We usually hear about how bad the sun can be for us, when in fact it has several positive effects on our overall health. Like many other things, sunshine should be enjoyed in moderation to avoid painful sunburns, heat rash, wrinkles and skin cancer. We've listed the good and bad things about the sun here.
The good stuff
Improves your mood
The sun improves your mood for free. Days of sunlight make people feel better and have more energy, but it also increases serotonin levels in the brain, which is associated with a better mood. Not surprisingly, serotonin levels are highest in the summer.
Treats seasonal depression
In certain people, the lack of sunlight in winter seems to cause depression. Symptoms include bad mood, difficulty making and keeping friends, overeating, fatigue and sleeping too much. Seasonal depression is rare in the warmer months.
It relieves stress
Everyone experiences stress for a variety of factors, such as family, work and health problems. Stress can be relieved in several ways, such as exercising, having relaxing hobbies, walking the dog, or getting out into the fresh air for a little sun exposure.
Improves sleep Exposure to sunlight affects the amount of melatonin in your brain, and melatonin is what tells your brain when it's time to sleep. When it gets dark, you start producing melatonin, so you're ready to go to sleep after about two hours.
Vitamin D Vitamin D is a vitamin involved in maintaining healthy bone strength. One way to get this sun vitamin is exposure to the ultraviolet light in sunlight. However, you don't need much time in the sun to reap the benefits. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure is enough to get all the Vitamin D you need.
The bad things
Sun damage to the eyes Prolonged, unprotected exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun can damage the retina, which is the back of the eye where visual images are made, which are then sent to the visual centers in the brain. Damage from exposure to sunlight can also cause the development of cloudy bumps along the edge of the cornea, which can then grow over the cornea and prevent clear vision. UV light is also a factor in the development of cataracts.
Overheating Heat exhaustion is the body's response to excessive loss of water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. People who work in a hot environment are at risk of overheating.
Symptoms of overheating include:Headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, increased body temperature, decreased urine, and heat stroke. If the overheating is left untreated, it can lead to heat stroke. Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness and can be life-threatening. Heat stroke causes the body temperature to rise rapidly and can reach 41 degrees in 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention because if left untreated, it can cause death or permanent disability.
Symptoms of heat stroke include:Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, loss of consciousness (coma), hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, and seizures.
Sunburn Sunburn is widely recognized as one of the most common negative effects of too much sun exposure. The maximum symptoms of sunburn will usually not appear until four or five hours after sun exposure. Ultraviolet light is the cause of sunburn, which can be caused by the sun or tanning beds.
Common sunburn symptoms include:Redness, pain/tenderness, swelling, blisters, flu-like symptoms such as nausea, fever, chills, or headache
If you notice a sunburn fever, it's time to see a doctor . In addition to a severe fever, severe burns also suffer from significant pain and extensive fluid-filled blisters.
Heat rash A heat rash occurs when sweat ducts trap perspiration under the skin. Heat rash often occurs during hot, humid weather and often resembles red clusters of pimples or small blisters. Heat rash develops in skin folds, elbow folds, the groin or on the neck and chest. Heat rash can be treated by staying in a cool environment to prevent sweating and keep the affected area of skin dry. To help relieve the symptoms of a heat rash, use some powder. However, it is not recommended to use ointments or creams.
Skin cancer The worst consequence of prolonged sun exposure is the development of skin cancer. Because skin damage develops over the years, the older you are, the greater your risk of developing skin cancer. After years of exposure to sunlight, there are three common types of skin cancer (in order of how common they are):basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma.
Basal cell carcinoma skin cancer almost always occurs on sun-damaged skin and is usually pink, shiny and slightly thicker. Squamous cell carcinoma is also caused by sun exposure, but can also occur with burn scars (from heat or radiation) or chronic ulcers of the skin. Melanomas are very dangerous and can spread anywhere that pigment cells are produced, including all over the skin (it doesn't have to be in areas exposed directly to the sun, but sun exposure increases the risk), moles, and the eye. It is important that melanomas are diagnosed early because the thinner the tumor, the less likely it is to spread.
Wrinkles/Aging We associate wrinkles with aging, but sun exposure is an important factor in their development and how early they appear. UV light damages collagen and elastic tissue in the skin, so it becomes brittle and doesn't spring back into shape, causing it to sag. The only factor worse than UV exposure for aging and wrinkles is cigarette smoking, which makes the skin yellowish and thick with deep wrinkles. Some people also get white cysts and blackheads on the cheekbones from sun exposure and smoking. Exposure to UV light also causes white and dark spots on the skin, as it damages the cells on the surface.
Sunbeds are NOT better
A common misconception promoted by the tanning industry is that tanning beds are safer for tanning than direct sun exposure. Tanning beds emit UVA light that is much more intense than what you receive outdoors because it doesn't work as efficiently as UVB light. UVA goes significantly deeper into the skin than UVB and not only causes skin cancer, but also causes a more leathery, wrinkled skin.
Protect yourself Much of the damage to our skin caused by sun exposure can be prevented by protecting yourself from the sun.
