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7 Signs You’re Deficient in Vitamin D

Do you get enough Vitamin D? Luckily we seem to be coming out of the sun-fearing era slightly, but even so, with so many of us in office jobs, it can be really hard to get enough vitamin D.

Whilst some foods are fortified with vitamin D, they aren't natural whole foods-and even so, the amount they provide is tiny compared to the levels you can get naturally, from the sun.

There’s no substitute for getting regular blood tests to find out exactly where your vitamin D levels are sitting, but did you know certain symptoms may indicate a deficiency?

How’s your mood?

Sunlight boosts serotonin levels, which are associated with our mood. If you’re feeling inexplicably blue, vitamin D is definitely worth investigating.

You have darker skin

The darker your skin, the more sun exposure you’ll need to get sufficient vitamin D levels. This means if you have darker skin and live further from the equator – or spend a lot of time indoors, you’re more likely to be deficient

You’re in pain

If you have bone or muscle pain, this could also point to low vitamin D levels. In fact, most muscle weakness appears to be linked to low levels of vitamin D.

You’re tired

If you’re generally feeling fatigued, this could be because you don’t have enough of the vitamin D required for its role in energy production.

Respiratory issues

Another potential symptom is chronic respiratory problems such as asthma – it’s been observed that higher vitamin D levels can decrease the severity of asthma attacks.

You’re overweight

Being overweight means you need move vitamin D in your system, since its fat soluble – whilst decreased levels also make it harder to lose weight.

You get every infection and bug going around

Vitamin D plays an important role in your immune system – so if you’re catching one thing after another, get those levels checked!

Getting Vitamin D Naturally: Smart Sun Exposure

The best and most efficient way to get vitamin D is through direct sun exposure on bare skin. But how much is enough? That depends on a few factors — your skin tone, location, time of year, and how much skin you expose. In Australia, spending around 10 to 20 minutes in the sun between 10am and 3pm (depending on the season and your location) can be sufficient for many people. However, in winter months or for those living in the southern states, more time may be needed to maintain adequate levels.

It’s important to find a balance between safe sun exposure and avoiding overexposure. Brief, frequent periods in the sun are generally safer and more beneficial than occasional long sunbathing sessions. Aim to expose areas like your arms, legs, or back without sunscreen for a short time, then apply protection if you're going to be outdoors longer.

Why Supplementation May Be Necessary

For many of us, especially those working indoors, living in urban environments or with darker skin tones, regular sun exposure isn’t always possible. In these cases, vitamin D supplements can be a useful tool. Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is the most effective form for supplementation, and it’s often recommended to take it with a fat-containing meal to improve absorption, as it’s a fat-soluble vitamin.

The dosage varies depending on your current levels, but many health practitioners suggest 1000 to 5000 IU per day as a general maintenance dose for adults. However, a blood test is the only way to know your baseline and the correct dose you may need. Too much vitamin D can be toxic, so it's important to supplement mindfully and under professional guidance.

Food Sources of Vitamin D

While food won’t give you enough vitamin D to rely on exclusively, it can still help you top up your levels. Natural food sources include:

Oily fish: Salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herring are among the richest sources.
Egg yolks: Free-range eggs have higher levels of vitamin D than caged varieties.
Beef liver: Not for everyone’s taste, but a traditional nutrient powerhouse.
Mushrooms: Specifically UV-exposed varieties like portobello or shiitake can provide some vitamin D2.

These foods can complement your sun exposure or supplementation, but most won’t provide sufficient levels on their own, particularly in winter or during periods of limited sunlight.

The Link Between Vitamin D and Hormonal Health

Vitamin D plays a key role in hormone regulation, particularly in supporting reproductive and thyroid health. In women, low levels have been linked to PMS, PCOS, and even fertility issues. For men, vitamin D is essential for testosterone production and overall hormonal balance. A deficiency can contribute to mood instability, fatigue, and reduced libido in both sexes.

As many people on a paleo diet focus on rebalancing their hormones through real food and lifestyle changes, optimising vitamin D is a critical piece of the puzzle. Ensuring adequate levels helps stabilise mood, supports adrenal function, and enhances resilience to stress.

Vitamin D and Bone Density

Most people associate calcium with bone strength, but vitamin D is just as important — if not more so. Without enough vitamin D, your body struggles to absorb calcium from food. This means even if you’re consuming plenty of bone broth, leafy greens and sardines, you may not be benefiting fully if your vitamin D status is low.

