3 Reasons You Need To Get More Sunshine

Sunshine is one of the best things in nature. Few things make me happier than being outside on a warm, bright, sunny day or being able to enjoy the view from my window when indoors. It’s mood-boosting, energizing, and refreshing. I live for it, and I really think summer brings out my best self, while winter can dim my spirits and slow me down. This makes sense because our bodies, after all, evolved to be out under the sun, which in turn brings so many benefits for our health.

Human beings have long understood this connection. Ancient civilizations throughout the world worshipped solar deities. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed sunbaths to help people heal. Once they realized the sun’s power in preventing several diseases, doctors in 19th century America and Europe promoted whole-body sunbathing, and having a slight tan was seen as a status symbol for good health.

So what happened? If sunshine is this helpful, why are so many people afraid and staying out of it, resulting in widespread vitamin D deficiency in modern America? The risks of the sun are real, of course. But so are the benefits, and getting too little sun exposure is as risky as getting too much. Instead of fearing and avoiding the sun when it’s out, embrace sensibly exposing yourself to sunshine and reaping all the rewards that come along with it. 

1. Sunshine Causes Your Body To Make Vitamin D

If you ask why the sun is good for you, vitamin D will likely be the most common answer you’ll get. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is a hormone our bodies naturally make when our skin is exposed to sunlight, which triggers the conversion of the cholesterol under the skin into vitamin D. It’s essential for optimal health, and most health benefits of sunshine stem from getting more of it. 

Since it promotes calcium absorption, vitamin D has long been associated with bone health. But it does much more. Recent research has explored its diverse and multifunctional nature, as well as its importance in mental, hormonal, and physical health. 

However, in modern America, many of us aren’t getting nearly enough of it. An estimated 29% of adults are deficient in vitamin D, with another 41% having insufficient levels. It’s yet another epidemic, one that correlates with a mass modern decline in sun exposure. Our ancestors spent good chunks of their time outdoors, working under the sun, and our bodies depend on its rays to function best. But in the past few centuries – with industrialization and the advent of the indoor-dominant modern lifestyle – it has become easier and ever more convenient to stay inside, with many preferring the light from their screens over the light from the sun.

On top of this, public health experts for decades now have been emphasizing the dangers of sun exposure – albeit some say they’ve been pushing an exaggerated and overly simplistic narrative. We’ve been told it’s best to avoid the sun because it’ll give you skin cancer and wrinkles. When you do go outside, stick to shady areas, cover yourself head-to-toe in clothing, and lather on layers of sunscreen – which may significantly reduce vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Do this all year round, rain or shine.

The fact that our bodies rely on a star millions of miles away to make an essential vitamin shows how big a role sunshine plays in cultivating optimal health. While we can also get vitamin D from diet and supplements, sun exposure is the most abundant and effective source.

2. Sunshine Boosts Mood and Helps Alleviate Seasonal Depression

The reason I first became interested in vitamin D was because of its link with mood and seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that occurs during the winter months. It affects an estimated 10% of the American population, of which women make up 75% of cases.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, a region that’s gray and gloomy during winter. It’s very different from the sun-rich environment of North India where my ancestors are from. It’s during these dark months that I notice myself slowing down and losing motivation. Easy tasks become hard, and life seems to dull out.

To no surprise given my circumstances, I learned I was vitamin D deficient the first time I checked my levels during winter. My symptoms improved after I began supplementing, and along with getting sun exposure during the summer (and on those rare sunny winter and spring days), taking vitamin D supplements during the winter has become a feature of my yearly routine. This is something many others have started doing after experiencing the mood effects of low vitamin D. 

Because vitamin D is involved in the synthesis of serotonin, of which low levels are associated with depression, it can also help raise mood and alleviate depressive symptoms by boosting it. So if your vitamin D levels are low and your mood is low, it might be a good idea to try reaping the natural anti-depressant benefits of sunshine and vitamin D before resorting to medications like SSRIs which are known for adverse effects. 

Moreover, beyond vitamin D, sunshine can also help calm the nervous system, reduce stress and anxiety, and raise levels of feel-good beta-endorphins. If you’re needing a little lift, going outside can certainly help. 

3. Sunshine Strengthens Physical Health

While we’ve been told to avoid the sun to stay healthy, doing that might make us more vulnerable to sickness, disease, and even aging. Because we have vitamin D receptors all throughout our body, researchers are finding it may play a role in the prevention, development, and treatment of many diseases. 

Many health conditions have been linked with too little sun exposure. Studies have associated vitamin D deficiency with a range of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Vitamin D is also important for immune health, has major anti-inflammatory benefits, and is essential for fertility and supporting healthy pregnancies.

Sunshine also helps you maintain a stable circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Getting sunlight within 30 to 60 minutes of waking can help you wake up, improve sleep quality, and lower stress levels for the rest of the day. 

How To Get Sensible Sun Exposure

Getting regular, sensible sun exposure is the best way to boost your vitamin D levels. Unlike with supplements, there’s no risk of toxicity with sunlight because your body automatically regulates vitamin D production when it senses you’ve made enough. Vitamin D made in the skin also lasts longer and is more effective than vitamin D from other sources, and if you get enough sun exposure during the summer, your body can store the vitamin D for later use during winter when there’s less available sunlight.

There’s no consensus, however, on what optimal vitamin D levels are, and advice differs among organizations and experts. Standard guidelines label anything under 20 ng/mL as deficient, with levels over 30 ng/mL being optimal. Some vitamin D advocates go further and say people function best when their levels are between 40-60 ng/mL. Because vitamin D isn’t part of standard blood panels, you’ll need to ask for a test to see where your numbers are at.

Getting sun exposure is more than just going outside on a sunny day. Once out, make sure you’re exposing large surface areas of your body – your arms, torso, legs – to direct sunlight. The best time for sun exposure is between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., preferably at midday or noon. This is when the sun’s rays are most intense, meaning you’ll need less time sunbathing to make enough vitamin D. It’s generally recommended to do this for about 10-30 minutes, 2-3 times a week, sans sunscreen on these areas during the summer. Sunscreen can be applied to the more sensitive and smaller parts of your body, like your face, neck, and hands. You may need more or less time depending on your deficiency risk factors – such as age, body fat percentage, skin tone, and distance from the equator – and your sensitivity to the sun.

Don’t spend so much time under direct sunlight that you’re at the point where you’re burning. Because that’s bad, of course. If you’re going to be under the sun for extended periods of time, and especially if you have a family history of skin cancer, using sunscreen or some other form of sun protection, such as hats, sunglasses, and clothing, will be helpful. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s guide to find a good non-toxic, clean sunscreen.

Other ways to incorporate more sunshine into your day include going on more walks, parking your car further away, exercising or eating outdoors, and taking your work outside if you’re able to.

Closing Thoughts

I feel like life’s a bit easier when the sun’s out. Your lows are less low, and your highs are higher. Being under the sun also means being out in fresh air and in nature, which is something our ancestors have been doing for millennia. 

So, go catch some sun rays this summer. Instead of trying to avoid the sun, be smart while you’re under it. Because the benefits of sunshine will far outweigh the costs if you’re safe and sensible, and in the end, there’s a happy medium between getting too little sun exposure and too much.

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