Enhances Your Mood
Skin Cancer
- Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) This type of skin cancer almost always occurs on sun-damaged skin and is usually pink, shiny and raised.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) This skin cancer is also caused by exposure to the sun, but can also occur in burn scars (from either heat or radiation treatment) or from ...
- Malignant Melanoma. ...
Vitamin D
Without the Sun, we would have to use electric lights all the time. It would be very cold – The Sun is a natural source of heat. Without the Sun, it would be too cold and things would start freezing. Plants would not be able to make food – Plants depend on the Sun to make food.
Treats Seasonal Depression
- Vitamin D, is given off by the sun
- without the sun we wouldn’t see color
- it Can help us tell time
- and the list goes on and on
Relieves Stress
Sun exposure can help suppress an overactive immune system, which could explain why sunlight is used to treat autoimmune diseases like psoriasis. And since white blood cells increase with sun exposure and they play a key role in fighting diseases and defending the body against infection, moderate sun exposure is very helpful for your immune system.
A Better Night's Sleep
What if avoiding the Sun is bad for You?
What would life be like without the Sun?
How does the Sun help humans?
What does the Sun do for humans?
What are 5 benefits of the sun?
A Healthy Summer: 5 Benefits of Sun ExposureThe sun's light kills bacteria. Surprisingly enough, sunlight does kill bacteria! ... Sunlight reduces your blood pressure. ... Sun exposure reduces cancer risk. ... The sun strengthens your bones. ... Sunlight improves your sleep quality.
How much sun is healthy?
Regular sun exposure is the most natural way to get enough vitamin D. To maintain healthy blood levels, aim to get 10–30 minutes of midday sunlight, several times per week. People with darker skin may need a little more than this. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.
Is sun good for your hair?
Benefits that sunlight offers your hair Some of the main benefits to your hair include: The sun provides a dose of vitamin D which helps to create new hair follicles and thus promotes hair growth. Following the same path of extra vitamin D, sunlight can also help to prevent and combat hair loss.
What happens if I don't get sunlight?
Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of major depression with seasonal pattern (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD). This is a form of depression triggered by the changing seasons.
Find What You Love to Do and Do it.
From Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul:This is a good quote to remember and think about when you’re at work.Imagine being as successful as possible in you...
Learn How to Balance Life.
From Phil Knight, CEO of Nike Inc.:All too often, people think that to be successful, they need to make the object of their success their life.If a...
Do Not Be Afraid of failure.
From Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motors:There is a story, it’s unconfirmed whether it actually happened, yet the message within is none the less tr...
Have An Unwavering Resolution to Succeed.
From Colonel Sanders, Founder of KFC:This, in many ways relates to the above quote about learning from your failures.It’s the easiest thing in the...
Don’T Be Afraid of Introducing New Ideas.
From Mark Twain, Famed Author:It is an unfortunate truth that those with the boldest ideas are often disregarded.Most of us are taught from an earl...
Believe in Your Capacity to Succeed.
From Walter Disney, Founder of Walt Disney Company:Success has to be something you can imagine yourself achieving.It is possible that you will come...
Always Maintain A Positive Mental Attitude.
From Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of America:Like the above quote says, you need to trust in your ability to succeed. This is the only way to cu...
Don’T Let Discouragement Stop You from Pressing on.
From Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of America:It is an unfortunate fact of human nature — all of us in some way, doubt ourselves. This can be mad...
Be Brave Enough to Follow Your Intuition.
From Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Inc.:In ancient Greece, there was a group of Oracles who lived in Delphi. Everyone who needed advice or to kno...
Why is sun exposure important for bone health?
On the other hand, lower levels of vitamin D3 in the blood are associated with higher rate of all types of fractures. This is why sun exposure is especially important for bone health in older adults. 3. Sun exposure improves brain function.
Why is sunlight important for autoimmune disease?
Sun exposure can help suppress an overactive immune system, which could explain why sunlight is used to treat autoimmune diseases like psoriasis. And since white blood cells increase with sun exposure and they play a key role in fighting diseases and defending the body against infection, moderate sun exposure is very helpful for your immune system.