In older adults, low vitamin D levels are associated with increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. For younger people, ensuring adequate levels helps lay the foundation for strong bones later in life. If you follow a dairy-free paleo diet, monitoring your vitamin D becomes even more crucial for maintaining skeletal health.

Children and Vitamin D Deficiency

Children need vitamin D for proper growth, immune support and bone development. In Australia, where the slip, slop, slap campaign has successfully raised awareness about sun safety, many children now get very little unfiltered sun exposure. This has led to a resurgence of rickets in some areas — a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency resulting in soft, weak bones.

If you’re raising your kids on a paleo lifestyle, make sure they get some time in the sun each day. Encouraging outdoor play not only boosts vitamin D but also supports mental health, physical fitness and sleep. In cases where sun exposure is limited, a child-specific vitamin D supplement may be recommended by your healthcare provider.

When to Get Your Levels Checked

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned earlier — from fatigue to frequent illness or mood swings — a simple blood test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D can give you answers. The ideal range varies by practitioner, but most integrative and functional medicine experts suggest levels between 75 to 120 nmol/L for optimal health (higher than the minimum reference range used in conventional medicine).

In Australia, you may need to request this test specifically from your GP, and it may not always be bulk billed, depending on your symptoms or medical history. Regardless, it’s a worthwhile investment if you suspect your vitamin D levels are suboptimal — especially heading into winter.

Final Thoughts on Vitamin D and Paleo Living

For those living a paleo lifestyle, vitamin D is one of the few nutrients that can’t be reliably obtained from food alone. It’s essential for immunity, mental wellbeing, hormonal balance, bone health, and energy levels. With so many people spending their days inside under artificial light, it's not surprising that deficiency is common — even here in sun-blessed Australia.

Whether it’s stepping outside for some midday sunshine, including wild-caught oily fish in your weekly menu, or taking a high-quality supplement after checking your blood levels, taking action to maintain healthy vitamin D levels will support every aspect of your health and wellbeing.

When was the last time you made a conscious effort to get some sun? It might just be the missing link in your wellness routine.

When did you last get your levels checked? Were you deficient?

Are you a severe night owl LSPD late sleep phase disorder insomnia

Are you an extreme night owl?

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In my quest to understand more about my slow metabolism, I've been looking more and more at my circadian rhythms.

I've always been a night owl and tend to come alive late at night becoming super productive and creative, when everyone else is asleep. When I've worked long hours in the city – and had to get up early, I would often try to go to bed at a sensible time. But I’d just lie in bed feeling wide awake and frustrated that sleep didn't come. Until much, much later.

When you Google struggling to sleep, you come up with lots of hits for insomnia. Insomnia didn't quite feel right, but what else could it be? Insomniacs often wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to get back to sleep. Once I'm asleep, I don’t wake up until my sleep is abruptly ended by an alarm, or I have the rare luxury of waking up naturally.

I noticed when I wasn't working, and was able to follow my natural routine, I'd eventually feel tired in the early hours of the morning, and wake up around 11:34am. When I say around, I mean precisely. Every single day. So I was getting a decent 8 or so hours sleep. It just wasn't at a socially acceptable time. Doesn't sound so much like insomnia.

It has a name?

After researching this further, I eventually found out about other people who sleep like this too. And it has a name: Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD – but most definitely not to be confused with the other DSPD – Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder). DSPD is exactly what I have been experiencing. A complete shift of the socially acceptable sleeping time several hours to the right. Core body temperature, hormones, alertness, energy levels – all happening at the “wrong” time.

Jetlag reset

I recently travelling halfway round the world from Australia to the UK. I had expected to be able to use jetlag to my advantage and “reset” my sleep times. The first few days it all went to plan, I’d be unable to fight off the tiredness by 8pm – and would be wide awake by 5am. But, after just a few days I fell back into my middle of the night to 11:34am routine. After researching DSPD, this seems to be the same issue across the board. Changing time zones is not a fix.

Curing DSPS?

It’s all quite gloomy on most sites, as many people believe there is no cure. They suggest getting a job to fit in with your natural sleeping times, rather than trying to work a conventional job with a 6am alarm call. The most common “cure” recommends you force yourself to stay up for an extra hour or two each night, with the idea being that after a few weeks you could stop adding on the time when you get to your preferred new bedtime, perhaps 10pm? But that seems like a bit of a hard core solution. In the middle of that transition you’d be sleeping over the entire daylight hours. That can't be good!?

My solution

Over the last few weeks, I've been trying out my own method of solving this – and I've made some really good progress.

