Do you want to sit in the sunshine but are afraid of harmful effects? Do you want to enjoy the morning sunlight but are not aware of the benefits of sunlight? If yes, then this article is for you. Sunlight not only promotes crops & plant growth; instead, it is also essential for life. Sunlight is known as a natural mood booster because sunlight initiates the release of the serotonin hormone, which is responsible for better mood, happiness, and feelings of calm or focus. In addition, exposure to sunlight fulfills the deficiency of vitamin D, which is essential for your body. So, in this article, you’ll be introduced to the benefits of sunlight for mood, healthy bones, and immunity.
Sunlight Builds Stronger Bones
Vitamin D is an essential component of your bones because, without vitamin D, your body can’t absorb calcium, which is essential for good health. Only 30 minutes of sunlight is enough to make your bones stronger, healthier, and infection-free. In addition, sunlight promotes collagen production in your connective tissue, which helps you move quickly. When you don’t take enough sunlight, then your body may experience a lack of vitamin D, resulting in osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and spontaneous bone fractures. So, some people increase their intake of food enriched with vitamin D, but the most effective way to increase vitamin D is to raise sunlight exposure.
Sunlight is a natural mood booster
Ever notice how you feel happier after being in the sun? The reason is sunlight exposure. Darkness and sunlight are responsible for releasing different kinds of hormones in your body by giving signals to your brain. So, when you come into contact with the sunlight, it can improve your mood and feel relaxed. So, in the winter, when the level of serotonin in your body is low due to the low intensity of sunlight, it can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD). As a result, people can experience more mood swings in the winter than in the summer season. In addition, the release of melatonin in the human body is also triggered by sunlight. The release of this powerful hormone regulates your circadian rhythm, the driving force behind your sleep cycle. Melatonin is released from the brain when it becomes dark, signaling your body is time to sleep. So, increased exposure to sunlight during the day helps create a strong contrast between the two, causing a more dramatic shift when dusk sets in and the sunlight starts to go away. This allows you to drift more readily into a deep, restorative sleep.
Sunlight is a natural immunity booster
The sunlight triggers vitamin D production in your body, which is essential for your immune system. There are low risks of illness, infection, and cancers when you have a healthier immune system. In addition, increasing exposure to sunlight can boost your immunity to combat allergic reactions in the winter. How much you’re strong enough to deal with illness or infection depends upon your immune system, and you can boost your immunity with natural boosters such as sun or food, or other supplements.
How much sunshine is enough to get the maximum benefits of sunlight?
The response varies for everyone and depends upon various factors such as your skin tone, age, health, history, diet, and in which area you’re living. According to many studies, the suggested time is 5-10 minutes. But, if you’re dark-skinned or using sunscreen, you can stay out for up to 30 minutes, but not more than this.
Additional benefits of sunlight
Sunlight exposure can prevent skin cancer, heal skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and eczema, treat arthritis, decrease depression, and help manage stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
From building your bones stronger to reducing anxiety, the benefits of sunlight play an important role. Suppose you’re residing in an area where sunlight is not enough. In that case, you can suffer from several diseases too. Sunlight can boost your immunity, improve your sleep quality, make you feel relaxed, reduce your stress, and prevent cancer. So, it is highly recommended to stay out in sunlight for 10-15 minutes to enjoy the benefits of sunlight, but if you want to spend more time in the sunlight, you should use sunglasses and sunscreen to prevent harmful effects.
