Amazing health benefits of Vitamin D and Sunlight for human health

The advantages and disadvantages of sun exposure is still a topic for debate among researchers. Each side has got their own list of arguments, but a conclusion is yet to be arrived at. More and people are now afraid of sun exposure because of its role in causing skin cancers and premature ageing. Even then, sun has got numerous health benefits even beyond only Vitamin D production.

Several studies have been conducted all across to list down the benefits and also the negative effects of sunlight exposure. These studies showed a link between low vitamin D levels and risk of colorectal and breast cancer. They said that raising the serum levels would be ideal for cancer prevention. It means that sufficient exposure to sunlight could save around 600,000 patients every year. Some studies recommend at least 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight exposure a day. A few advantages of sunlight are listed below.

sunlight and vitamin d for health

Sunlight and Vitamin D for a Better Night’s Sleep:

Daylight exposure is necessary for maintaining a normal circadian rhythm. The rhythm depends on the amount of exposure you get daily. Physical, mental and behavioral changes are included in these rhythms. They follow a 24 hour cycle and respond to the light and darkness in the environment around the body. This statement is based on the findings by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). This is the sleep wake cycle and it depends on the morning sunlight. Enough sunlight is necessary to help you sleep well at night. Natural daylight is required to help your body restart the body clock to its active daytime phase. You need to go out and get some sunlight to ensure that your body clock is in sync. Do it when you wake up or turn on the light5s in your room. It signals your body that it is daytime and not nighttime. Try not to sit in dim lighting’s during the daytime. This confuses your circadian rhythm and your body will start associating bright light with night time. According to discovery.com, the less morning light you get, the more difficult your body will find to fall asleep and wake up at correct time. you need to set your body clock according to the proper time. So, get enough sunlight.

Sunlight and Vitamin D enhances Your Mood :

sunlight enhances your mood

Regularly exposing yourself to sunlight naturally increases the amount of serotonin in your body. This makes you more active and alert. The National Institute of Health (NIH) published an article which said that exposure to bright light is seen as an approach to increase the serotonin level without the use of drugs. In healthy volunteers for the research, a positive correlation was found between the development of serotonin and the hours of sunlight the body was exposed to. A sample size of 101 men was taken. There, it was found that the turnover of serotonin in the brain was lowest in the winter season. However, the production rate was highest when the volunteers stayed in the sunlight for a longer period.

According to the article, spending time in the summer sun can help you avoid winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonal depression, and mood variations are found to be linked to sun exposure. According to a study by Dr. Timo Partonen from the University of Helsinki’s National Public Health Institute in Finland and researchers, the blood levels of cholecalciferol, or Vitamin D3, were found to be lower in the winter season. Exposing to sunlight in summer could help your body stock the necessary amount of Vitamin D3, which will help you in the winter season and help in producing Vitamin D, which le3ads to higher levels of serotonin.

Sunlight or Vitamin D Lowers Blood Pressure:

On exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, the skin releases a compound called nitric oxide, which lowers the blood pressure. At Edinburgh University, dermatologists conducted a study by studying the blood pressure of 34 volunteers under UV and heat lamps. In the first test, they were exposed to both the light sources. In the other session, only the heat was used and the UV rays were blocked. A significant drop was seen in the blood pressure after exposure to UV rays for an hour. This was not seen after the heat se3ssion. In both sessions, there was no difference in the Vitamin D level.

Sun Protection and Vitamin D treatment for Melanoma prevention:

Safe exposure to the sun protects you from Melanoma. Exposure to UV rays of short wavelengths (UVB) is associated with decreased risk of melanoma in outdoor workers when compared to the indoor counterparts. This means that sunlight exposure can actually have a protective effect. The indoor workers were seen to have increased rates of melanomas they were exposed only to UVA light. This is associated with skin damage and skin cancer. These workers got three to nine times less solar UV exposure than the outdoor workers. As such, they had lower levels of Vitamin D. The indoor UV breaks down Vitamin D3 formed after outdoor UVB exposure, and this could result in deficiency in Vitamin D and increase the risk of melanoma.

Sufficient Supply of Vitamin D:

The ability of the body to produce Vitamin D is the increased by sun exposure. The increase in these levels is the most notable benefit of sunlight. According to the NIH, at least 1000 different genes that control the tissues in the body are regulated by Vitamin D3. The skin responds to UV radiation primarily through sun exposure and produces Vitamin D. A research was conducted on 500 children in a pediatric hospital for 12 months. 2 in 5 children were seen to have Vitamin D deficiency. This was linked to severe illness and longer hospital stay. Vitamin D supply is seen to have an impact on bone growth, and prevent illnesses like breast and colon cancer, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, seasonal disorders and depression.

Now, you see how beneficial exposure to sunlight is for the proper functioning of your body. So, make sure you get the required amount of sunlight and stay healthy.

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