The Incredible Health Benefits of Sun Exposure + Safe Sun Tips!
There are numerous health benefits of getting regular, safe sun exposure. We all know about the necessity of getting adequate vitamin D through sunshine, which you can read more about here, but the sun provides us with benefits beyond increasing vitamin D levels.
Is the sun bad for us? Absolutely not!! But there’s a right and a wrong way of going about sun exposure.
Our ancestors weren’t stuck inside staring at screens all day long and they didn’t use chemical sunscreens that block the healthy UV rays and let in the toxic rays like we do now. We’ve been taught to fear the sun and that it causes cancer, when in reality cancer rates have soared in correlation with modern interventions like sunscreen, pesticide use and GMO foods.
Sun Benefits
Improve Your Mood with Sunshine
Red light, which is found naturally in the suns rays, has been shown to support mood by naturally boosting levels of serotonin in the brain. Additionally, vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body, which impacts brain function and mood, and it is well-known that low levels have been associated with mental health issues.
Sun Exposure Boosts Immune Function
Adequate vitamin D levels are crucial for a properly functioning immune system and for the body’s ability to fight infection of all kinds. Avoiding sun exposure has created an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. In addition to vitamin D, the sun acts as a natural antimicrobial. The different light wavelengths, including red and infrared radiation from the sun play key roles in these immune supportive properties.
Increase Your Energy with Sunshine
Daily sun exposure can help boost our energy levels also! Light energy from the sun helps supercharge our bodies own energy factories in our cells, called mitochondria. Our mitochondria produce energy in the form of ATP, adenosine triphosphate, which is essential for all body functions. It can also help reduce oxidative stress and support cellular regeneration.
Sleep Better
Getting sunshine, especially first thing in the morning, has a powerful effect on regulating our circadian rhythms and improving sleep. Even 5 minutes right when you wake up can have a big impact on how well you sleep that night. Start to do this on a regular basis and you’ll notice the benefits!
Live Longer with Regular Sun Exposure
A Swedish study of over 29,000 women assessed all-cause mortality in relation to sun avoidance. It found that the death rate was approximately 2 times higher in those who avoided sun exposure, then in the high sun exposure group. Another study following over 38,000 women for 15 years showed a significant reduction in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality associated with sun exposure.
Safe Sun Tips:
Avoid toxic, conventional sunscreens and opt for non-nanoparticle zinc oxide-based sunscreen, if needed.
Cover up if you’re out in the sun for long periods of time to avoid burning.
Eat an antioxidant-rich, nutrient-dense diet and avoid rancid and trans-fats like fried foods and vegetable oils to avoid burning.
Stay hydrated and drink naturally mineralizing drinks such as coconut water, or add lemon, raw honey and Himalayan salt to water. Avoid dehydrating alcohol, soda and sugary drinks.
Expose most of your body to the sun when possible!
Avoid showering immediately after sun exposure to avoid washing away the vitamin D produced in the skin!
Get outside and enjoy the sunshine and all the benefits that come with it!!
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