The answer seems to be in Circadian Rhythms. We get our cues from daylight as to what time of day it is, and crucially the early morning sun is completely different to late afternoon sun. There is far more blue light in the mornings, which I simply never got to see. Also at night, all the artificial street lights come on, TV’s, computer screens, smartphone – and we’re bathed in artificial blue light signalling to our brain that it’s morning and we should be at the peak of our alertness!

So it was clear to me that I needed to get natural sunlight as early as possible in the mornings. As soon as I wake up, I now head straight outside, barefoot, and walk for about an hour. I've also stopped wearing sunglasses, to make sure I'm getting as much natural light in as I possibly can, particularly in the first half of the day. After sunset, I try to reduce artificial blue light as much as I can.

Whilst I'm not at conventional sleeping hours yet, I am definitely slowly shifting my times to the left. I'm starting to feel sleepy earlier and waking up naturally quite a lot earlier too. The biggest improvement has been my energy levels. I feel so much more alert and energetic during the morning and daytime. I'm also feeling a lot warmer during the day, which I think is a good indication that I may be on the track to normalising my circadian rhythm.

I'm never going to be an “Early Bird” naturally waking up at 5:30am everyday, weekend or weekday. But I hope to be able to shift my sleep and waking hours to something far more reasonable – and in turn increase my daytime metabolic rate and energy levels.

I’d love to hear more about your natural sleeping patterns in the comments, below. Are you a severe night owl (DSPD) too? Do you just live with it, or have you had any success in changing it? Any nuggets of information you have on circadian rhythms – I’d really like to hear!

Five Ways to Eat Your Sunscreen paleo natural SPF UV rays vitamin D-min

Five Ways to Eat Your Sunscreen (Seriously)

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Despite what conventional wisdom would have you believe, it is not in any way a bad thing to spend plenty of time in the sunshine – provided you don’t burn. On the contrary, it is essential to good health; it is the best (and only significant) source of Vitamin D, it ramps up serotonin (the ‘happy’ hormone), and boosts your energy and your immune system. With sunshine being so crucial to a happy and healthy life, it therefore makes no sense to stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm when you could be outside enjoying nature. It is important to protect yourself from harmful ultraviolet ways – but there are certainly alternatives to the chemically laden, commercial sunscreens found at your local pharmacy.

Eat your sunscreen

Food is a powerful healer, and it turns out that certain foods protect you from the sun from the inside out by boosting your skin’s natural protection against harmful UV rays. If you burn easily, try boosting your intake of the following foods:

Brightly coloured vegetables – Brightly coloured vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and capsicum (bell peppers) should be a significant part of your diet already; but if they are not, consider increasing your consumption. These vegetables in particular are a rich source of beta carotene, which has been proven to reduce sun sensitivity and sunburn intensity.

Leafy Greens – dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard and broccoli all contain high levels of the antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin, which protect the skin against free radical damage from UV rays.

Oily Fish – foods rich in omega 3, like mackerel, salmon and trout, are proven to guard against sunburn. If you’re not the biggest lover of fish, I’d strongly encourage you to take a high quality Omega 3 supplement. A healthy Omega 3: Omega 6 ratio has also proven to significantly reduce the risk of cancer.

Green tea – packed with antioxidants called EGCG’s which dramatically reduce the genetic mutations causes to skin cells by UV radiation. Try drinking Macha for an even more potent dose of these antioxidants.

Natural Sunscreen

If I'm expecting to be out in the sun for an extended period of time, to further reduce my risk of burning I will often make my own sunscreen from entirely natural ingredients. It’s easy to make, is nourishing for the skin, and you’ll smell way better than anyone else at the beach! Try the following recipe to naturally protect yourself from the sun.

1 ounce raspberry seed oil – this oil, which can be found in health food and even cook shops, has a natural SPF of approximately 30

1 ounce coconut oil – not only is it nourishing and intensely moisturising, virgin coconut oil contains an SPF of approximately 10.

2 ounces shea butter – nourishes and moisturises, and protects the skin against free radicals.

2 ounces of beeswax – emulsifies, and is naturally waterproof!

15 grams Zinc Oxide – helps to reflect the harmful UVA and UVB rays

20 drops of your favourite essential oil, such as lemon grass or ginger

In order to maintain a healthy level of tolerance to the sun, it is important that you expose yourself to it frequently (and ideally, for short periods of time.) Take your lunch outside, go on long weekend walks, or take up an outdoor sport if you have the time.

