As humans, we need sunlight for many reasons, including for our health. In this post, I go over why sunlight is important for us and how you can ensure you’re getting enough of it.
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Sunlight is a vital part of our lives as humans. Not only does sunlight provide health benefits for us, but it also gives life to all other species on this earth.
It provides life to all the animals that grace this earth and continues to help grow hundreds of thousands of different species of plants.
In turn, these plants provide us and all the animals with food and nourishment.
Over the last few decades, more and more warnings continue to come out that sun exposure is “bad” for us.
Saying we shouldn’t be spending time in the sun because it could cause cancer and other conditions.
Instead, they say we should slather sunscreen all over our bodies to be “safe” from the sun.
I’m here to shed some light (no pun intended) on why sunlight is important for your health and help you create a more positive relationship with the beautiful form that gives life to this planet.
This post is all about the must-know reasons why sunlight is important for your health.
Sunlight Over the Years
The sun has been a part of our ancestor’s lives forever. There are even many cultures that worship the sun and all it provides.
In native American cultures they recognize the sun as a life-giving force.
People in ancient Egypt worshipped “Ra” the sun god, as they believed it to be the source of life.
“Surya” is the Hindu God of the Sun, considered the creator of the universe and source of all life.
All humans evolved under the sun. It’s been guiding us through days and seasons for thousands of years.
Until around 10,000 years ago humans spent most of their lives outdoors, gathering, hunting, and fishing.
Because our ancestors spent most of their days outdoors their skin adapted to the exposure of sunlight.
The amount of sun exposure on their skin greatly depended on where they lived around the world.
People living closer to the equator would develop darker skin while others living further north would have lighter skin tones.
Our ancestors found and made shelters to protect themselves from the environment. Sometimes making “blankets” from animal skin, furs, and leather.
While they used some natural materials to cover and protect their skin from external conditions, their skin was mostly bare during the day.
The top layer of their skin called the “epidermis” would thicken over time due to exposure to sun, which would help prevent sunburns.
Sunrbusn did happen but not often.
Since our ancestors spent every day outside, as the seasons changed from colder to warmer temperatures their skin slowly adapted over time.
This is why they didn’t usually burn but could still be outside every day.
The slow increase in sun exposure and intensity of the sun rays themself would allow time for their skin to thicken and become resistant.
Sun in Today’s World
Today we spend almost 90% of our time indoors not allowing the sun to touch our skin or eyes.
So, when we go from very minimal sunlight on our skin to a 1-week Caribbean vacation, with hours on the beach, we end up burning.
Our skin didn’t get the chance to slowly acclimate to the change in sun exposure.
It simply went from 0 – 100.
This is where we need to be careful with excess sun exposure.
If you’re slowly increasing the amount of sun on the skin over a few weeks as the seasons change then naturally your skin will adapt.
This is the goal.
Slow gradual sunlight exposure.
Why Sunlight is Important
The main reason why sunlight is important is because it helps our bodies produce vitamin D.
Vitamin D is used to support bone growth when we’re young and keep them strong as we age.
Another reason we need sunlight exposure is because it helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle, also known as our circadian rhythm.
When our eyes are exposed to light our brain responds by making serotonin.
Serotonin is the hormone that helps us feel awake. It boosts our mood, and focus, and helps us feel calm.
When our eyes are exposed to darker light or full darkness, our brain makes melatonin, and we like melatonin because it’s the hormone that helps you sleep.
It’s important to get sunlight in your eyes in the morning to help your brain know it’s supposed to wake up and create serotonin.
It’s equally important not to expose yourself to large amounts of light in the evening so that your brain knows it’s supposed to make melatonin to help you fall asleep.
Benefits of Sunlight
The sun has always been an important part of life for humans, and there is good reason for it.
It provides many benefits for our health.
The main reason why sunlight is important for our health is because it aids in the production of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is then used to help reduce inflammation in our body and support our immune system.
There are possible links to sunlight lowering our blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
This is because the sun triggers the release of nitrogen dioxide, which causes our arteries to dilate which then helps to lower our blood pressure.
Another reason why sunlight is important is because it helps to regulate our circadian rhythm helping us have better quality sleep.
It also boosts our mood and well-being.
If you live somewhere with winters, you may have heard of or felt seasonal depression yourself.
It’s a very real thing.
When we go days without seeing the sun, we start to feel worse. This can lead to some people becoming seasonally depressed.
You know this is real because during the first few days of spring, you’ll notice everyone’s moods are noticeably improved.
Everyone just seems happier.
Sunlight exposure has also been studied to help reduce the risk of certain skin conditions and even some cancers.
Although getting an excess amount of sunlight can contribute to some skin conditions and cancers, getting a moderate amount of sunlight has preventative benefits.
The skin conditions that may benefit are acne, jaundice, eczema, and psoriasis.
Moderate sun exposure may also help aid in the reduction of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer.
Ways to Enjoy the Sun
Now we need to get that sun in our eyes and on our skin.
There are many ways you can do this.
One way is to make it a habit to take daily walks. You can go by yourself, with a friend, or family member, or take your dog if you have one!
You can also get sun exposure by enjoying time at the beach or spending time gardening.
If you work every day sometimes it can be hard to get outside, but you can still prioritize it.
Take your lunch break outside, or grab a coffee or tea and enjoy it under the sun.
It doesn’t have to be 60 minutes of sunlight exposure to be beneficial. A few minutes here and there is perfect.
If you live somewhere with winters, slowly increasing your sun exposure is the best way to get a healthy amount of sun.
Starting out getting 5-10 minutes of sunlight a day is the best way to reduce the risk of burning.
This helps to build up the outer layer of skin and get it used to the sun again after months of potentially no sunlight.
You can work up to longer periods in the sun from there.
Another great way to get sunlight is by exercising outside. Go for a run, or walk, do yoga or a dumbbell workout in your yard.
This is a great way to get your movement and sunlight in at the same time.
If it’s winter or there are other reasons you can’t get outside under the sun, you can take vitamin D supplements, to help maintain your vitamin D levels.
I’ve also heard a lot about red light therapy recently.
Currently, I don’t know too much about red light therapy, but I’ve heard many positive things. I’d encourage you to investigate it if it’s something you think might work for your lifestyle.
So, by now you know all the wonderful reasons why sunlight is important for your health.
Let’s make it a priority to get outside with some bare skin to absorb it.
Remember moderation is key, and gradually increasing your sunlight exposure over time, allows your skin to adapt and to prevent burning.
The best time of day to start getting sunlight on your skin and eyes is in the morning and evening when the sun isn’t as strong.
This can help to reduce the chance of burning and allows your skin to adapt easier because of the less intense sun rays.
Let’s change the narrative that sunlight is bad for us. It’s amazing for us and our health, we just need to be mindful about when and how much sun we get.
This post was all about the must-know reasons why sunlight is important for your health.
