You have probably heard all your life that spending too much time in the sun can be harmful to your body. However, with protection and the right amount of time spent, you can feel the warm embrace of the sun’s many benefits.
According to GoodRx, the daily recommended amount of sun exposure is 10 minutes. However, for those with darker skin, experts recommend 25 to 40 minutes of sun exposure. This is due to people with darker skin having more melanin in their skin – a molecule that serves as a natural sunscreen.
The publication warns, “Regardless of skin tone, spending more time than the recommended amount may increase your risk of sunburn or skin cancer. For this reason, you should wear sunscreen regularly before going outside into the sun. This is especially true if you are going to be out longer than 10 to 30 minutes.”
With one of the main benefits of sunlight being vitamin D, here are five other benefits of sunlight, according to GoodRx.
Strengthens bones
Good bone health can prevent bone fractures. Therefore, vitamin D is vital for bone health as it helps your body absorb calcium. Vitamin D can also help prevent conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Sleep quality improvement
“Exposure to the sun plays a big role in maintaining your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm,” writes the health publication. Your circadian rhythm usually responds to the sun’s light or dark cycle which helps people to fall asleep at night (when there is darkness) and wake up in the morning (when there is light).
Embracing the morning sun can also improve your sleep hygiene and increase your melatonin levels.
Kills bacteria
Spending time indoors can expose us to dust that carries different types of bacteria, some triggering allergy and asthma symptoms. A study found that sunlight can kill bacteria living in dust. Therefore, it is important to open blinds, curtains and windows to let more sunlight into your home.
Can regulate the immune system
Exposing yourself to sunlight enables your body to make vitamin D from cholesterol in your skin cells. Vitamin D also assists in regulating your immune system, helping your body fight off infections.
Mood booster
Getting sunlight can help combat mood disorders such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression usually occurring in autumn and winter, when there is less sunlight.
A lack of sunlight may affect the way the brain’s hypothalamus works too, making it harder for your circadian rhythm to time certain functions, for example, waking up. As a result, you may be more likely to experience SAD symptoms, such as a reduced ability to handle stress or fatigue.
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