August 2, 2025 • 4 mins
Research indicates the weather outside plays a role on what's going on on the inside - which is why sunny weather comes with health benefits.
Sunshine is linked to improved moods, better sleep, lower blood pressure, and added vitamin D.
Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara opens up about the benefits of sunny weather - and explains how to increase your sun exposure in the winter months.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Right, how good has it been in the last few
weeks in various places around the country, we've had some sunshine.
It makes a difference. Right Erin O'Hara is with us
now to talk about the role sunshine plays in our
mental and physical health. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, but if sunshine always makes everyone feel a whole
heap better and happier, and I.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Just I presumed it was kind of probably a bit
of a placebo thing, you know, just it just makes
it something I like. I mean, some people love a storm.
I mean I love a storm, but I don't like gray,
and I don't like drizzle. And we've had quite a
lot of drizzle and a lot of you I've been
like that, and so when I sort of see the sunshine,
it just it does make the day go easy. But
I've always sort of I don't know whether there is
(00:53):
actually any evidence that it makes an impact.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yes, there's a lot to sunlight. It actually for your body.
It actually affects your masterclock because when you're getting that sunlight,
it's actually helping to regulate a lot of hormones in
your body. In particular, it really helps worth boosting serotonin hormone,
which is also I always like to think about it
as being the happy hormone. So when you're out in
the sun, you're actually going to get that boost of
(01:18):
serotonin which makes you feel really good, elevate your mood,
reduces any depression or any fit. It may also makes
you feel calm and focused, and that's where a lot
of people will get sort of that seasonal disorder where
they'll get a low mood or winter depression where they
feel flat over the winter months, and then when the
(01:38):
sun comes out, they start to feel a whole lot better.
And that's because you do get that serotonin boost as
the sun exposure hits the body and it just makes
you feel good.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So it is actually really helpful.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
And I think in the winter months, even being really
mindful around that is that it's getting out in the
natural light. So even on a cloudy day, we can
still even get that natural light because the natural light
is actually one hundred times more potent than any artificial
lights inside a lot. And you're not even just going outdoors,
you're actually not even going to get that feel good vibe.
(02:11):
It doesn't necessarily need to be a beautiful daylight today
in Auckland where there's a blue sky.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I've been told by sleep specialists and menopause specialists and
all sorts of people the best thing to do is
to start the day with some with some sunlight in
the eye. It's not like go outside and the steer
at the sun, but just get some get some sunlight.
Be outside. Yeah, it's a bit miserable in winter, but
you know, take a cup of tea out, take your
breakfast out, do a morning walk when the sun comes up,
(02:36):
not with sunglasses, and just just absorb.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
That some Yeah, and it's getting that. Just the exposure
to light, and even sitting in a chair that's in
the sunlight in a window where you might sit and
read a book can be really helpful, more more so
for mood. So just know that if you are doing that,
you won't be getting your vitamin D through the glass.
So the UV ray B the B UV right rays
(03:01):
can't go through the glass, and that's what we need
for vitamin D production, and vitamin is so important for
our health, really important for reducing inflammation, strengthening your immune system,
bone density, so it's an really important vitamin. It is
a sunshine vitamin. However, in the winter usually it would
naturally decline. But it's a matter of even just getting
(03:22):
out and getting some sunlight on your skin. So if
you've got sunscreen on as well, you're not going to
get that vitamin D and you need the sunlight on
the skin, and it's not go and get sun burn,
but instead you only need about twenty to thirty minutes
of sunlight on the skin, So it's good to do
it in the morning when the UV rays a lot
lower and you're not likely to get as sun burnt,
(03:42):
and just getting that sunlight on your skin directly will
help you with the vitamin D.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
If you've just got your face exposed, is that enough
or do you need some on your arms?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
And well, the more skin exposure you have, the higher
you're going to be able to get the vitamin D production.
So it's important to get some skin exposure as well,
and then just making sure you're kind of getting that
exposure any time of the day. So in the winter months,
we tend to spend a lot more time inside, so
it might be that you make sure you get out
for your exercise outside rather than going to the gym.
(04:13):
Also in the evening, dimming your light so you're getting
that malotonin production at night and reducing your screen time
that can actually help you with your mood as well,
and balancing that sort of level of cortisol to malatonin
production so you get deep quality sleep. And also just
setting times that you get up in the morning and
you open the curtains and you look outside at the sunlight,
(04:36):
even if it's a bit of a gray day, so
it'll be like natural light. So good for the body
and mind, and it makes you feel good at not
just physically, but actually mentally as well.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Erin, Thank you very much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Right, how good has it been in the last few
weeks in various places around the country, we've had some sunshine.
