The Surprising Health Benefits of Sunlight: 10 Reasons to Soak Up the Sun

The idea that too much sunlight can cause cancer is widespread, but it’s hardly the only cause, so you shouldn’t worry excessively about it. In fact, there are surprising benefits to spending time in the sun, as long as you don’t overdo it. As Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, stated, sunlight has numerous benefits, and heliotherapy (light therapy) comes from the Greek god Helios, the god of the sun.

Here are ten health benefits of sunlight that should make you appreciate your time in the sun even more.

1. Sunlight can help prevent cancer

One explanation for the higher rate of colon cancer in the New York area, compared to that in New Mexico, may be the lack of sunlight. Drs. Frank and Cedric Garland discovered that sunlight helps to produce vitamin D, which can help to prevent certain cancers.

2. Sunshine prevents health problems

Our bodies produce most of the vitamin D we need when our skin reacts to sunlight. Adequate levels of vitamin D can help us avoid numerous health problems, including dementia, tooth decay, a compromised immune system, and osteoporosis. Since 77% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency, this is becoming an increasingly pressing health issue.

3. Sunshine can help with depression

Sunlight reaching the retina also produces serotonin, which impacts mood. This chemical process increases serotonin levels and improves one’s mood, similar to anti-depressants.

4. Sunshine can help kill bacteria

Light therapy was shown by Niels Finsen, who won a Nobel Prize in 1903, to be feasible for treating certain diseases, as light rays have a potent antibacterial effect.

5. Sunshine may help you live a longer life

The University of Graz in Austria has studied several thousand heart patients over several years and found that earlier death was linked to low vitamin D levels. This study suggests that optimal levels of vitamin D can affect longevity and the sun is the best way to get it.

6. Sunshine helps to curb your appetite

A study conducted by the University of Aberdeen found that keeping up Vitamin D levels can help with obesity, as the 3,000 women studied had low levels of Vitamin D.

7. Sunshine helps you sleep

Maintaining your internal clock helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Getting sunshine at the same time every day is essential to favor the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone produced at night.

8. Sunshine and vitamin D may improve lung function

One study showed that Vitamin D levels supported respiratory function and arrested the decline of lung health in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

9. Sunshine can help with blood pressure

Studies like one done on the Danes in February showed that lack of Vitamin D, as a result of a lack of sun, were linked to higher levels of hypertension.

10. DIY health benefits

Since we produce almost all of our own vitamin D, soaking up the sun is a fantastic way to keep up our levels. All we need to do is remember to take appropriate protection and practice moderation.

In conclusion, the benefits of sunlight and vitamin D production are vast, making sun exposure a vital part of our health regimen. While overdoing it can lead to sun damage, we can still take advantage of the sun’s benefits by enjoying it in moderation. So go ahead and soak up the sunshine and make the most of the many gifts it provides.