of your immunity and overall health. The impact of vitamin D on your overall health and mood is great—and sun exposure once again is key to the quality of your sleep.
Consider eliminating sunscreen. In general we were designed with a system that gradually darkened us (yes, even those with dark skin) as the sun grew more intense and warm seasonally. This is a darkening from “melanin” and it not only makes us marginally more attractive (some people are spectacular, I’m marginal!) and protects us from skin cancer, enabling us to spend more time outside without burning. The rates of skin cancer have gone up with the quantity of sunscreen used. For some of you with very fair skin (or albino), this will not work. You need sunscreen, most of us just need to gradually increase our sun exposure as we tan.
Avoid bright light exposure at night, especially in the blue spectrum and directed into the eyes. Television, smartphones/tablets, and LED lighting really mess with your bodies natural rhythms. The study above showed those with the highest levels of nighttime exposure had the worst mental health outcomes, I.e., the higher levels of anxiety, bipolar events, psychosis, and worse PTSD.
Reduce and change the lighting you use in the areas where you spend your last two hours before bedtime. There are light bulbs available (I use the “relax” branded bulbs available at big box or building supply stores) that are more in the yellow/orange/red spectrum which help your body get sleepy.
Put your devices to bed and out of arms reach at least two hours before getting in bed. The light from a phone is not the only element that disturbs your peace, but the content agitates your mind as well. (More on this in a later blog) Put the phone where you can hear the phone ring but turn off all other notifications. Use the “Do Not Disturb” function to limit those who can call you during the night.
Never use your phone while in the bed. Read a book before bedtime (choose your topic appropriately), relax, make love (if you are married only, and only to your spouse), and sleep.
Light, the First Creation Rhythm
The way our Creator designed the earth with its tilt, rotation, and circling of the sun interacts with the design of our body. Our skin, eyes, and brain react well when we respect the rhythm first described in the Creation account, “Let there be light” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (Gen. 1:2-5)
Five days later he would place the children he designed in the environment he designed to nurture them and give them health. By nature, when we do not have the distractions of artificial life and on-demand entertainment, as the light shifts to red and eventually all becomes dark and still-we become sleepy.
Why is life so hard?
One reason is we do not understand or honor the physical body God meticulously and brilliantly engineered. We are inside with our head bowed before devices too much in the day, and taking in blue light during the evening—messing up our naturally activated rhythm of sleep.
That failure to honor the light rhythm increases our agitation, anxiety, and decreases the quality of our sleep.
All together, this is why life is so hard as a byproduct of light.
Trust God, live in the light—the way He intended.
Need Help with Electronic Device Usage?
If you recognize that your use of smartphone and other tech is disturbing your light rhythm, get my book Superhero: Being Who God Says You Really Are. In the appendix is a twelve-week digital detox plan that works. It works because it isn’t focused on just stopping a bad habit, using devices, but it puts in place great and healthy habits first. Get Superhero at this link!
Till next time…
(Image by kieferpix/Istockphoto)
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