Supporting Your Skin With Hydration and Healthy Fats

Staying well hydrated plays a critical role in your skin’s ability to cope with sun exposure. Dehydrated skin is more prone to dryness, cracking, and inflammation, all of which can increase your sensitivity to UV damage. Aim to drink plenty of filtered water each day and include hydrating foods like cucumbers, celery, and watermelon. Coconut water is another excellent option, especially in the warmer months when you’re sweating more and losing minerals through your skin.

In addition to hydration, healthy fats are essential to maintain the elasticity and resilience of your skin. Avocados, olives, nuts (especially walnuts), and seeds like flax and chia provide the essential fatty acids your skin craves. These fats help keep your skin supple, act as a barrier to lock in moisture, and support the regeneration of skin cells after sun exposure.

Topical After-Sun Skin Support

Even when you’ve taken precautions, your skin may need a little extra love after a long day outdoors. Instead of reaching for chemical-laden after-sun products, try natural alternatives that support healing and reduce inflammation.

Aloe Vera Gel: Pure aloe vera (ideally straight from the plant) is cooling, soothing, and helps to repair sun-damaged skin. Store it in the fridge for added relief.
Jojoba Oil: Similar to your skin’s natural sebum, this oil penetrates deeply and helps reduce peeling or flaking after sun exposure.
Vitamin E Oil: A powerful antioxidant, vitamin E oil can be applied to the skin to speed up healing and support cellular repair.
Lavender Essential Oil: Just a few drops mixed into a carrier oil can reduce redness and inflammation, and is especially helpful for mild sunburns.

What to Avoid When Caring for Sun-Exposed Skin

Not all skincare ingredients are beneficial post-sun. Avoid exfoliants (like AHAs, BHAs, and scrubs), retinoids, and strong essential oils on freshly sun-kissed skin, as these can exacerbate sensitivity and cause further irritation. Avoid commercial after-sun lotions that list alcohol as one of the main ingredients — it dries out the skin and slows healing. If you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients on the label, it’s probably not something you want to apply to already vulnerable skin.

The Role of Antioxidants in Sun Protection

Antioxidants are not only essential for overall health, but they also play a direct role in neutralising the free radicals generated by UV radiation. When your body has enough antioxidants circulating, it is far better equipped to deal with short bursts of sun exposure without resulting in inflammation or skin damage. Besides beta carotene and the antioxidants found in green tea, make sure your diet includes:

Vitamin C-rich foods: Citrus fruits, berries, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli all support skin repair and collagen production.
Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, tuna, and eggs, selenium plays a protective role against sun damage and supports immune health.
Lycopene: Found in tomatoes and watermelon, lycopene has been linked to a natural boost in the skin’s SPF after several weeks of regular intake.

Creating a Balanced Sun Exposure Routine

While prolonged and unprotected exposure can be harmful, strategic sun time is essential for health — particularly for maintaining optimal vitamin D levels. In Australia, even with our sunny climate, vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common due to overuse of high-SPF sunscreens and a culture of sun avoidance.

To strike the right balance, try spending time in the sun during the gentler morning or late afternoon hours when UV levels are lower. Monitor your local UV index to time your exposure intelligently. Start with short sessions (10–15 minutes), gradually building tolerance based on your skin type and geographic location. Keep your face protected with a wide-brimmed hat or natural zinc-based sunscreen, as facial skin is more prone to long-term damage.

Sun Safety for Children the Natural Way

For parents following a Paleo or holistic lifestyle, sun safety for children often feels like a minefield. Chemical sunscreens are a concern, but you also want to avoid sunburn at all costs. A few practical tips include:

Dress kids in lightweight, breathable long-sleeved clothing and a wide-brimmed hat for extended outdoor time.
Apply homemade or mineral-based sunscreen on high-exposure areas like the face, ears, and shoulders.
Encourage play in dappled sunlight or partial shade between 11am and 3pm if sun strength is extreme.
Include omega 3s and colourful fruits and veggies in their diet daily for internal skin protection.

Reassessing the “Slip, Slop, Slap” Mentality

Australia’s well-known sun safety campaign may have raised awareness, but it has also fostered a fear of the sun. Instead of avoiding sunlight altogether, the conversation needs to shift toward intelligent sun exposure. By building up your tolerance, supporting your skin nutritionally, and using natural products both before and after exposure, you can develop a balanced relationship with the sun — one that prioritises health, not just damage avoidance.

