The Healing Effects of Natural Sunlight

Rays from the hot sun can uncomfortable but the exposure that warm rays frequently has many health benefits that you may think. Indeed, the sun has healing properties and in ancient times was used to hasten to heal wounds by killing germs before the discovery of antibiotics.

Natural sunlight has many benefits including:

Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) and Depression

Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps to boost good mood to help in feeling calm and stay focused. Serotonin release is essential because it causes the effect melatonin a hormone the brain releases when it becomes dark to trigger sleepiness. Low or failure to get exposure to sunlight causes dipping of serotonin levels. Low levels of serotonin increase the risk of getting seasonal affective disorder(SAD) a form of depression that occurs due to change in seasons.

Light therapy also phototherapy is one of the treatments for SAD. A doctor recommends the use of customized lightbox that stimulates the brain to make serotonin hormone to reduce production of excess melatonin. Exposure to sunlight provides natural sunlight to aid in the production of serotonin. Exposure to sunlight helps in treating panic attacks, anxiety-related disorders which have links with reduced sunlight and changing seasons. Other medical conditions that the sun helps in treating non-seasonal depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Alleviation of Bone Problems

Exposure to sunlight helps in the production of vitamin D that plays an essential role in bone health. Low levels of vitamin D has a link to bones wasting diseases like osteomalacia, osteoporosis and rickets in children.In the western countries, there are more fractures in the winter when there is no sunlight with close 50% of the elderly with broken hips showing deficiency is vitamin D.

The sun helps in building healthy bones by providing ultraviolet -B radiation that enables the skin to create vitamin D. A good supply of Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium an essential nutrient for the formation of strong bones and teeth from the intestines. Sunbathing for just 30 minutes in swimsuit helps the body to form critical vitamin D levels.

Lowers Cholesterol

The sun converts high cholesterol in the blood to steroid and sex hormones necessary for reproduction. If there is no exposure to sunlight, these hormones convert to cholesterol which can be harmful if the total in the body exceeds the body requirements.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Sunlight even with a single exposure lowers blood pressure in persons with high blood pressure. The sun, unlike some pharmaceutical drugs, does not cause side effects such affecting the coenzyme Q10 which is essential for heart and cellular energy.

Treatment of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin infection occurring when the immune system produces extra skin cells that accumulate on its surface. When the skin cells begin shedding, they form thick red raised welts which are painful or itchy.

UVA and UVB rays make up the sun ultraviolet rays. Doctors use UVA or UVB for treatment method called phototherapy using natural or artificial light. UVB rays have more capacity in treating symptoms of psoriasis by slowing the rapid rate at which the skin grows and sheds. The skin absorbs ultraviolet rays through the skin during sunbathing or a special light box. It provides better results when a doctor administers it within specific time on the regular schedule. Treatment takes place in a home or medical setting.

UVA rays are shorter than UVB and penetrate your skin more deeply. Because UVA rays are not as effective in clearing the signs of psoriasis, a medication called psoralen is added to the light therapy to increase effectiveness.Some doctors prefer treating psoriasis using UVA instead of UVB rays. They are shorter by penetrating the skin deeper. They combine UVA treatment with psoralen, a medication that involves taking drugs orally before or apply topical prescription on the surface to allow absorption of more light. Vitamin D from the sun helps in reducing inflammation in the body.

The sun in addition to healing helps to fight infection by increasing white blood cells that the body uses to fight diseases. It also kills bad bacteria as a natural disinfectant.