Is There Any Benefit to Waking Up Early?: The Science Behind the Morning Sun
Written By: Benita Arun | March 13, 2025
We’ve all seen it, that one tiktoker, youtuber, content creator who wakes up at 5 am every day and completes activities that would take an average human being 12 hours before 8 am. When I watch these videos, I wonder, is this practice even beneficial at all?
Well, after some careful research, I’ve come up with an answer which is Yes…and No. Yes to waking up early but no when it comes to practicing the several actions featured in such videos. So why is waking up early beneficial? All the credit goes to a very surplus, but not very efficiently used, resource we like to call sunlight.
Though not widely acknowledged, morning sunlight differs significantly from sunlight in the afternoon…and here’s why!
As you may have learnt in your chemistry or biology classes, the sun emits a broad range of electromagnetic waves which are energy waves that travel throughout space (for example microwaves emit microwaves to heat up food), including the full spectrum of visible light1 ranging from red to violet. When all the visible light wavelengths are superimposed, the resulting light appears white, equivalent to the full-spectrum light emitted by the sun.
During and 30 minutes after sunrise, the sun is low on the horizon. As a result, sunlight must pass through a thicker layer of atmosphere. This forces rays of shorter wavelengths, like blue and violet rays, to disperse while rays of longer wavelengths, like red and orange, are able to penetrate through the atmosphere. This is why the sunrise and sunset are associated with a red, orange, and yellow sky!
But why does the color of light matter? Although often overlooked, red and orange light rays have a wide range of benefits to human health. They promote skin rejuvenation, alleviation of muscle, joint, and chronic bodily pains. It has the potential to alleviate arthritis, increase hair growth, improve cognitive function, enhance sleep quality and much more!
The surplus benefits of red light have influenced the creation of red light therapy, a growing industry in which you book an appointment to be exposed to red light. But what purpose does that serve when one can step outside of their house at sunrise and expose their entire body to the morning sun free of cost?
And you may be wondering, why can I not simply expose myself to the sun during the afternoon, will there not be red and orange light waves present even then? Well yes, but it is important to consider that harmful light rays like ultraviolet light are very potent at this time. During the afternoon, the sun is positioned directly, or almost directly, above the earth (or at least the region of the Earth you live in) so the atmosphere is quite thin compared to when the sun is positioned near the horizon. This allows the UV light to penetrate the atmosphere more effectively. This particular light ray can cause immune system suppression, eye damage, and early signs of aging. Prolonged exposure without sunscreen can result in severe health issues such as skin cancer. Blue light rays are not very beneficial to our health either, they are capable of causing retinal damage, cataracts, and a surplus of other eye related issues (this is why prescription glasses now come with blue light protectors and it is also the reason prolonged phone use deteriorates eye health). However, in the morning, nature takes care of that for you.
So how can we apply this? I would suggest making it a habit to wake up earlier, specifically at sunrise, and step outside for a couple of minutes. Although I do admit it is easier said than done, especially as high schoolers who are burdened with a heavy workload and are constantly exhausted. But remember, this practice is meant to alleviate that stress and improve your wellness. Red light waves improve cognitive function, allowing you to be more focused in school. Its sleep promoting characteristics will bring about better sleep quality, boosting your energy throughout the school day.
Now, what practices can we apply to make the most out of our mornings? I would recommend physical activity, not anything crazy, just a simple workout, taking a walk around the neighborhood or just stretching in the presence of the sun. This is the best time to do any form of exercise as red light waves actually stimulate mitochondrial function and ATP2 production which allows you to retain more energy and keeps you from becoming too tired. It will also make it easier for you to make early rising a habit as physical activity wakes the body, readily increasing blood flow and brain function and when done consistently, your circadian rhythm will adjust so that your body knows to naturally wake up at this time.
So do you need to do a 20 step skin care routine the moment you get out of bed to fix all your life’s problems or make a smoothie with every green vegetable known to man…not at all! All you need to do is wake up when the sun does and greet it “hello!”
The sun waves “hi” every morning, it would be rude to not wave back.
1 Visible Light Spectrum: “the segment of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can view” (NASA).
2 Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP): A kind of nucleoside triphosphate that carries and provides the energy needed for living cell function. It acts as an energy source for our cells.
Works Cited
Armitage, Hanae. “What’s the Deal with Red Light Therapy?” Scope, Stanford Medicine, 24 Feb. 2025, scopeblog.stanford.edu/2025/02/24/red-light-therapy-skin-hair-medical-clinics/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Carter, Jamie. “This Is Why the Sky Turns Red, Orange, and Pink at Sunset.” Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2022, www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/why-sky-changes-color-sunset. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Holohan, Meghan. “Probing Question: What Gives the Sunrise and Sunset Its Orange Glow? | Penn State University.” Psu.edu, Pennstate University, 4 Mar. 2007, www.psu.edu/news/research/story/probing-question-what-gives-sunrise-and-sunset-its-orange-glow. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Klesman, Alison. “In What Part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Does the Sun Emit Energy?” Astronomy Magazine, 9 July 2020, www.astronomy.com/observing/in-what-part-of-the-electromagnetic-spectrum-does-the-sun-emit-energy/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
NASA. “Visible Light - NASA Science.” Science.nasa.gov, NASA, 10 Aug. 2016, science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Pagán, Camille Noe. “What Is Red Light Therapy?” WebMD, 14 May 2024, www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/red-light-therapy. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
