Have you been feeling a little out-of-sync lately? Well, your internal body clock may need resetting for weight loss as well as feeling energised. As it turns out, your internal body clock is also referred to as a circadian rhythm. And circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles guided by light and darkness. But did you know that bright light is necessary to reset your circadian rhythm? And according to recent research, resetting your circadian rhythm is essential to losing weight as well as maintaining a healthy weight.

Grab some light rays and lose some weight!

A recent study learned that people who were exposed to natural light in the morning were most likely to have a lower body mass index, or BMI. And that was regardless of how many calories they consumed, how active they were, or how long they slept. Additionally, researchers found that the BMIs of study participants rose by 1.28 points for every hour that they were not exposed to light. With that, researchers determined that for ideal results light exposure should occur between 8 am and noon for 20 to 30 minutes.

Can you trust your BMI?

The body mass index was created as a method to measure body fat percentage. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. However, it is not always accurate. You should know that the BMI formula does not allow for the differences between muscle and fat tissue, nor does it account for how fat is distributed throughout the body. Those missing elements cause some medical professionals to question the relevance of BMI, especially since fat distribution is a very important determining factor of chronic disease.

Science says you should go into the Light…

Despite the weak reliability of the body mass index, the research study found even more convincing evidence that morning light exposure is crucial for weight loss:

• Two hours of light exposure after waking in the morning balanced leptin and ghrelin levels in sleep-deprived individuals
• 45 minutes of light exposure in the morning showed reductions in body weight and appetite in obese women
• Exercise programs that included bright light treatments significantly reduced body fat in overweight and obese individuals

What does it all mean?!

Fortunately, knowing your BMI is not required for weight loss. The results of this study basically reveal that sunlight exposure along with diet and exercise is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Overall, dim lighting during the day and artificial lighting during the night disrupt your circadian rhythm. But exposing yourself to sunlight every morning for 30 minutes is a great way to reset your internal body clock and kick your weight loss up another notch! For more weight loss tips, just ‘Ask a Naturopath’.