Here's why sunlight exposure is important for your body
What's the story
Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D, which is essential to keep a healthy immune system.
Regular exposure to sunlight could help boost your body's defense mechanism against diseases.
While we all know it's important to balance sun exposure with skin protection, knowing how sunlight can boost your immunity is a good thing.
Here are five ways spending time in the sun can boost your immunity.
Vitamin D
Boost vitamin D levels
Sunlight exposure aids in vitamin D production, a vital nutrient for immunity.
Vitamin D facilitates the production of antimicrobial proteins that combat pathogens and lower inflammation.
About 15 to 30 minutes in the sun, a few times a week can drastically improve vitamin D levels, particularly in sunny months.
This simple practice helps keep you healthy and prevent deficiencies.
Mood enhancement
Enhance mood and reduce stress
Exposure to sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, a hormone linked with mood elevation and stress reduction.
Lower stress levels contribute positively to immune health by reducing cortisol production, which can suppress immune function when elevated for prolonged periods.
Whether you enjoy outdoor activities or simply sit in natural light, it can improve mental well-being and indirectly support immunity.
Sleep regulation
Regulate sleep patterns
Sunlight regulates circadian rhythms by affecting melatonin production, which is essential for quality sleep.
Quality sleep is extremely important for a healthy immune system as it allows our body to repair and regenerate cells efficiently.
Morning sunlight is especially beneficial in setting your internal clock, resulting in better sleep patterns and improved overall health.
Circulation improvement
Improve blood circulation
Spending time outdoors increases your physical activity level naturally, promoting better blood circulation across your body.
Better circulation ensures that your white blood cells move around efficiently in the bloodstream, improving their ability to detect and combat infections on time.
Doing light exercises such as walking or gardening under sunlight can further amplify this effect.
Skin health support
Support skin health
Moderate sun exposure is great for skin health, helping in healing and reducing inflammation in conditions like psoriasis or eczema.
It fortifies the skin as a barrier against pathogens and increases immunity by producing antimicrobial peptides.
Using sunscreen during peak UV hours keeps you safe while reaping these benefits all year round (depending on where you live).