How to Improve Your Health Using the Sun!

By Estephanie Ponce Staff Writer

With spring on its way, it’ll be time to take off your winter coats and leave behind the winter blues to enjoy more time out in the sun. Well, it might not be exactly the warmest of weather but, it sure is better than what it used to be. The sun begins to stay out for a much longer period of time and you just begin to feel in a much better mood. You become more productive and you even start to sleep better at night. Why could this be?

Actually, it’s because you are starting to expose yourself more often to the sun, leading to all these positive benefits. Being a busy student, all of those things, plus more, become key when also needing to maintain your grade and mental health during the school year no matter what time of year it is. But, spring makes it effortless. The next question is, is this something that you may be missing out on? Not only will these rays of sunshine warm and light your day, but they truly bring on many more benefits that you could be leaving out.

First, let’s talk about what could be making you feel less productive and having a higher chance of seasonal depression as cold weather and reduced sun exposure arises. Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a type of depression related to seasons during the transition from fall to winter. According to Rachel Nall from her article, “What are the benefits of Sunlight?”, this is due to a dip in serotonin which is a hormone released from the brain, boosting one’s mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. Serotonin is triggered when sunlight reaches special areas in the retina. This makes it more likely to experience this type of depression during the winter since the days are shorter with less exposure to the sun. These symptoms are more likely to be found in people who live in areas further away from the equator. Longer nights also cause issues with sleeping too much along with tiredness, sadness or feeling down most of the day, difficulty concentrating, and could even feel hopeless or worthless. SAD can even cause a craving for carbohydrates, alcohol, and sweets, so coupled with the tendency for inactivity and heightened consumption in carbohydrates may cause weight gain, which can create further feelings of despair.

“As a clinician I certainly see students affected by the season change,” Lindsey Norton, a school counselor at HCC, said. Norton also encourages to spend more time in natural light and outside in nature, “even if it is frigid out!”

Norton also suggests that a lightbox might be a useful tool during this time, as it mimics sunlight, as well as taking a vitamin D supplement since it is less likely to be in the sun during this time of the year. A light box has been found to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin allowing the body to reset its sleep/wake cycles. Taking a vitamin D supplement is a good replacement because research has found that it may help with regulating mood and decreasing risk of depression.

It’s important to know that you’re not alone! Also, keep in mind that it’s normal to have some days where you feel down, but if it’s too frequent with no motivation to do the activities you normally enjoy, as stated in “Distinguishing Winter Blahs from SAD,” you might need to reach out to your health care provider in order to make the distinction.

Now that we have a better understanding why we could be feeling this way during the colder seasons, let’s dive into how to take advantage of the sun with spring around the corner! Learning this new information that the sun will give us a mood boost, it’s important to know that being in good spirits isn’t the only benefit from the sun. With exposure to the sun, ultraviolet-B radiation from its rays will make the person’s skin produce vitamin D. This makes the sun important to having healthy bones. Once vitamin D has been created by the body, calcium can then be absorbed in order to strengthen the bones and muscles. If the vitamin D is not used right away it can actually be stored away in the body’s fat for later use as well.

Vitamin D can also be used to assist in cell growth and immune function. This allows your body to keep inflammation in order and allows your nervous system to continue working properly. HCC Professor of Nutrition

Janet Yarrow agrees saying, “Vitamin D and immune system are really important.” Now more than ever we must protect our immune system, which defends the body against infection while still protecting the body’s cells and recognizing cells that the body has fought against in the past and destroys if it enters the body again, as said in a Better Health article “Immune System Explained.” So cool!

There are other benefits to spending more time in the sunlight or using the natural light in your workspace. Plenty of daylight actually improves your sleep at night since the light impacts the circadian rhythm with natural levels of melatonin being released. Studies from neuroscientists researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago assured that the relationship between a workspace in daylight exposure and worker’s sleep quality is strong. Due to spending more time in the daylight these studied workers slept an average of 46 more minutes per night. These same workers also experienced higher sleep quality with more “with more time typically spent in deep sleep – as well as being less likely to experience sleep talking, sleep walking or snoring,” as mentioned in the Us&Co blog.

Also working or spending time using sunlight as a natural source of light inarguably helps learn, think creatively, and become more productive. “Research published by Eco Business showed that workplaces with sufficient daylight saw an uplift of between 5 and 40% in productivity and sales” the Us&Co blog noted. This blog also states that studies that have taken place in schools have shown that “pupils retain information far better if regularly taught in classrooms with plenty of windows.” This can also be applied to your own workspace at home when doing assignments for classes.

A simple change to try, mentioned by Ruth A. Wienclaw in her article “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD),” is to arrange your home or office space to take advantage of the sunlight during the day and maximize your time outdoors under the sun. Small changes in your living space or dietary changes may create improvements in your health and wellness.

So who doesn’t like having a good night’s sleep? Why wouldn’t someone want to improve their mental health with just simple changes and improvements? Do your body a favor and go outside when you can. Do it yourself for some alone time or do it with your significant other, friend, or family member. But nonetheless, choose to use the sun and time in nature as a way to better yourself!