Like many aspects of a Paleo lifestyle, the solution lies in returning to nature and working with it, not against it. The sun is not the enemy. With mindfulness, moderation, and support from the inside out, it can be one of the best allies for your physical and emotional wellbeing.

What steps do you take to enjoy the sun without burning? Have you found any effective sunscreens, without all of the chemicals?

Vvitamin D solution australian book review sun

The Vitamin D Solution

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I don’t wear sunscreen. This is to the absolute horror of pretty much everyone I know. Especially as I’m a fairly pale Brit who has moved to a considerably sunnier Australia.

I’ve been having my Vitamin D levels tested for the last year or so, and despite living in Australia – I am still not at an optimal level. By the official standards, I’m certainly not deficient – but I want to attain an optimal, not survival, level of Vitamin D.

I’ve read a lot of books on Vitamin D, but sadly most of them are aimed at an American or British reader. Australia covers such a vast area with significantly different latitudes – we therefore have very different sun considerations. I’ve just got a copy of “The Vitamin D Solution” by Michael F. Holick Ph.D. M.D. and was thrilled to see it is an Australian edition. The book contains tables identifying the latitude of all of the main areas in Australia and the equivalent safe and effective sun exposure requirements to attain sufficient Vitamin D production. These tables are further split by skin type (with fairer skin requiring less sun than darker skin types), by time of day and then by season.

Most of my sun exposure occurs in the morning and evening on my commute. Having read the tables I’m quite happy that I am not getting too much sun. In fact, I’m going to wear shorts and shorter sleeves to further increase the amount of vitamin D I can produce in the mornings and evenings.

When I’ve had enough sun, I simply cover up, or get out of the sun – I much prefer these options to covering my skin in sunscreen. There are rare occasions when it’s not so easy to avoid the sun, particularly on my face – this is the only time I wear sunscreen, as I realise burning is to be avoided at all costs. When I do wear sunscreen, I’m really careful which one I use as many of them contain chemicals I wouldn’t want anywhere near my skin. I also have some really good quality Vitamin D3 supplements that I take occasionally, particularly if I know I haven’t had much sun. Hopefully these approaches will ensure I can increase my Vitamin D result the next time I have it tested.

Finding the Right Vitamin D Balance in Australia

When it comes to Vitamin D, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer — especially in a country as vast and varied as Australia. Factors like your latitude, skin type, and lifestyle all influence how much sun you need to produce optimal levels. Books like The Vitamin D Solution (especially the Australian edition) are a great step forward in offering more tailored, region-specific advice.

For those of us living a Paleo lifestyle, mindful sun exposure can be a powerful tool for better health — as long as it’s done safely. Covering up, avoiding the harshest midday sun, and being selective about sunscreen use can help strike that balance. For days when sunlight is limited or not practical, high-quality Vitamin D3 supplements can offer valuable support.

What’s your take? Do you track your Vitamin D levels, or have you found ways to optimise your sun exposure? I’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.

Giving the Paleo Treatment to Sunglasses blue light natural health eyes sight vision sun glasses-min

Seeing Things in a Whole New Light – Giving the Paleo Treatment to Sunglasses

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During the three years I've lived in Australia, I've spent a lot of time wearing Sunglasses (or, as they're more commonly known in Australia, Sunnies). Even in the winter here, it's often very bright and sunny (even if the air is cool). In the summer, it gets really bright and sunny. Sunglasses – well, that's what they're for isn't it, wearing in the sunshine?

The more I've found out about Paleo, the more I question other aspects of my life, sunglasses being one such example.

Whilst early examples of sunglasses have been seen as far back at the 12th century, they didn't become common until the early 1900's. That's not even five generations ago. Whilst correlation is certainly not causation, it is interesting to note that 25-35% of people of a European descent have Myopia (short sightedness) today, whereas a study of hunter gather tribes revealed Myopia in just 0.4% of the population (1) As well as diet, could widespread use of sunglasses be responsible for the widespread decline in eyesight?

Some estimates suggest Indigenous Australians have been here for up to 70,000 years, surviving for 69,900 without needing sunglasses? Why are they now they essential for optical health?

Sunlight entering the eyes takes two courses – one for vision, the other goes to the hypothalamus gland. This pathway seems to have a crucial role in the body clock, energy and hormone production (including melatonin). It would make sense for the body to use this pathway to regulate circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms ensure sleep and wake cycles occur properly, and that the body is in tune with seasonality. Therefore doesn't it stands to reason that wearing sunglasses, and reducing the sunlight entering your eyes, will impact these functions?

