Is Sunlight Good For You?

Usually, people avoid sun exposure believing it might cause damage to the skin.

If the truth is told, exposing your skin to sunlight could get much more benefits than covering it. 

 Excessive exposure might cause damage to your skin, but getting the right amount of sunlight at the right time will give many benefits. Besides its burning nature, sunlight has more beneficial properties.

Vitamin D and sunlight

Unlike the other vitamins which usually obtain from fruits and vegetables, Vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin through the photosynthetic reaction stimulated by sunlight. Its   Productivity depends on the number of photons that penetrate through the skin; a process which is often curtailed by clothing, skin pigmentation( melanin), excessive body fat, or sunscreen.

The benefits of Vitamin D are,

• It is a fat-soluble vitamin
• Decrease the chance of heart disease
• Regulate the mood and reduce depression
• Supports weight loss

Sunlight and bone health

Vitamin D is essential for bone health, without an adequate amount of vitamin D bones will not form properly. Lack of vitamin D causes Rickets, a disease that causes softening and weakening of bones. Sun exposure could satisfy the requirements for Vitamin D. While exposure to sunlight UV rays is absorbed by 7-dehydrocholesterol  in the skin which leads to the change of Previtamin D3, then gradually transforms to vitamin D3. Reasonable exposure to sun rays i.e 5 to 10 minutes of exposure of Arms, legs, and Face would be enough.

Sunlight and skin health

There is a misconception that sunlight will cause skin damage. In fact, it prevents some serious diseases like skin cancer. The World Health Organization claims sun exposure will help to treat several skin diseases such as eczema, jaundice, psoriasis, and acne. In case of such indications consult the doctors for sunlight treatment. The benefits of sun exposure are plenty yet you must be aware of your skin condition to acquire the right amount of sunlight.

Sunlight and mood

Exposure to sunlight might boost your mood. It also helps fight mood swings. 

Lack of sunlight will cause a decrease in serotonin levels which leads to depression. 

When sunlight hits the retina it releases serotonin which regulates mental health.

Light therapy is one of the effective treatments for depression, in seasonal times you can buy a light therapy box that mimics natural sunlight to stimulate the brain to make serotonin

Sunlight and the immune system

Prof. Dr. Madarina Julia, Sp. A(K), MPH., Ph.D., stated that sunlight stimulates vitamin production in our body as vitamin D has immunomodulatory effects that can improve the body’s immune system. So sun exposure helps boost our immune system.

Best time for sun exposure

Too much of anything is good for nothing. Likewise, lavishly exposing the skin to sunlight might cause damage. Absorbing the right amount of sunlight at the right time would be rather good.

The best time for sun exposure is between 10 am and 1 pm For an average person 10-15 minutes of sun exposure, 2 to 3 times a week would be adequate to boost the vitamin D.BOTTOM LINE: In this materialistic world people hardly find time to spend with nature. Changing our lifestyle all over again is impossible, habitually you can do small things to make our lives better.