XP TRACKERHow to get more sunlight in the morning
Many people go from bed to a screen to a car to an office and see real daylight only through a window. Five minutes outside soon after you wake up is an easy place to start, and you can build from there.
A note before you start. This guide is about building a habit, not medical advice. Never look straight at the sun, and don't stare at bright light. Check the local UV index and protect your skin when it's high. Some medicines and skin conditions make you more sensitive to sunlight, so ask a pharmacist or doctor if that might be you. If you have an eye condition, follow your eye doctor's advice over anything here.
Why it's harder than it sounds
Stepping outside is free and takes no skill. It still slips, because the morning already has a script: alarm, phone, shower, coffee, commute. Nothing in that script sends you out the door without a reason.
Three things usually get in the way:
- It feels like doing nothing. Standing outside with no task feels like wasted time when you're rushing, so you skip it.
- The weather argues back. Cold, rain and dark winter mornings make the sofa win.
- The window seems close enough. Sitting by a bright window feels like daylight, but you get far less light behind glass than outside.
Start smaller than you think
Your starter habit is five minutes outside within an hour of waking. Back door, balcony, front step or the pavement. No phone in your hand if you can manage it.
Hang it on something you do every morning. Drink your first coffee or tea outside instead of at the counter. Or walk the long way to the bus stop, or take the dog one block further. The drink or the walk gives the five minutes a job, so it stops feeling like standing around.
Lay out what you need the night before: shoes by the door, a coat on the hook, a mug that keeps your drink warm. On cold mornings, getting out is the hard part. Once you're out, five minutes passes quickly.
An example starter month
Add time only when the step before feels easy. If a week was rainy or busy, repeat it.
- Days 1 to 7: five minutes with your drinkTake your morning coffee or tea outside. Look around, not at your phone, and never at the sun. Come back in when the cup is empty.
- Days 8 to 14: ten minutesStay out a little longer, or walk around the block with your drink. Keep the same time each morning.
- Days 15 to 21: add a short walkTurn it into a 10 to 15 minute walk. If you commute, get off one stop early or park further away.
- Days 22 to 30: plan for bad weatherPick your rain and dark-morning version: an umbrella and a shorter walk, or ten minutes by an open window or doorway. Decide it now, so a grey morning doesn't end the streak.
Make it easier to get outside
- Go out on grey days too. Cloudy daylight is still much brighter than a lit room. Stay out a little longer when the sky is heavy.
- Dress for the weather. A warm hat and gloves by the door make January mornings bearable.
- Pair it with a call. A short call with a friend or family member on your walk gives you two habits in one.
- Use the weekend too. Keeping a similar wake-up and light time on days off helps your mornings stay steady.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for sunshine. If you only go out on sunny days, you'll go out rarely in winter. Go anyway.
- Looking at the sun. Never do it. Being outside is all you need.
- Forgetting UV in summer. On high-UV days, go out earlier, keep it short or protect your skin.
What to do after a missed day
Go out tomorrow at your usual time. There's nothing to catch up on, and staying out twice as long the next day won't make up for it.
If dark mornings have stopped you for a few weeks, drop back to the five-minute version, or go out at lunch until the mornings get lighter. Our guide to getting back on track covers restarts in more detail.
Look at what broke it. If it was the weather, the bad-weather plan needs work. If it was a rushed morning, move the five minutes onto your commute.
Morning sunlight as a quest in XP Tracker
In XP Tracker, Get sunlight is one of the optional quests you can add from the library of about 60 (tap + Add a quest). Its line reads "Step outside for 5 min. Let real daylight wake you up.", with the minutes set to your current goal. It uses the app's quest timer. You set where you start and where you want to get to, and the quest builds up from there. A quest added today starts tomorrow.
Walk pairs well with it, and it can complete itself from Apple Health or Health Connect when you reach your step goal. Clean Start, a core quest, covers the rest of the morning: make your bed, brush your teeth, splash cold water on your face. Finishing a quest earns XP for your hero and damage on the current boss, and skipping only costs the XP you didn't earn. For more on building a steady start to the day, see our page on the morning routine app, our list of real-life daily quests, or meet the Monk, the class about slowing down and presence. The art above is the Monk's.
Questions people ask
Why is morning light good for you?
Daylight is one of the main signals your body clock uses to tell morning from night. Many people find that regular light early in the day helps them feel more awake in the morning and sleepier at a sensible time in the evening. It isn't a treatment, and results vary from person to person.
How long should I spend outside in the morning?
Start with five minutes and build up to whatever fits your morning, often 10 to 30 minutes. On grey days, stay out a little longer. Outdoor light is much brighter than indoor light even when it's cloudy.
Does light through a window count?
Some, but far less than being outside. Glass and walls cut a lot of the light. Opening the window or stepping onto a balcony or doorstep is a big step up from sitting behind the glass.
Should I look at the sun?
No. Never look straight at the sun, at any time of day. Being outside in daylight is enough. Look at the street, the sky away from the sun or the trees.
What about sunscreen and skin?
Short morning sessions are usually low in UV, but UV levels depend on where you live, the season and the time. Check the local UV index, use sunscreen and cover up when it's high, and ask a pharmacist or doctor if a medicine you take makes your skin sensitive to sun.
Related pages
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