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There are many ways sun exposure benefits your mental health. Ever heard of the phrase “sunny disposition”? Well, it’s more than just a metaphor – it’s because sunlight has long been associated with positive emotions. Soaking up some sunlight can do wonders for both your mind and body, as long as you get a healthy dose every day.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the various ways sun exposure benefits your mind and overall well-being. From improving your mood to helping ease anxiety and depression, getting some sun should be part of your daily habit.
How Sunlight Impacts Your Mental Health
To reap the benefits of sun exposure, experts recommend getting 10 to 30 minutes of midday sunlight several times per week. However, this depends on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight. People with darker skin may need to spend a little longer out in the sun.
While spending time outdoors is great for your health, it’s important to arm yourself with protection against harmful ultraviolet rays. Always wear sunscreen with at least 30 SPF every time you go out, even on overcast days. Avoid being out in the sun for extended periods to avoid risks of sunburn and skin cancer.
Sunlight Boosts Mood
Feeling down? Go outside and get some sun to instantly lift your spirits. Exposure to sunlight helps increase the levels of serotonin, the happiness hormone, in the body. Serotonin plays a key role in mood regulation and is known to help boost mood and increase energy levels.
According to scientists at Brigham Young University (BYU), mental health distress increased among the population during times of the year with reduced hours of sunlight, but improved during the lightest seasons. Healthy sun exposure also helps you stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Sunlight Eases Anxiety, Stress, and Depression
Spending time outdoors means exposure to natural light, which stimulates the release of endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones. Endorphins can alleviate pain, lower stress, improve mood, and enhance your sense of well-being. The release of this hormone is triggered by doing pleasurable activities like eating your favorite food, dancing, and doing nature activities like camping and hiking.
Being in the warm sun and the beauty of nature also provides a sense of relaxation and serenity, helping ease negative feelings brought about by stress, anxiety, and depression. A 2016 study, which was done on over 400 employees, found that those who spent more time in the sun showed better mental health, lower levels of anxiety, and higher job satisfaction.
Sunlight Improves Sleep Quality
Lack of sleep can have negative effects on both your mental and physical health. Getting a healthy dose of sunlight daily helps promote a more restful sleep at night. Exposure to natural light, especially in the morning, helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is crucial for maintaining consistent sleep patterns.
Additionally, when you get sufficient sunlight during the day, you are more likely to produce melatonin at night. The sun helps the body produce this brain chemical that is known to help you fall asleep faster and help you get good quality sleep. This is especially beneficial to those who suffer from insomnia.
Sunlight Enhances Brain Function
One of the best benefits of sunlight is that it positively impacts cognitive function, attention, and memory. As mentioned, being out in the sun helps regulate your circadian rhythm and helps you sleep better. As a result, good quality sleep, in turn, supports learning, mental clarity, and memory consolidation.
In addition, sun exposure triggers the production of vitamin D, which is essential for brain health and has been linked to improved cognitive performance and a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases. A study published in the National Library of Medicine and conducted on participants with depression found that those exposed to lower levels of sunlight had impaired cognitive performance.
Sunlight Provides Healthy Vitamin D
Last but not the least – being out in the sun means your body is soaking up the Vitamin D it needs to stay healthy. Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, provides many health benefits including stronger bones, better heart health, improved immune function, reduced inflammation, and many more. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to low mood, feelings of depression, fatigue, muscle pain, weak immune system, and more.
The sun is the best natural source of Vitamin D as it is very hard to get enough from food sources alone.Just around 10 minutes of sun exposure at noon produces the daily recommended amount of vitamin D.
In A Nutshell
Now that you know how sunlight affects mental health, it’s the perfect time to schedule your daily sun exposure. Doing so will instantly boost your mood, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, help you sleep better at night, improve brain function, and give you your much-needed dose of Vitamin D. So put on some sunscreen, feel the warmth of the sun, and enjoy its many benefits to your overall health.