Sun gazing: A high-performance, early morning ritual

Do you sun gaze or at least connect to the early morning sun as a daily practice? Are you aware of the incredible mental, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of such a daily ritual?

While many of us know about high-performers morning habits, such as making their bed, planning their day and exercising, connecting with early morning sunlight is not so well known.

As understood by most ancient cultures, the master regulator of all our internal health and performance cycles is the cycle of the sun. Most advanced traditional cultures throughout time have started their day greeting the sun through an ancient ritual called "sun gazing" (others, as in India along the Ganges river, do things like Yoga "sun salutes" while facing East as the sun rises).

More and more high-level business performers are now understanding that our optimum human performance clock is synced to the cycles of Mother Nature. As such, they make sure they get outside to reap the incredible mental, physical and emotional benefits of morning sunlight through the eyes. (Many of us today live in artificially lit homes and work in artificially lit offices and are "mal-illuminated".)

Benefits of morning sunlight exposure include:

• Improved energy and immune function
• Stimulation of healthy brain chemistry
• Regulation of our entire internal body clock
• A key benefit is in assisting optimal sleep at night... as our sleep cycle regulation starts first thing in the morning
• Optimal weight through its effects on metabolic and thyroid function
• The ultimate mood-booster (anti-depressant) and emotional balancer

Now, while the ancients understood that the sun will not harm the human eye in the first 45 minutes of sunrise... the first 10 degrees of arc, you don't necessarily have to look directly at the sun (if you do, this should strictly only be done in the first 30-45 minutes of sunrise and for very short periods - seconds - to begin with.)

However, even indirect sunlight through the eyes will bring significant benefits. The main thing is to actively get outside for at least a few minutes early morning to sync your physiology with our planet's No.1 source of life-energy, vitality and positivity. And if you can combine exercise, earthing (see my blog) and/or connection with others at the same time, all power to you.

The sun (Surya), often maligned in our modern world was traditionally understood and indeed honoured for being the central to all life and every aspect of human health. We just need to respect it and connect with it in the right way .. not too much but also not too little.

The importance of early morning sunlight exposure for optimal health, work performance and wellbeing. Do you make a daily practice of connecting with the sun or at least getting outside in the early morning? What do you do and what difference does it make to your life and your work performance? I'm sure others would love to hear your inspiration.

Mark Bunn is a keynote speaker, author and researcher in the health and wellness space.