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The Advantages of Being in the Sun

Aug 18, 2011 | By Amy Colgan-Niemeyer
The Advantages of Being in the Sun
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The hazards of getting too much sun have been widely researched and reported. Excessive exposure to UVA rays can facilitate DNA damage and skin cancer; so can an overdose of UVB rays, which cause sunburn. Both types of rays can also wipe out your skin's vitamin A supply, damage collagen and make you look older by speeding the skin's aging. Furthermore, it can cause cataracts to develop. Researchers, however, have also been looking closer at the many advantages of being in the sun for short periods.

Vitamin D Production

Vitamin D is produced when solar UVB rays hit your skin. The vitamin helps ward off cancer, prevent heart disease and keep bones strong. About 75 percent of U.S. adults and teenagers are vitamin D-deficient, according to the National Library of Medicine. A normal vitamin D reading falls between 30.0 and 74.0 nanograms per milliliter, ng/mL. If you're wary of cancer-causing rays, you may tend to stay indoors or covered up. But getting five to 10 minutes of unprotected sun every day is relatively safe for the average person and provides you with this vital nutrient. Light-skinned people should take extra care not to get too much sun.

Improved Mood

Do you feel happier on sunny days? The reason may be that long days of sunlight boost your serotonin levels. Serotonin is a hormone responsible for improving your mood. Mental health professionals even recommend 30-minute bouts of sunshine each day to patients who suffer from depression. So get outside, play tag with the kids, go for a walk, or lounge in the yard for a just a bit each day to get your vitamin-D fix and a healthy pick-me-up.

Improved Sleep

Sunlight triggers wakefulness by slowing down the body's production of the hormone melatonin, which helps induce sleep. Healthy amounts of sun can help you regulate your sleep cycle so you sleep better at night and feel refreshed during the day. Again, venture outside when you get up in the morning to catch some rays to help perk you up. Leave the sun block, sunglasses and other coverings behind so that your body can absorb the sun's rays. It's especially helpful to leave your eyes uncovered, albeit averted from the sun itself, since this allows sunlight to penetrate them and signal to the brain that it's time to stop making melatonin.

Alzheimer's Relief

A study published in a 2008 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association" reported that certain behavioral problems linked to dementia may be relieved by adjusting the lighting. People with Alzheimer's disease who got doses of bright light during daylight hours performed better on a mental exam. They also suffered fewer bouts of depression and retained more functionality than the other group, which was exposed to dim light. Participants on melatonin, however, became more withdrawn.

References

Article reviewed by Timothy Dodson Last updated on: Aug 18, 2011

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