Outdoor Light Exposure Linked to Lower Depression Risk.
A study published in Translational Psychiatry found that people who spent an average of 1.5 hours per day exposed to outside light had the lowest risk of depression regardless of their genetic predisposition for depression. People who spent more or less time outside had higher risks of depression. The study analyzed data from the UK Biobank project and found that the lowest risk of depression was found in individuals who spent 1.5 hours per day outside on average, which equated to 1 hour per day in winter and 2 hours per day in summer. Lack of outdoor light exposure can reduce the production of vitamin D, which has been associated with depression and its seasonal patterns.