Moderate Sun Exposure - How Does It Benefit The Skin?

Most people facing skin issues, be it dark spots or pigments, blame the sun for their issues. It is true that the sun is one of the most common causes of skin problems from dermatitis to melasma to sunburn to cancer. However, this is due to excessive, unprotected exposure to the sun. What is not known to most people is that the sun can do wonders for your skin when the exposure is moderate.

In fact, it is essential in a way to get a certain amount of exposure to the sun in order to have great skin. Not many know that humans also absorb sunlight and metabolize it to get various benefits.

Read on and understand the contradictions:

1. Bone health: The most common fact linking the sun and human health is that it is beneficial for bone health. This is because of the vitamin D present in sun rays that is responsible for bone health. Newborn babies are exposed to early morning sunlight so they can develop strong bones.
2. Sunlight brings on happiness: The happy chemical serotonin is released when a person gets exposed to the sun. It is not without reason that some people wake up to sunrise with a big smile on their faces. It does make them truly happy!! So, go out and get the sunshine on your face. It improves your emotional well-being and even helps control depression. People in countries which do not receive sunlight for weeks or months together experience what is termed as a seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
3. Psychological disorders: It has been proven that in conditions like Alzheimer’s, depression, and panic disorders, regular, controlled exposure to the sun helps improve symptoms.
4. Blood pressure control: The nitric oxide produced during sun exposure is known to help reduce blood pressure. This, in turn, helps reduce other conditions like stroke and heart attacks.
5. Cancer prevention: Better levels of Vitamin D reduce the risk of some cancers; Breast, pancreas, ovarian, and colon for instance. Countries that have very less sunlight have more of these cancers.
6. Sleep well: Sunlight controls the body’s circadian rhythm and chemically manages this via melatonin. During the day, this is reduced and during the nights, it is increased. This helps maintain a regular sleep pattern.
7. Immune booster: The white blood cells which are the infection fighters are produced in larger numbers when exposed to the sun. This, in turn, helps fight infections and boosts immunity.
8. Treats skin disorders: While sun causes some skin problems, it also heals some, like psoriasis, acne, jaundice, and other skin infections. The phototherapy which is used in these conditions is a targeted beam of light which stimulates the deeper skin layers to produce the essential skin cells and heal itself.
9. Nutrition and sun: The scientists are deciphering that people who place their main meals between sunrise and sunset are the healthiest.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!