This would tie in with anecdotal observations I've heard that when not wearing sunglasses, people get less sunburnt, then when they do wear sunglasses. Perhaps wearing sunglasses also leads to people staying out in the sun for longer than they would without sunglasses?

In the spirit of n=1 self experimentation, I'm going to wean off the sunglasses this summer and see what (if any) impact it has on me. Will my new found improvements in my sleeping patterns improve further still? Will my eyesight improve?

I'll report back in a future post any differences I've noticed.

Do you wear sunglasses? Do you think it is foolish not to wear sunglasses throughout the Australian Summer? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, below!

Is Sunlight Really the Enemy? Rethinking Sunglasses in a Paleo Lifestyle

In the Paleo community, one of the most powerful shifts is learning to view modern habits through an ancestral lens. We question food, movement, light exposure, and even the ways we sleep and connect. So it makes perfect sense to challenge another modern “norm” — wearing sunglasses.

Mainstream advice insists sunglasses are essential in strong sunlight, particularly in places like Australia where UV levels are high year-round. We’re told sunglasses prevent eye damage, protect from UV rays, and reduce the risk of cataracts. But are we missing a broader conversation here? Might sunglasses — like sunscreen, artificial lighting, and processed food — be yet another modern “solution” with unintended consequences?

The Circadian Link: Light, Eyes & Health

Emerging research suggests that full-spectrum sunlight, including early morning sun exposure, plays a critical role in regulating our circadian rhythm — the internal body clock that affects everything from our sleep cycles and hormone production to metabolism and energy levels.

Light signals received by our eyes (specifically the non-visual retinal pathway to the hypothalamus) help regulate melatonin production. Morning light exposure suppresses melatonin (helping us wake up), while dimmer light in the evening allows melatonin to rise (helping us fall asleep).

Blocking that natural light with sunglasses may disrupt this process — particularly when used constantly, even when UV levels are low. Could that daily habit of reaching for your sunnies the moment you leave the house be silently affecting your energy, sleep, and hormone balance?

What If the Sun Isn’t the Enemy?

We’re told to fear the sun, but sunlight is also our most natural source of vitamin D, a hormone with a critical role in immune function, inflammation regulation, and mood. It's estimated that 30–50% of Australians are deficient in vitamin D — despite our sunny climate.

While sunglasses don’t block vitamin D production (which occurs through skin exposure), their use may influence how long we stay in the sun. If your eyes are shaded, your brain may receive fewer warning signals about brightness and potential overexposure — meaning you stay out longer than your skin would naturally tolerate.

Additionally, there’s speculation that sunlight hitting the eyes may influence skin tolerance and tanning response. This ties into anecdotal reports of people burning more easily when they wear sunglasses.

So Should We Ditch the Sunnies?

The answer might lie in balance. This isn’t about being anti-sunglasses — but about being intentional in how and when you use them. Instead of reaching for them reflexively, try this:

Get early morning sunlight directly into your eyes (without looking directly at the sun) for 5–10 minutes — a powerful circadian cue.
Reserve sunglasses for high-glare situations like driving, long beach days, or on the water where reflected UV is intense.
Build sun tolerance gradually by spending short periods outside without sunglasses during safe UV times.
Choose sunglasses wisely — overly dark lenses can signal your brain that it’s dim out, potentially throwing off your internal light clock even more than necessary.

Your Eyes Were Designed for Sunlight

Our ancestors didn’t have sunglasses — yet they thrived under the sun. It’s worth asking if modern eye issues are the result of sun exposure itself — or the combination of too little natural light, too much artificial light, and other dietary and lifestyle factors like inflammation, insulin resistance, and seed oil consumption.

In an evolutionary context, we might argue that moderate, intelligent sun exposure without sunglasses could actually support long-term eye health, not harm it.

Try It for Yourself: Your Own Sunglasses Experiment

Just like switching to a Paleo diet, going sunglass-free takes time. You may feel more sensitive to light initially — just as your body had to adapt to burning fat for fuel. Gradually increase your light exposure and pay attention to changes in:

Sleep quality
Morning energy
Tolerance to sunlight
Eye strain and vision clarity

As always, listen to your body — and use common sense. If you’re driving into the afternoon sun, wear your sunnies. If you’re out at sunrise for a walk? Maybe leave them behind.

Have you tried reducing your reliance on sunglasses? Did it impact your sleep, energy, or skin response to the sun? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below — I'd love to hear your take.

Let’s rethink the way we view sunlight — and what our eyes might really need.

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