What happens when the sun hits your eyes?
When sunlight hits our eyes, a message is sent to the pineal gland in the brain and production of melatonin (a hormone that makes us drowsy and helps us sleep) is shut down until the sun goes down again. Your body gets a clear signal that it’s no longer night and this helps to maintain a normal circadian rhythm.
How much sun exposure is needed to prevent skin cancer?
Sunshine does have its benefits, but it’s still the number one cause of skin cancer. Experts recommend no more than 15 to 20 minutes of direct sunlight daily for a healthy adult. After that, apply sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30. Remember skin color, where you live and how much skin you expose to the sun affect how much vitamin D you can produce.
How do genes affect sunlight?
Genes are a factor of how humans metabolize sunlight; as is skin type. For instance, people with pale skin that burns easily in the sun are likely to get skin cancer if exposed to too much sun. The timing and duration of exposure is also a crucial factor when it comes to how our bodies metabolize sunlight.
Why is lower blood pressure good for you?
That’s because the benefits of lower blood pressure include cutting risk of heart attacks and strokes. These benefits, says, Weller “far outweigh the risk of getting skin cancer.”. Advertising. 2. Sun exposure improves bone health.
How does sun exposure affect a baby's growth?
Many cultures around the world recognize this fact and expose children to mild sun to boost growth and height. 9. Sun exposure enhances the immune system .
What are the benefits of sunlight?
Health benefits of sunlight. Of all the health benefits of sunlight, initiating the process of producing vitamin D in the body may be the best known. When UVB rays hit human skin, they interact with the 7-DHC protein there to produce vitamin D3.
Why is sunlight important?
Sunlight is essential for human health and well-being. The health benefits of sunlight include generating the production of vitamin D, supporting bone health, lowering blood pressure, preventing disease, and promoting good mental health.
What are the benefits of UVB rays?
One of these is that exposure to UVB rays causes human skin to produce beta-endorphins, which are hormones that reduce pain. Their other benefits include:
What is light therapy?
Light therapy is a standard treatment for SAD and can be an effective alternative to sunlight. Light therapy regimens, which take place under a medical professional’s supervision, require individuals to sit in front of specially constructed, very bright light boxes for a prescribed amount of time each day.
Does sunlight help with sleep?
Sunlight also supports better sleep and sets people’s circadian rhythms by regulating the levels of serotonin and melatonin. Learn more about the health benefits of sleep here. Being in the sun generally makes people feel good, and there are many scientific reasons for this effect.
Does sunlight lower blood pressure?
Researchers have noted a link between exposure to the sun and lower blood pressure levels, with reduced death rates from cardiovascular issues. They suggest that exposure to sunlight triggers the skin to release stores of nitrogen oxides, which cause arteries to dilate, lowering blood pressure, and may reduce the impact of metabolic syndrome.
Is sunlight good for depression?
Depression and SAD. Alternatives. Summary. From promoting the growth of plants and crops to keeping people warm, sunlight is essential for life. In addition, many people enjoy the feeling of sunlight, and there is increasing evidence to support its many health benefits. A widespread awareness of the fact that too much exposure to UV radiation ...
How does the sun help the Earth?
The sun benefits the Earth in several ways, including giving the light animals see with or the energy needed to produce artificial light, the heat that makes life on Earth possible, and energy for plants to make food through photosynthesis of sunlight. Plants are the basis of any food chain.
Why is life not possible without the Sun?
Life as humans understand it isn't possible on Earth without the sun because water would be frozen. Because the Earth is just the right distance from the sun, its water is liquid. On the inner planets Mercury and Venus, any water exists in the form of steam; on Mars and planets beyond it, any water takes the form of ice.
Why is sunlight important?
The best-known benefit of sunlight is its ability to boost the body’s vitamin D supply; most cases of vitamin D deficiency are due to lack of outdoor sun exposure. At least 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body are now thought to be regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3(1,25[OH]D), the active form of the vitamin, including several involved in calcium metabolism and neuromuscular and immune system functioning.
