Sunlight For Better Health - Dr. Sangeetha Madhu, Aayesha Bano and Neha Vishwakarma

 Sunlight has the ability to provide powerful restorative, protective, and healing effects. Soaking in the sunlight does wonders to the mind, bones, and the whole of our body. Vitamin D which is a major part of what we absorb from sunlight, as converted by the skin is essential for our bones, heart, teeth, immune system, nerves, and also muscular health.

Some of the benefits of absorbing sunlight include:

1.            Regulation of the circadian rhythm (body’s internal clock)– Sunlight facilitating the release of the sleep-inducing hormone, which helps one to have a good night sleep.

2.            Improves mood – Sunlight triggers the release of a hormone associated to boosting mood, which helps the person stay calm and focused. Thus, it also helps people deal better with depression.

3.            Help in coping with anxiety – The better a person sleeps at night, the less reactivity he/she would have to stress. Thus, by improving sleep, sunlight prevents us from anxiety.

4.            Prevents cognitive impairment – exposure to sunlight can prevent cognitive impairment caused due to stress or other mental health conditions, as the relationship has been found between low exposure to sunlight and decline in cognitive functioning, especially in presence of stress.

5.            Better immunity - Sunlight lowers the risk of a range of health issues such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. It helps in the absorption of calcium in the bones, preventing arthritis and other bone related problems usually seen in old age. The World Health Organization (WHO), also claims that sun exposure helps treat several skin conditions such as – psoriasis, eczema, acne, etc.

Spending a little time in the sun, or going for a morning walk when the sun is not shining too bright can work wonders for our health. As less as 5 -15 minutes in morning sunlight can help us absorb the numerous benefits that the sun has to offer. Letting some sunshine and brightness inside the house through doors and windows can also help. However, caution should be maintained while being under the sun. It emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which when exceeded, the required amount on the skin can damage the cell DNA. Thus, try sunbathing before 10 amor apply sunscreen if you have to be under the sun for a prolonged time.

References

Byzak, A. (2021, May 7). 5 Ways the Sun Impacts Your Mental and Physical Health. Tri-City Medical Center. https://www.tricitymed.org/2018/08/5-ways-the-sun-impacts-your-mental-and-physical-health/

Kent, S. T., McClure, L. A., Crosson, W. L., Arnett, D. K., Wadley, V. G., &Sathiakumar, N. (2009). Effect of sunlight exposure on cognitive function among depressed and non-depressed participants: a REGARDS cross-sectional study. Environmental Health, 8(1), 1-14.

Nall, R. M. (2019, April 1). What Are the Benefits of Sunlight? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight#outlook

The Mental Health Benefits of Sunlight. (2020, December 10). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-mental-health-benefits-of-sunlight-5089214