Balance Hormones Naturally With the “Anchor” Method.

“Your ability to maximize your inner energy level and productivity, and to set your body and brain up to adapt to daily stressors, is directly tied to your relationship with the sun.”
Dr. Eric Korem, high performance expert.

I am really enjoying being in a beta test for a software called aim7.com (depending on when you read this, the beta may be over, however I have used this enough to know that I can whole heartedly endorse it!)

It’s a daily habit app with a focus on natural hormone balancing, and other core health indicators, developed by multiple PhD health experts from varied disciplines.

And one of the core elements of the program is called “Anchoring,” where the daily habit is to achieve natural hormone balance simply by beginning my day outside for at least 5 minutes around sunrise, and end my day outside around sunset.

I generally do this naturally, because I have a dog, and we both love to get out into the fields around my house.

However, since taking the training in Aim7, I am MUCH more intentional about exactly when we go for our walk. In the past, sometimes it was very early, before sunrise, or later in the morning, woking around my morning routine and workout schedule.

But after a few weeks of really focusing on this hormone balancing routine, being outside at the right times during sunup and sundown, I’m a believer!

Hormone Balancing Through Circadian Rhythm

“Our bodies are oriented on a 24 hour circadian rhythm synchronized by the sun.” Dr. Korem

The theory is that by getting sun exposure for just 5-10 minutes, within 2 hours of waking up, our bodies and brain are sent a signal to wake up, be alert, and perform. And these “signals” are actually controlled and directed by hormones, the bodies communication system.

And the morning signal isn’t just important to our performance during the day. They also trigger that in 12-14 hours melatonin (another hormone) must kick in to start the wind down process in the evening.

Also, it’s thought that this process is enhanced by actually gazing in the direction of the sun.

Don’t stare at it, of course, but be intentional about looking towards the sun. This is a really rewarding feeling anyway, to just let the sun shine on your face and enjoy a few minutes outside, so there’s really no downside to the practice.

According to Dr. Korem, this simple habit is no small thing.

“The key is to get plenty of natural bright light in your eyes, to kick off a cascade of hormonal and neurological events that will prime your body for adaptability.”

Creating an Effective Light Diet

Both Dr. Korem and world renowned expert Roudy Nassif agree also that this should not be done through the windows of your house or car. For a deeper dive on this, make sure and checkout my in depth interview with Roudy called The Light Diet here. 

According to Roudy, “during the day, if you’re outside, you get different amounts of blue light. The morning sunlight is very important because as the sun rises in the morning there’s a rise in blue and UV light, as well as other colors and this light activates so many biological processes in our body. We need this in order to get productive, creative and have the energy for the day.”

But as mentioned, staying inside doesn’t cut it.

Roudy’s three steps for an effective “light diet” are these:

Step number one is to rise with the sun and go outside as soon as you wake up and face east to expose yourself to the early morning sunlight, whether it’s direct or indirect.