SUNLIGHT

 FIVE BENEFITS OF SUN EXPOSURE

It is known that exposure to the scorching sun has a lot of damage to health and the skin, but direct exposure to sunlight at certain times has benefits for the body, and anyone must be exposed to sunlight at appropriate times to obtain its benefits.

Many of us, if you ask him about the importance of exposure to sunlight for the health of the body, will answer that it is a good source of vitamin D.

This is true, but its benefits are more than that, especially if you know that it has an effect on body weight. This will make you more excited to learn more about the importance of exposure to the sun.

In this article, we will know about 5 benefits for the body from exposure to sunlight.

Most people are afraid of exposure to the sun because of its harmful effects.

But if you think a little, you will find that most of us, especially in our time, are not exposed to the sun's rays or we are not exposed to it enough, this is due to the fact that we spend most of our times indoors, and this is not healthy at all.

 

So what are the benefits of sun exposure?

1- Sunlight contains vitamin D:

 It is a very important vitamin for the body and its benefits:

*Its deficiency causes pain in the bones and muscles and a constant feeling of fatigue.

*Its deficiency causes mood changes and sleep disturbances.

*Vitamin D helps stimulate the intestines to absorb calcium and phosphorous into the body.

*helps regulate weight; A lot of research indicates that a lack of vitamin D in the body causes weight gain.

*Protects against diseases that affect nerves, blood vessels, rheumatism, and joint diseases.

*Vitamin D prevents the growth of cancer cells such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.

*Vitamin D strengthens the immune system, killing bacteria and viruses. It reduces the incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, treats tissue sclerosis, and reduces the incidence of diabetes.

*treat depression; People with lower levels of vitamin D are more depressed, and vitamin D treats Alzheimer's disease in the elderly and helps facilitate immune system functions.

*Exposure to the sun is very beneficial for children; It helps in their growth, and prevents rickets in children, short stature, bowed legs, or deformities.

*Vitamin D is very useful for older adults; As the lack of exposure to the sun causes them to lack vitamin D, which makes the bones soft, and causes osteoporosis and many problems in the teeth, hair, and skin.

2-improve mood:

Sun deprivation can cause a condition called "seasonal affective disorder," a type of depression that's particularly common in the winter months.

It is also common among those who work long hours in office buildings and indoor places, and thus the sun’s rays contribute to improving the psychological state and relieving depression because it allows the body to produce more serotonin in the brain, which helps to feel comfortable and relieve stress.

The sun also has an effect on relieving premenstrual symptoms.

3-Improve sleep quality:

The sleep-wake cycle is one of the most important human behaviors, to the extent that we spend a third of our lives asleep, and we cannot live without sleep.

During sleep, the brain stores and processes information, and the body detoxes and heals itself, which allows us to function as we should when we wake up.

One study says that after 17 to 19 hours without sleep, performance on cognitive tasks may become similar to drinking a lot of alcohol, and get worse with more time.

The reason light is so important is that it helps regulate our circadian rhythm (or day-night system), through light sensors inside the eye.

This process is so important that people with serious eye injuries may feel that their biological clock is disturbed; Which causes them to have sleep problems.

We have become light-deprived beings, which has far-reaching consequences for the quality of our sleep; and then our well-being.

*With the first ray of sunlight in the morning, a message is sent to the pineal gland in the brain to secrete melatonin, a hormone that helps sleep and regulate the work of the human body. The body gets the signal to wake up and maintain its natural circadian rhythm. In the evening, the body gets a signal again that it feels tired and sleepy before bed.

4-It may help treat metabolic syndrome diseases:

A metabolic syndrome is a group of problems that occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These problems include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the middle, and abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides.

Having just one of these diseases does not mean you have metabolic syndrome.

A recent study in mice indicated that exposure to sunlight may reduce weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

These effects of sunlight therapy were related to nitric oxide, which the skin produces after exposure to sunlight.

Dr. Shelley Gorman of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and lead author of the study said the results showed that sunlight is an important component of a healthy lifestyle.

She also, occasional exposure to the sun, as well as plenty of exercises and a healthy diet, may help prevent children from becoming obese.”

The study also demonstrated a strong relationship between vitamin D deficiency and metabolic syndrome.

5-Sunlight protects against immune diseases:

A recent American study revealed a new benefit of exposure to sunlight, represented in strengthening and stimulating the human immune system to fight infection. The sun is usually the body's first source of vitamin D.

This study was supervised by the Georgetown University Medical Center, and its results were published in the Scientific Reports journal.

And the American research team found that vitamin D, resulting from exposure to sunlight, plays a key role in activating the immune system to fight infection, especially those of skin diseases or diseases transmitted through the skin, as this part of the human being is the most prepared to fight many microbes, that targeting it.

They added that sunlight activates T cells, which are a group of cells found in the blood, and play an essential role in the functioning of the human immune system.

Tips while exposed to the sun:

*Choose the best time to be exposed to the sun (Morning: exposure to the sunlight can be right after sunrise and before 8 am, Evening: exposure to the sun before sunset is very beneficial for the body).

*Be careful not to sit for a long time in direct sunlight in the summer.

*Exposure to the sun for up to 20 minutes 3 times a week to get an adequate amount of vitamin D.