Wellness

The science of sunshine: smarter, stronger, stoked

There’s no escaping the blazing southern heat of Roanoke in August, but fortunately we have plenty of ways to cool off. From outdoor dining to lazy river floating to sunrise hikes, we Virginians know how to soak up the sun and relish summer’s balmy heat. Good news for us...sunshine makes us smarter, stronger, and happier. Light is essential for a balanced life. It is key to biological homeostasis. Sunlight triggers the mood boosting hormone Serotonin, which helps us feel calm, focused, and positive.

Exposure to the ultraviolet-B radiation in the sun’s rays causes a person’s skin to create vitamin D, which contributes to homeostasis in the intestines, kidneys, and bones. It's active in many tissues and cells and controls an enormous number of genes, including some associated with cancers, autoimmune disease, and infection. Sunlight is vital for health.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. It regulates sleep and lowers stress reactivity among other things. Being outside is by far the best way to help your body naturally regulate melatonin to ensure that your mood is balanced, and your circadian rhythm is on track. Moderate sunlight can decrease risk for certain types of cancers, treat several skin conditions, as well as support healing from rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, and thyroiditis.

Sunlight might even help you maintain your body and your life. People who report spending 30 minutes or more outdoors between 8am and noon also report ease in weight management. In a Swedish study of 30,000 women, those who spent more time outdoors in the sun lived up to two years longer than those who did not.

A healthy dose of sunshine can benefit you at work. Moderate ultraviolet light exposure boosts brain power thanks to increased production of the neurotransmitter glutamate which increases memory and learning. Sunlight even improves our vision. Light stimulation helps improve retinal health, increases tear production, reduces ocular inflammation, and improves neurological health. When we don’t get enough, we enter a state of mal-illumination, which is like malnutrition but occurs when we are light-deficient.

WELLNESS

By Valarie Angle

Executive Summary:

Here comes the sun. It can be good for your health-wise.

Allow your eyes, face, and skin to be exposed to mild to moderate sun daily for at least 30 minutes; protect skin during the hottest part of the day with loose, light clothing and a hat or umbrella; and take advantage of indirect sunlight by enjoying the outdoors in the shade and in the morning and afternoon when the sun is not so blazing.

So next time you're tempted to crank up the air conditioner and hibernate these summer days away, consider what an incredible impact a brief time in the sunshine can have on your mind, body, and mood. Valarie Angle is the owner & director of The WellNest Roanoke, and is a holistic Life Coach. Contact her atConnect@The WellNestRoanoke.com