There is something that you may have taken for granted and therefore have failed to enjoy its health benefits. This special gift was created by God. And without it there can be no living thing. What are the special health benefits of sunlight?
Our Earth is a solar powered world, 98% of its warmth comes from sunshine, the rest from geothermal heat (relating to earth’s heat). Solar energy lifts rain clouds, drives winds, and sparks the photosynthesis in plants, which feed all living things.
In recent years melatonin, a natural body hormone, has been found to enhance sleep. Melatonin levels reach a peak in children, and fall slowly and steadily throughout adult life. This may explain why children sleep much better than older people. Melatonin is carefully regulated by the light-dark cycle. Optimum melatonin production occurs only at night, in a dark environment. Melatonin is stored in the body. We need a liberal supply each evening to sleep well. Studies demonstrate that daily exposure to natural sunlight will boost melatonin output. Artificial light is a weak substitute. So this means that sleep is influenced so strongly by our exposure to sunlight.
Your skin gets a healthy glow when you get proper amounts of sunlight and can resist infections when exposed to proper amount of sunlight.
Note 'proper amount', which connotes that you can get too much.
Yes, it’s important to understand the power of sunlight. Exposure to the early morning sunbefore 10 o’clock and after 4pm is great. Too much exposure in the middle of the day can be too much and can result in sunburn especially when you are sweating, not wearing cloths and you remain in that sun for too long.
In regions where seasons such as winter, spring, autumn and summer are experienced, the best time for sunbathing in winter is between 10:00am and 3:00pm while in summer, before 10:00am and after 3:00pn
Why do you think sunlight comes with a happy face in emoticons? It is because Sunlight elevates the mood for most people. It produces a sense of wellbeing. When sunlight is combined with active exercise it helps in the treatment of depression.
Most people know that Sunlight helps in the manufacture of Vitamin D by its action on the skin. Vitamin D enables the body to pick up calcium from the intestines for the building of healthy bones. Thereby preventing childhood and adult rickets and osteoporosis. You can get up to 20,000 IU of Vitamin D by a 30-minute face-to-the sun exposure.
In sickness and in health sunlight is a true remedy.
Sunlight
· Enhances the immune system
· Alleviates pain from swollen arthritic joints
· Relieves certain symptoms of premenstrual syndrome
· Lowers blood cholesterol levels
It’s free, but you must, like everything else, be moderate in your exposure to sunlight, otherwise it could be a curse instead of a blessing, especially for those with light skin or those who have lightened their skin. It is a risk factor in skin cancer. Too much sun for these people may be particularly damaging. Also, burning the skin can be damaging for everyone. When you expose your sweating skin directly under the mid day sun the skin can get burnt. This would destroy healthy living tissues and when done repeatedly can lead to skin cancer. Such exposure can also result in the destruction of the elasticity of the skin and its oil glands, producing wrinkling and premature aging.
Note, however that some studies suggest that it’s a high fat diet, when combined with exposure to sunlight that promotes cancers of the skin.
Here’s how to get the best out of exposure to sunlight?.:
!· A 30-minute exposure to sunlight is a realistic goal for everyone especially for light skinned people.
· Never allow your skin to get sunburnt.
· Don’t forget that even darker skin can still burn albeit that it has more protective melanin (pigment). Avoid intense sunlight.When in the sun during these hours wear protective clothing that covers your body.Your clothes are the best sunscreen.
· Exposing your face and hands to the sun for about 30 minutes each day will give you enough Vitamin D production.
· Open your house to the sunshine each morning.
· Artificial light is a poor substitute for the real thing. Spend the time each day to soak up the sun of the daylight. Especially the sick person, he or she must go out each day and get some sunlight. For thousands of years sunlight has been known as a mediator of life. It has been used as a healing agent. It has been described as the kiss of life if used moderately.
· Don’t avoid the sun altogether because of the dangers of overexposure you hear or read about. Or because it fades your carpets or furniture. Lack of exposure to sunlight causes depression. Check how you feel on cloudy days. The sun is a powerful disinfectant, killing bacteria in your clothes and skin.