How does too much sun damage the skin?
Sunburn is caused by too much UVB radiation; this form also leads to direct DNA damage and promotes various skin cancers. Both forms can damage collagen fibers, destroy vitamin A in skin, accelerate aging of the skin, and increase the risk of skin cancers. Excessive sun exposure can also cause cataracts and diseases aggravated by UVR-induced immunosuppression such as reactivation of some latent viruses.
What were the effects of UVB radiation on skin cancer?
When atmospheric scientists first called attention to possible chemical destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer in the early 1970s, one predicted consequence of the increased UVB radiation was a rise in skin cancer rates, especially in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Latin America.
Does sun exposure cause cataracts?
Both forms can damage collagen fibers, destroy vitamin A in skin, accelerate aging of the skin, and increase the risk of skin cancers. Excessive sun exposure can also cause cataracts and diseases aggravated by UVR-induced immunosuppression such as reactivation of some latent viruses.
Is sun exposure good for health?
Although most of the health-promoting benefits of sun exposure are thought to occur through vitamin D photosynthesis, there may be other health benefits that have gone largely overlooked in the debate over how much sun is needed for good health [see “Other Sun-Dependent Pathways,” p. A165].
How does the sun help you?
Mechanisms by Which Sun Benefits Health. Sun increases or provides: Contains Infrared, which has a myriad of benefits. Contains Full Spectrum Light, which increases dopamine and serotonin and certain spectrums can improve mitochondrial function (red light) Increases MSH and MC4R receptors.
What is the importance of sunlight?
Given the importance of sunlight for life on this planet, it makes sense that all lifeforms, including humans, have evolved to use the power of the sun to their advantage [ 1 ]. Humans have a long history of using sunlight therapy that dates back to the ancient Greeks.
Why is it important to have a good circadian rhythm?
Studies show that having a good circadian rhythm is important for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions [ 14 ]. Getting enough sunlight during the daytime is essential for good sleep.
Does skin cancer cause UV damage?
Although skin cancer has been associated with too much UV exposure, especially in areas of the world with a damaged ozone layer, not getting enough sun is associated with a number of other cancers [ 5 ].
Does sunlight affect mood?
The impact of sunlight on mood might have something to do with the dense number of vitamin D receptors in the hypothalamus [ 31 ]. Sunlight also increases relaxation and contentment by increasing beta-endorphins – the same chemicals responsible for “runner’s high” [ 32 ].
Does sun exposure affect serotonin levels?
One study found that sun exposure increases levels of serotonin and its associated receptors in the brains of healthy men. This is important as relatively high serotonin levels result in better moods and a calm, focused mental outlook [ 21, 22, 23 ].
Is vitamin D good for you?
Vitamin D is a good measure of sun exposure on your body. Circulating vitamin D levels provide a surrogate measure of sun exposure and that it is the other molecules and pathways induced by sun exposure, rather than vitamin D-driven processes, that explain many of the benefits often attributed to vitamin D [ 2 ].
Why is the sun important?
Sunlight is important to all living things. The sun is the source of our planet’s energy – it nourishes our plants and warms the earth. It revitalizes human beings and gives us a reason to wake up every single day. Unfortunately, most people today don’t get enough natural sunlight.
Why do we need the sun?
The sun is the source of our planet’s energy – it nourishes our plants and warms the earth. It revitalizes human beings and gives us a reason to wake up every single day. Unfortunately, most people today don’t get enough natural sunlight. Because our jobs and careers keep us indoors most of the day, we miss out on essential vitamins ...
How does the sun liven your senses?
It livens the senses. All of your senses awaken when the sun is out. You can see more clearly and breathe more deeply. The sun breathes life into our world and makes the air around us feels like its alive.
What does the sun do to the world?
The light of the sun brightens everything in sight. It makes colors more vibrant and enriches our surroundings. Brightness is a gift of the sun. Embrace it.
Why do we need to spend time in the sun?
