6 Quick Reasons For Some Sun Exposure will help you make better choices about the time you spend in the sun.
There is a practical side to this whole “Sun Dangers”part of our life. We humans are like plants and animals. We thrive when we get the proper abount of sun exposure.
Research has found that we sleep better, we are in a better mood and our bones are stronger. To that we can add lower blood pressure, reduced risk of some cancers as well as helping maintain a healthier weight level.
This makes us know that healthy doses of the sun really are good for us. The secret is to stick to the healthy amounts.
1. Better Mood
Sunlight will encourage the release of serotonin and endorphins in your system. These hormones are associated with having a happier mood with less depression for all parts of your life. You will find that these hormones will allow you to have an overall calm.
Generaly, you notice immediately that you simply feel better. That’s how your whole system responds to the sun in healthy doses.
2. Better And Deeper Sleep
With proper amounts of exposure to the sun, you will have a better circadian rhythm. ( If you have questions of what Circadian Rhythm is, you will find an explaination here.
Having sun exposure during your day and triggering the release of your bodies hormones is a good start to improving your day. Then you add the natural improvement for helping get you into a good cycle to be active.
You are soon on track for producing more melatonin which I am sure you knew was the sleep hormone. Because your body starts producing the melatonin when it’s dark, usually you’ll start to feel sleepy a couple hours after the sun sets. This is also one of the reasons our bodies naturally stay awake later in the summer.
Research indicates that if you get an hour of natural light in the morning, you should be able to sleep better at night.
Sunshine regulates your circadian rhythm and your melatonin levels. So, getting more daylight exposure should help your body produce melatonin when it’s time to go to sleep.
Your body will become efficient in recognizing when that it is evening and nearing sleep time after receiving some sunshine during the day.
One way to increase this effect? Wait at least a few minutes before putting on yoursunglasses. Production of serotonin begins when the sunlight hits your retina.
However, don’t look at the sun directly. There will be enough reflecting sunlight to start the serotonin production and you don’t want to risk injury to your eyes ever from the sun. Choose The Best Sunglasses
3. Regulate Your Blood Pressure
Have you ever experienced relaxing feelings of the sunshine filled days? It turns out that this process is physiological as well as mental.
When you have sunlight touching your skin, a compound which is called nitric oxide is released into your blood vessels. This brings blood pressure levels down. Resulting in lower risks of heart attack and stroke for you.
The small benefits are not to be discounted. When the benifits of safe sun exposure for our minds as well as our bodies, it is worth the effort of knowing how to safely get some sun.
4. Reduces The Risk Of Certain Cancers
We all know that sunlight can increase chances of skin cancer. A number of studies have shown that the associations of sun exposure with lower risks of colorectal, prostate, breast cancer, as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
You should credit vitamin D for important findings.
5. Stronger Bones
Maintaining appropriate levels of vitamin D in your system also helps keep your bones healthy.
This becomes even more important for females as we age and menopause zaps our bone strength. Even our kids will see the effects of not enough sun exposure.
One of the better and easier ways to help your body produce vitamin D is by being outside. The good news is about 15 minutes in the sun a day is adequate if you’re fair skinned.
A great additional benefit is that Vitamin D can help your body maintain its calcium supply and prevent brittle, thin, or misshapen bones. This makes soaking in the sun just what the doctor ordered.
6. Weight Loss
So, get tan, lose weight?
It’s not quite that easy (I’m sorry to say). However, there are some links between sunshine and weight loss. One study suggests that higher vitamin D levels are at the start of a weight loss plan, which makes you more likely to succeed. A real booster for ditching belly fat!
Getting outside for 30 minutes in the morning, sometime between 8 a.m. and noon has been linked to weight loss. There, of course, could be other factors to this, but it seems there’s a connection between sunlight in the early morning and weight loss.
So The Sun Is Important To Me?
We get these advantages, in part, because of the way the sunshine on your skin encourages the production of vitamin D. This is a real powerhouse of a booster when it comes to health rewards. Too bad we can’t just use supplements to acquire that sun result
Research assures us that this is not a workable exchange because it just doesn’t work as well.
Humans receive so many beneficial biological results that occur in our bodies as a direct result of sun exposure. It is true that you might see a few of those same benefits with vitamin D supplementation. But, think about it. Do you want “to settle for a few or just some?”
Don’t cheat yourself. The sun is the full treatment, not just a part that vitamins will offer. Simply put, being out in the sun will give you the best results
Can We Have Better Health?
So, should I jump into the 1970s tanning tactic using baby oil and reflective blankets to improve my health? The practice that resulted in some of my families skin problems?
Not so fast. Despite the advantages, there are still legitimate concerns that surround too much sun exposure. Don’t forget to include the potential of melanoma. You also need to think about early wrinkles. The trick is getting an appropriate amount without boosting your risk.
With my families history of sun caused skin cancer, the idea of unlimited sun exposure is not a safety consideration.
Dangers Of Sunburn For Your Kids
So, Just How Much Sun Do We Need?
Most dermatologists suggest a safe amount of sun on our skin that does not have sunscreen is 10 to 15 minutes. That is not very long. Then of course we need to consider your individual reaction to the sun.
If your skin or the skin of your child turns pink or red, your 10 minutes may be too much. Lighter skin needs less for the body to start with vitamin D production. Darker skin tones may take a bit longer to get to the vitamin D making time. Pay attention to how your skin is reacting.
It is always better to start with 10 minutes every day and work up. Where you are in the world when you are exposed to the sun will make a difference. Is it a safe time of day or is it during the time when the sun’s rays are most dangerous? So many variables.
Try a few minutes of sun exposure daily. Enjoy the benefits of the sun and the positive effects of how sunlight can benefit your overall health.
A Bit More On Melatonin
Your body creates a hormone called melatonin that is critical to helping you sleep. Because your body starts producing it when it’s dark, you usually start to feel sleepy two hours after the sun sets, which is one of the reasons our bodies naturally stay up later in the summer.
Research indicates that an hour of natural light in the morning will help you sleep better. Remember that the sunshine regulates your circadian rhythm by telling your body when to increase and decrease your melatonin levels. So, get more daylight to help your body produce melatonin when it’s time to go to sleep.
Melatonin also lowers stress reactivity. Just being outside will help your body more naturally regulate melatonin, which can help reduce your stress level.
Additionally, because you’re often doing something active while you’re outside like walking, playing, that extra exercise will also help to lower your stress.
Sami’s Take On Healthy Sun
Of course, a little sunshine can go a long way and too much will harm your skin. Depending on the tone of your skin, scientists estimate your body can produce vitamin D in about 5 to 30 minutes in the sun.
If you’re wearing sunscreen, you may not produce as much vitamin D. If you’re outside for some much-needed vitamin D, don’t expose bare skin longer than 5 to 30 minutes. I do suggest that you use sunscreen on your face. Bare arms and legs will absorb enough to keep you healthy.
Remember to protect your face and throat, ears, back of your neck. Don’t forget the tops of your hands.
When you are getting your sun time after 10 AM or before 4 PM you are running a risk of sun damage to your skin. Remember your sun hat, your sunglasses, a sun blocking shirt, and sunscreen on exposed areas. You only have one skin. Protect it.