There are many health benefits of sunbathing. Curious about what they are? Continue reading.
We’re constantly warned about the dangers of exposing ourselves to the sun. So much so that we turned the life-giving sun from our friend to our enemy. Today we see the sun as a god of death that spreads skin cancer terror, thus we need to avoid it by all means. Fortunately, we have good news.
Researchers are also rediscovering the positive aspects of the sun and sunbathing. Without the sun there could be no life as we know it, nor could we be healthy. Thus, the sun is the giver of life, health, and happiness. In order to benefit from its energy, sunbathing is a must, but do it wisely and with care. Here are the most important health benefits of sunbathing and enjoying the sun. Seize the summer season and bask in the sun with all your might!
In This Article You Will Find:
9 Unexpected Health Benefits of Sunbathing
1. Immune System Booster
Sneezing, coughing, snoring – these noises are hardly (and only exceptionally) heard during the summertime. Just like during winter, in the hot season, there are just as many pathogens swarming around us, but they are less harmful. And the reason is the healing energy we get from the sun when it hits our skin. One of the major health benefits of sunbathing is that it boosts our immune system.
The sun’s rays stimulate the body’s natural defense mechanisms against certain bacteria and viruses. It is believed that babies born in the summer months are more robust and will suffer less often from respiratory diseases. The conclusion? Get out there in the sun, and load your body with all the good immune-boosting energy from the sun.
2. Stronger Bones
Calcium is the most important building material for our skeleton. But the vitamin responsible for extracting calcium from our foods is Vitamin D. But did you know that when the sunlight reaches the skin, our body produces loads of vitamin D directly? Our bones rely on sunlight to stay healthy and strong. This is one of the major health benefits of sunbathing and it even has a name, which is the sunshine hormone.
While the dairy industry is pushing the agenda according to which dairy products are loaded with calcium, it has been proven that children who eat milk, cheese, and other dairy products in sufficient quantities but do not get enough sun, don’t form enough bone substance. In very severe cases, this can lead to rickets, a deformity observed for example in the skull and bones that support the back.
Sunbathing is not only crucial for children, but also for adults. After the age of 20 when the bone structures are completely formed, the transformations continue: every year, the skeleton is renewed in a proportion of about 10%. Vitamin D plays an important part in this process. This is a major sunbathing benefits.
The bone tissues shrink by up to 4% annually in women who have entered menopause. The sun’s rays make an essential contribution to efforts to stop this bone tissue loss. When we are vitamin D deficient, our bones can use only about half of the amount of calcium available to them. This increases, among other things, the risk of fractures and bone disease. Go out in the sun and soak up all the good Vitamin D for strong bones, as this is one of the main health benefits of sunbathing.
3. Healthy Skin
Why do we find tanned skin to be so beautiful? There’s a reason for it. A delicately bronzed skin signals something to our subconscious mind: a good state of health. Rightly so, because ultraviolet sun rays help against neurodermatitis and psoriasis, eliminate skin fungus, and speed up the healing of acne. Here too, the explanation is the nourishing vitamin D, boosted by sunlight exposure.
Studies show that this vitamin is formed not only in the liver and kidneys but also directly in the skin cells in direct contact with the sunlight. This is one of the most important health benefits of sunbathing!
Researchers at King’s College London even suggested that moderate sunbathing could delay the appearance of wrinkles. Vitamin D, they say, could act against age-related damage to the DNA, the genetic substance in our body cells. In addition, responsible sunlight exposure has been shown to heal psoriasis, eczema, and even vitiligo.
4. Happy Hormones
The summer sky gives us a solar state of being. We feel strong, confident, and very happy. There is a reason for this. The sun’s ultraviolet rays stimulate the release of endorphins, the feel-great hormones. Looking for a mood booster? Get out in the sun and see how you feel 30 minutes later. At the same time, sunlight reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy, drowsy, and fatigued. Thus, the sun is a happy and energy booster. This explains why on sunny summer days we feel particularly active, and in maximum shape to get things done. Yes, sunshine boosts serotonin naturally, which is one of the health benefits of sunbathing.
5. Cancer Prevention
One of the major health benefits of sunbathing is that it can prevent cancer and other modern ailments. Dr. Michael Holick, Professor at the Boston School of Medicine, a renowned American dermatologist and endocrinologist said that the fear of skin cancer is exaggerated. In addition, he said that things are quite the opposite. When the body receives too little sunlight, it can not produce enough vitamin D. And did you know that…
90% of our Vitamin D necessary is produced in the skin from direct sunlight.
A deficiency can lead to tumors. There are studies that confirm that, among other things, Vitamin D slows down the growth and multiplication of cancer cells in the breasts, intestines, and prostate. According to Dr. Michael Holick’s estimates, in the United States alone we would have 185,000 fewer cancers and 30,000 fewer deaths every year, if part of our population did not avoid sunlight so strictly, considering it harmful.
