When you think about the sun, it’s easy to only think about sunburns and heat. However, it still provides a lot of health benefits. This article teaches you about 8 crucial advantages of sunshine.
Vitamin D
The sun’s rays help your body create this important vitamin for your blood cells, bones, and immune system. It also lets you absorb and use certain minerals, such as phosphorus and calcium.
Better Sleep
Your eyes need light to set your body’s internal clock. Early morning sunlight can help you get proper sleep at night. This becomes more important as you age because your eyes are less able to take in light.
Emotional Well-Being
Sunlight boosts serotonin production in your brain. This can give you more energy and keep you calm, positive, and focused. Occasionally, doctors can treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other types of depression connected to low levels of serotonin with natural or artificial light.
Eye Health
By receiving moderate amounts of sun over your lifetime, you can reduce your chances of having problems seeing things at a distance. However, too much direct sunlight can hurt your eyes. It can result in blurred vision and increase your chances of developing cataracts.
Weight Loss
Morning sunlight also seems effective in helping people shed weight. To see noticeable changes, you must stay in the sun for 20 to 30 minutes between 8 am and noon. Scientists also think the sun’s rays can shrink fat cells below your skin’s surface. This means more sunshine can indicate you’re getting more exercise too.
Baby Treatment
In addition to resolving some skin issues, filtered sunlight can treat jaundice, which mostly affects newborns. It happens when high levels of the chemical bilirubin are in the blood, making the baby’s skin look slightly yellow. You could get rid of the bilirubin by putting the baby in the sunlight behind a window.
Reduced Blood Pressure
According to one research study, exposure to sunlight reduced systolic blood pressure in people with kidney failure on dialysis. Researchers believe this happens due to UV light increasing nitric oxide availability, a molecule that widens the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Cancer Prevention
Studies have shown that there can be a 50 to 77 percent reduction in expected cancer rates with the right amount of vitamin D and calcium.
Conclusion
Sunlight can provide multiple physical and health benefits. However, you must do it in moderation to avoid sunburn or skin cancer.
