After walking 10 minutes in the scorching sunlight, what’s the very first thing you think? I know you want the sun to disappear, for all the good reasons.
Why Sunlight is Important?
You might think this because of the damage it causes to your skin, but is sunlight that bad? It isn’t! Think about the plants that depend upon this sunlight to prepare their food, and ultimately all other life forms have a dependency on these.
Why only plants, what about the animals who survive in colder climates, sunlight makes it possible for them. Just like plants and animals, the human being also depends upon sunlight to perform many of their daily life activities. Think about your children, who essentially require sunlight for healthier bodies. According to the best child specialists in Multan, newborns who remain deprived of sunlight develop jaundice.
Benefits of Sunlight for Human Health
The importance of sunlight for human health can’t be denied. Be it children, young ones or elderly people, everyone depends upon sunlight for better health. Though the requirement of sunlight can vary from person to person, no one can deny its importance. If you are still confused, I suggest you read on further to know about the health benefits sunlight offers.
1- Better Sleep Quality
Quality sleep is important for human health due to obvious reasons. However, not everyone is lucky enough to enjoy quality sleep. If you are also suffering from this, then don’t worry, many people struggle with this. Before trying on sleep aids or artificial supplements, try this method called sunbathing. Sitting in sunlight can help to regulate the hormone melatonin that is responsible for your quality sleep.
Exposure to bright sunlight reprograms your body’s circadian cycle by increasing or decreasing the secretion of sleep hormone or melatonin.
2- Sunlight gives you healthier bones
There has been enough discussion on the role of vitamin D in our bone health. Vitamin D is essentially required for healthy bones and stronger muscles. Vitamin D aids the absorption of calcium in the body that plays a key role.
Human bodies are capable of producing vitamin D but require exposure to natural light for it. So, sitting for a few minutes outside can help your body produce more vitamin D, that is required for better bones and muscle health.
3- Controlling stress levels
Melatonin hormone isn’t only limited to better quality sleep, but also has a substantial impact on our stress levels. The presence of melatonin helps to reduce your body’s response to stress. Lowered stress levels aren’t only good for your physical but emotional wellbeing. When you spend time in natural light, your body’s stress responses are self-regulated, resulting in better stress control.
4- Have a better immune system with sunlight
Sunlight also helps to strengthen your immune system. We already know what an immune system means for us. It enables us to fight off disease-causing agents, protecting our health. Sunlight helps to promote immune function by boosting the production of vitamin D in our body.
What are the things to consider while sitting in sunlight?
We have already discussed the benefits of sunlight for human health. Now the question arises for how long one needs to sit in the sunlight and what are the precautionary measures to follow.
Be mindful that there is no ideal limit to sit in sunlight, but sunlight exposure of 15 minutes is enough. Here are the things to keep in mind while you are sitting in the sunlight.
- Don’t expose yourself to direct sunlight.
- Avoid sunlight exposure during peak hours.
- Prolonged sunlight exposure is harmful to you, so make sure you keep your eyes on time.
- Always apply sunscreen whenever you are sitting in sunlight to avoid skin damage and limit your risk of skin cancers.
Bottom Line
Sunlight is important for us. From newborn babies to older people, sunlight is important for everyone. Sunlight improves your sleep quality, results in better immune function, fights off depression symptoms, and much more.
However, while sitting in sunlight, make sure you take enough precautionary measures to protect your skin from long-term damage and get the right benefit. You can also consult your dermatologist to help you with the selection of a better sunscreen that could prevent skin damage.
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