5 Proven Benefits of Sunlight for Your Health
Sunlight is valuable for life and many individuals love the sensation of sunshine. There is growing evidence to support its numerous health advantages. Sunshine, however, is a mixed blessing. Over exposure in the sun can cause skin cancer. However, just getting enough sunlight has many health advantages. Finding the appropriate mix can help people maintain healthy vitamin D levels without putting their health in danger. Below, we have highlighted some of the proven benefits of Sunlight for your health.
Sunlight Promotes Vitamin D Production
There’s good reason why vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin. The sunshine vitamin is synthesized in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B radiation. The sun’s ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur. This vitamin then accumulates in cell nuclei of the intestine, where it enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption, controlling the flow of calcium into and out of bones to regulate bone-calcium metabolism. Low vitamin D levels will precipitate and exacerbate painful bone diseases in both men and women.
Sunlight Prevents Cancer
Lack of sun exposure and vitamin D deficiency have been linked to many serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, and deadly cancers. It is estimated that there is a 30 to 50% reduction in risk for developing colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer by increasing sun exposure. The best amount of sun exposure is estimated to be 60 minutes and your skin should be exposed to the sun before 10 am and after 5pm. Otherwise, the mid-day sun is to hot and can contribute to sunburns , pigmentation and long term exposure to the mid-day sun can cause skin cancer.
Sunlight Can Lower Blood Pressure
Exposure to sunshine promotes lower blood pressure. It is thought that exposure to sunlight triggers the skin to release stores of nitrogen oxides, which cause arteries to dilate, lowering blood pressure.
Sunlight Supports Better Sleep
Poor sleep contributes to mood disturbance, and hormone irregularities whereas, sunlight supports better sleep. Sunlight plays a role in regulating hormones and sleep patterns by affecting the melatonin circadian rhythm. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, from the chemical melanin. Melanin is produced in the skin through sun exposure. Melatonin helps with inducing sleep.
Sunlight Uplifts the Mood
A mood boost and low depression is something you can get from sunlight exposure. This is because, sunlight triggers the release of hormones in your brain. Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. One can have a higher risk of depression if he/she has low vitamin D levels. Getting some natural sunlight can increase the production of vitamin D to help with depression symptoms and improve your overall mental health and well-being.
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