Here are 10 reasons some time in the sun will improve your life: 1. It lifts your mood. When you’re feeling sullen and down , the sun can make a difference. Sunlight lifts your mood to a state of tranquility and radiance.
When the sun is up, what does it mean?
When the sun is up, our body knows it’s time to get work done. Once the sun is down, our body knows its time to rest and relax. 10. It helps you feel good about yourself.
Does the sun bring life to the planet?
Your energy levels increase when the sun is out, which is something that statistics show and demonstrate as well. Just as the sun brings life to our planet, it recharges people as well. Next time you’re at the beach, take a look at the people around you.
What is the power of the Sun?
The Power of the Sun. Vocabulary. By Kimberly Dumke. Friday, January 21, 2011. The sun is the closest star to Earth. Even at a distance of 150 million kilometers (93 million miles), its gravitational pull holds the planet in orbit. It radiate s light and heat, or solar energy, which makes it possible for life to exist on Earth.
Why is solar energy important to agriculture?
Solar energy is essential to agriculture —cultivating land, producing crops, and raising livestock. Developed about 10,000 years ago, agriculture had a key role in the rise of civilization. Solar techniques, such as crop rotation, increased harvests. Drying food using sun and wind prevented crops from spoiling.
How can solar energy be used to make water potable?
Besides heating water, solar energy can be used to make it potable, or suitable for drinking. One method is solar disinfection (SODIS). Developed in the 1980s, SODIS involves filling plastic soda bottles with water then exposing them to sunlight for several hours. This process reduces the viruses, bacteria and protozoa in water. More than 2 million people in 28 developing nations use this method daily for their drinking water.
What is solar power?
Solar power —the conversion of sunlight into electricity —is yet another application of solar technology. This can be done in a number of ways. The two most common are photovoltaic (solar cells) and concentrating solar power. Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity.
How does solar energy work?
Unlike solar cells, which use sunlight to generate electricity, concentrating solar power technology uses the sun’s heat. Lenses or mirrors focus sunlight into a small beam that can be used to operate a boiler. That produces steam to run turbine s to generate electricity.
Why did early civilizations use windows and skylights?
This surplus of food allowed for denser populations and structured societies. Early civilizations around the world positioned buildings to face south to gather heat and light. They used windows and skylights for the same reason, as well as to allow for air circulation. These are elements of solar architecture.
Which planet is the only place in the universe that supports life?
our planet, the third from the Sun. The Earth is the only place in the known universe that supports life.
How does the sun affect blood circulation?
The sun’s rays have multiple positive effects on your blood, which significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. UVB rays can lower your blood pressure and improve your blood circulation. After 15 minutes in the sun, your body also makes more white and red blood cells, which improves your immunity and allows your blood to “breathe” again. Once again, be careful not to overuse sunbathing. And remember to always use sunscreen to avoid turning red like a lobster.
Why do we need to take a walk in the sun?
Thus, it is often recommended to take a walk in the sun or to sunbathe to promote health and general wellness.
Why is vitamin D important for the immune system?
The synthesis of vitamin D boosts our immune system. We are therefore less vulnerable to infections, germs, and inflammation, which are present in many autoimmune diseases.
What is the best vitamin for teeth?
To absorb calcium, vitamin D is essential for your body. And calcium is also essential for strong bones and teeth. Taking a sunbathe from time to time will preserve the health of your teeth and prevent cavities.
Why is it important to spend more time outdoors?
When the weather is sunny, we often spend more time outdoors than confined within four walls. We are more willing to ventilate our homes, we are better oxygenated, and we also practice more outdoor activities. Better oxygenation combined with more physical exercise generally promotes health and fitness.
Why is it easier to lose weight in the summer?
Just as the lack of light sometimes leads to seasonal depression, exposure to the sun recharges our batteries! These neuro-hormones also regulate appetite, prevent snacking and the desire for fatty and sugary foods. This explains in particular why it is often easier to lose weight in the summer than during winter
How does sunlight affect our eyes?
Natural sunlight refreshes our eyes, causing them to exert less effort. It also promotes the natural production of rods, the photosensitive retinal cells that improve our vision.