It makes a difference. Right Erin O'Hara is with us
now to talk about the role sunshine plays in our
mental and physical health. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, but if sunshine always makes everyone feel a whole
heap better and happier, and I.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Just I presumed it was kind of probably a bit
of a placebo thing, you know, just it just makes
it something I like. I mean, some people love a storm.
I mean I love a storm, but I don't like gray,
and I don't like drizzle. And we've had quite a
lot of drizzle and a lot of you I've been
like that, and so when I sort of see the sunshine,
it just it does make the day go easy. But
I've always sort of I don't know whether there is
(00:53):
actually any evidence that it makes an impact.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yes, there's a lot to sunlight. It actually for your body.
It actually affects your masterclock because when you're getting that sunlight,
it's actually helping to regulate a lot of hormones in
your body. In particular, it really helps worth boosting serotonin hormone,
which is also I always like to think about it
as being the happy hormone. So when you're out in
the sun, you're actually going to get that boost of
(01:18):
serotonin which makes you feel really good, elevate your mood,
reduces any depression or any fit. It may also makes
you feel calm and focused, and that's where a lot
of people will get sort of that seasonal disorder where
they'll get a low mood or winter depression where they
feel flat over the winter months, and then when the
(01:38):
sun comes out, they start to feel a whole lot better.
And that's because you do get that serotonin boost as
the sun exposure hits the body and it just makes
you feel good.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So it is actually really helpful.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
And I think in the winter months, even being really
mindful around that is that it's getting out in the
natural light. So even on a cloudy day, we can
still even get that natural light because the natural light
is actually one hundred times more potent than any artificial
lights inside a lot. And you're not even just going outdoors,
you're actually not even going to get that feel good vibe.
(02:11):
It doesn't necessarily need to be a beautiful daylight today
in Auckland where there's a blue sky.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I've been told by sleep specialists and menopause specialists and
all sorts of people the best thing to do is
to start the day with some with some sunlight in
the eye. It's not like go outside and the steer
at the sun, but just get some get some sunlight.
Be outside. Yeah, it's a bit miserable in winter, but
you know, take a cup of tea out, take your
breakfast out, do a morning walk when the sun comes up,
(02:36):
not with sunglasses, and just just absorb.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
That some Yeah, and it's getting that. Just the exposure
to light, and even sitting in a chair that's in
the sunlight in a window where you might sit and
read a book can be really helpful, more more so
for mood. So just know that if you are doing that,
you won't be getting your vitamin D through the glass.
So the UV ray B the B UV right rays
(03:01):
can't go through the glass, and that's what we need
for vitamin D production, and vitamin is so important for
our health, really important for reducing inflammation, strengthening your immune system,
bone density, so it's an really important vitamin. It is
a sunshine vitamin. However, in the winter usually it would
naturally decline. But it's a matter of even just getting
(03:22):
out and getting some sunlight on your skin. So if
you've got sunscreen on as well, you're not going to
get that vitamin D and you need the sunlight on
the skin, and it's not go and get sun burn,
but instead you only need about twenty to thirty minutes
of sunlight on the skin, So it's good to do
it in the morning when the UV rays a lot
lower and you're not likely to get as sun burnt,
(03:42):
and just getting that sunlight on your skin directly will
help you with the vitamin D.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
If you've just got your face exposed, is that enough
or do you need some on your arms?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
And well, the more skin exposure you have, the higher
you're going to be able to get the vitamin D production.
So it's important to get some skin exposure as well,
and then just making sure you're kind of getting that
exposure any time of the day. So in the winter months,
we tend to spend a lot more time inside, so
it might be that you make sure you get out
for your exercise outside rather than going to the gym.
(04:13):
Also in the evening, dimming your light so you're getting
that malotonin production at night and reducing your screen time
that can actually help you with your mood as well,
and balancing that sort of level of cortisol to malatonin
production so you get deep quality sleep. And also just
setting times that you get up in the morning and
you open the curtains and you look outside at the sunlight,
(04:36):
even if it's a bit of a gray day, so
it'll be like natural light. So good for the body
and mind, and it makes you feel good at not
just physically, but actually mentally as well.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Erin, Thank you very much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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