Benefits of Sun Exposure
Sunshine exposure is an unavoidable fact of life, we have to go outside and gather the bountiful vitamin D from the sun[1][2][3]. It is necessary for:
- Helps you absorb calcium – the building block of strong bones.
- Strengthens white blood cells which are your front line against fighting disease.
- Calms the immune system if it becomes over-active. This reduces inflammation.
Generally, its recommended to have sun exposure in short, frequent bursts, this allows you to get the vitamin D and calcium without heating up your body too much or allowing damage from UV light to become overwhelming.
The BBC recently published an article explaining new findings about the recommended amount of sun exposure. In this article, it is mentioned that the difference varies for people based on skin type, immune system strength and other biological factors. Click here for the full article.
Risks of Sun Exposure
However, as with all things medical, moderation is key. Too much sunlight is equally harmful. The sun doesn’t just provide vitamin D, it also produces harmful ultraviolet[4] waves which carry many risks if your skin becomes overexposed to [5][6]them. These risks include:
- Ultraviolet light is a form of radiation, as such it is a major skin cancer risk.
- Sunburn – probably the most infamous risk of sun exposure. This can be painful and in rare cases can cause rashes or inflammation.
- Eye Damage, the other obvious risk of a massive ball of nuclear fusion in the sky. Staring at it for long periods of time can cause irreparable damage to the eyes.
How to avoid the risks of Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is important to keep in mind, to make sure you get enough and don’t get too much.
- The most obvious method is to stay indoors, especially between the hours of 11am and 3pm as this is when the sun is at its highest point.
- Wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. This provides a layer to stop ultraviolet rays from directly impacting your skin.
What to do if you get too much sun
If you get too much sun exposure, there is plenty you can do to help your skin and body heal from any UV damage.
- Take a cool shower to cool down your skin and body – avoid direct ice to skin contact as cooling too much too fast can compromise your skin.
- Wear loose clothing to avoid fabric sticking to any damaged skin
- Apply After sun cream to protect any skin damage.
When to go to a doctor
You need to call 999 if:
- Severe blisters
- High fever
- Confusion, dizziness or extreme headache.
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6 Works Cited
1. Khazai, N. A. J. S. E. A. T. V. (2008). Calcium and vitamin D: skeletal and extraskeletal health. Current rheumatology reports, 10(2), 110-117.
2. Raymond-Lezman, J. R. A. R. S. I. A. L. J. (2023). Benefits and risks of sun exposure to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. Cureus, 15(5).
3. Gallo, D. A. B. D. A. K. N. A. L. N. A. P. B. A. T. M. L. A. P. E. A. M. L. (2023). How does vitamin D affect immune cells crosstalk in autoimmune diseases?. International journal of molecular sciences, 24(5), 4689.
4. Chen, L. A. C. Y. A. S. C. A. Y. J. A. Y. M. (2021). Relationship between practices of eye protection against solar ultraviolet radiation and cataract in a rural area. PloS one, 16(7), e0255136.
5. Okobi, O. E. A. A. E. A. S. N. P. A. C. O. H. A. A. L. A. T. A. W. B. A. U. E. E. A. E. V. C. A. O. A. A. A. A. L. A. (2024). Trends in melanoma incidence, prevalence, stage at diagnosis, and survival: an analysis of the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) database. Cureus, 16(10).
6. Matthews, N. H. A. L. W. A. Q. A. A. A. W. M. A. A. C. E. (2017). Epidemiology of melanoma. Exon Publications, 3-22.