In addition, recent findings show that a high level of vitamin D in the blood can also prevent some chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, type I diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, in addition to cancer. Until these findings are fully confirmed, we can agree that a reasonable sunbathing dosage can not harm anyone. This is one of the most underrated health benefits of sunbathing.
6. Vitamin D Load Up
Basically, most of the health benefits of sunbathing and sunlight exposure are due to Vitamin D intake. We can also find this vitamin in certain fish and synthetic capsules, but why go this way when a simple sun exposure loads us with all the Vitamin D our body needs?
Our body is so built to produce its own vitamin D from the sun.
The farther our ancestors moved away from the equator, the lighter their skin became – so that their bodies could produce enough vitamin D even in regions where the sun does not shine so brightly. Lack of Vitamin D can lead to bone deformities in children, osteoporosis, increased risk of fractures in the elderly, slow metabolism, depression, fatigue, and others. The explanation is that when we are Vitamin D deficient, calcium absorption in the intestines is reduced and the body takes the necessary calcium from the bones, that in time become frail. Indeed, Vitamin D is one of the key health benefits of sunbathing.
7. Reduced Risk of Viral Respiratory Infections
Specifically, in respiratory health, vitamin D deficiency has been shown to increase the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and tuberculosis. So yes, the more we expose ourselves to the sunlight, the more Vitamin D we produce, and the less likely we get sick with respiratory viruses.
Most people today are Vitamin D deficient.
We mostly work indoors, in offices, and have little time to enjoy a proper healing sunbath. Studies have proven that when we supplement with Vitamin D (when we cannot have sunlight contact), we are 70% less likely to contract any respiratory viruses. More so, Vitamin D is a great defense barrier against other respiratory conditions such as tuberculosis, influenza, cystic fibrosis, and even COPD and asthma. Vitamin D is your lung’s best friend and preventing viral lung conditions is one of the most important health benefits of sunbathing you can get.
8. Boost Metabolism
The sun and the sea also revive the vegetative system. This is where our metabolism is activated. Fatigue and depression go away. Specialists say that one week of sun and sea exposure is all that we need to boost our metabolism and feel rejuvenated and strong. This is one of the reasons why we have less appetite during the hot summer days and much of what we crave is mostly fresh water and fresh juices. Sunlight exposure is a great way to boost the metabolism and lose weight, by only sitting in the sun. What more could you need? A healthier, happier, and slimmer you. This is one of the less-known health benefits of sunbathing.
9. Fight Pathogens
One of the major health benefits of sunbathing is that it wards off deadly pathogens that create a mess in the body. How so? Mysterious or so-called autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, and thyroiditis are a few of the conditions that can be cured just by sitting in the sun. In actuality, these “mysterious” conditions are caused by pathogens causing havoc and making the body overreact to a hidden enemy.
Anthony Williams, the Medical Medium explains all this very well in his best-seller book. Who would have guessed that sunlight is such a powerful health tool, 100% free and so effective against pathogens? This is absolutely groundbreaking.
4 Tips for Safe Sunbathing for Most Health Benefits
- Avoid sun exposure during the afternoon hours (children and fair skin people should avoid sun exposure between 10 in the morning and 16 in the afternoon; darker skin people should avoid the sun between 11 am and 14 in the afternoon).
- Use natural sun protection instead of chemically loaded sunscreen. Here is a full list of natural sunscreens and a DIY sunscreen recipe with all-natural ingredients. Or make your own natural sunscreen at home.
- Gradually expose yourself to the sun. This means a few minutes of sun exposure in the first days of vacation, regardless of your skin type.
- Sunbathe for no longer than 30 minutes at a time. If you want to sunbathe for more than 30 mins, you should wear light clothing and natural sunscreen, like coconut oil. During a sunbath, the skin only tenses, and the painful overexposure symptoms appear 4 to 6 hours later.
Safe Sunbathing Essentials
Bottomline
The more we know, the more empowered and the less scared we are. All that is natural is here to serve us, and the sun, moon, air, earth, and water are the basic elements for human health. Instead of running away from the sunlight due to fear of skin cancer and other pushed agendas. There are so many sunbathing benefits we are yet to discover. If we have convinced you of the tremendous health benefits of sunbathing, we invite you to also read our article on the 9 Health Benefits of Going to The Seaside.
Sunlight is healing for the mind and body, enjoy it wisely and with utmost gratitude!
If you’ve enjoyed learning about the health benefits of sunbathing, please share this article so more people know of the real benefits of laying in the sun. There are even more sunbathing benefits that we are yet to discover, so soak up the sun and be a happy, healthy, you.
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