Completely disproportionate fears of skin cancer and a largely sedentary lifestyle mean that most healthy, well-nourished people do not get enough sunlight. Unfortunately, modern urban population spends a lot of time, including leisure, within four walls, and this leads to an increase in vitamin O deficiency. The problem is especially acute in the high southern and northern latitudes ah, where the sun in the sky is always perceived as a gift. But even in sunny Australia, many people are deficient sun rays, which prevents the skin from producing sufficient amounts of vitamin B.
It is an indisputable fact that we need sunlight. Most vitamin E - from 75 to 90% - produced by exposure to the skin ultraviolet rays type B (UVB). Just 15 minutes a few times a week can trigger the synthesis of vitamin D, a compound that is more like a hormone than a vitamin. Without sufficient exposure to sunlight, there is a risk of vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to rickets, osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and osteoporosis (loss of bone mass).
Importance of Vitamin D
Recent research has confirmed that vitamin D and sunlight are important for more than just bone health. They appear to play a role in the early stages of schizophrenia (due to the effect of low prenatal vitamin D levels on the developing brain). Many body tissues have vitamin D receptors. Active form Vitamin D (colecalciferol) also appears to play an important protective role against the initiation, development and spread of various types tumors.
Specifically, vitamin D deficiency can trigger the development of prostate, breast and colon cancer, as well as a number of other immune disorders such as diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis.
The prevalence of childhood diabetes mellitus increases with increasing geographical latitude and decreases with sufficient intake of vitamin D in childhood. Also, with increasing latitude, there is a gradual increase in frequency multiple sclerosis. This is true for both high northern latitudes and high southern latitudes. For example, in Australia, the correlation between annual average ultraviolet radiation levels and the incidence of multiple sclerosis is stronger than for malignant melanoma. A large body of evidence confirms that ultraviolet light stimulates the production of vitamin D, which is believed to protect against multiple sclerosis. Other explanations boil down to the idea that ultraviolet radiation affects certain parts of the immune system, suppressing autoimmune activity.
The sun and skin cancer
Of course, it is very easy to deduce a direct connection between solar ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer. Less obvious (so almost ignored) is that sunshine prevents other types of cancer. According to a recent review, reasonable exposure to sunlight is highly likely to prevent death from various cancers - cancer reproductive system to the digestive.
The use of sunscreens greatly reduces the skin's production of vitamin E3. Because of this, Dr. Gordon Einsleich of California believes that the use of barrier creams actually causes cancer rather than prevents it. His work shows that the 17% increase in the incidence of breast cancer observed in the United States in 1991-1992 may be the result of widespread last decade sunscreen use practices.
Skin cancer kills approximately 10,000 people a year in the United States. However, some studies show that each year the number of premature deaths from cancers associated with too little exposure to sunlight (breast, prostate and colon cancers) is double or more than this figure.
One study found that insufficient exposure to ultraviolet B rays kills 21,700 people a year. Dr. Einsleich believes that real numbers even higher estimates suggest that in the United States, approximately 30,000 cancer deaths per year could be avoided if people adopted regular, moderate impact sun rays.
Everything needs moderation
The problem will be resolved by our adoption of the concept of the relative degree of risk of a disease. Most people fail to understand how large the gap is between reasonable sun exposure needed for health and doses that cause skin cancer or eye damage. For example, for people with relatively fair skin living in Boston, to maintain adequate vitamin E levels, only 6-10% of their body surface (face, arms, hands) should be exposed to the sun in the spring, summer and fall on a sunny afternoon for 5 minutes twice a day. or three times a week. And some people living in more temperate zones Western Australia, 14 hours of sun exposure each week may be enough to cause basal cell carcinoma (this form of skin cancer has a number deaths higher than everyone else).
What does lack of sunlight lead to?
Darkness, eternal twilight and lack of sunlight - how can one imagine a happy woman in such an environment? full life? After all, sunlight gives us energy, dispels bad thoughts and improves mood. Among other things, it is also necessary for health, so its role in our lives is much greater than it seems at first glance, and a lack of sunlight can greatly affect well-being and mood.
According to statistics, most people suffer from depressive disorders, and they feel depressed precisely in the autumn and winter time, that is, when solar activity decreases and daylight hours become much shorter. Agree that when you wake up at dusk, you really want to stay in bed longer, and when in the middle of the working day it starts to slowly get dark outside the window and you have no strength to work at all. Drowsiness appears, performance decreases, and mood deteriorates.
But as it turned out, the lack of sunlight has negative influence not only on your mood, but also on your health and appearance. When exposed to sunlight, our body produces vitamin D, which plays a role in important role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Thus, sunlight indirectly affects the beauty and strength of our nails, teeth, and hair. In addition, a lack of vitamin D leads to a decrease and bad mood. This explains depressive state many people in winter. What to do about this problem?
Most ideal option- spend more time on fresh air. Especially in the summer. Don't sit at home and go out for at least a two-hour walk every day. A two-hour walk is enough to work out daily norm vitamin D. In winter, you should also not miss the opportunity to take a walk. Even if the day is gloomy, the clouds still allow the sun's ultraviolet rays to pass through. In this case, it is not necessary to be directly under direct rays, it is enough just to be in a lit place, since ultraviolet light is reflected from surrounding objects and is evenly scattered in space.
If you do not have the opportunity to spend so much time daily in the sun, or daylight hours in your region are very short, then you can take additional vitamin D as part of vitamin complexes. Such preparations have long been developed by pharmacists and vitamin D can now be consumed in the form aqueous solution. Vitamin D3 has better absorption.
In addition to vitamin D, under the influence of sunlight, our bodies produce such an important hormone as serotonin - the hormone of excellent mood. It increases activity, creates a feeling of joy and reduces the risk of depression. But in the dark, melanin is produced. This hormone, on the contrary, is responsible for calming the body and promoting sleep. That is why in winter, when it quickly gets dark outside, you always want to go to bed early.
With hormones, the situation is more complicated than with vitamin D. Of course, hormonal complexes for oral administration have also already been developed by pharmacists, but they have a lot of contraindications and are not recommended for frequent use. That's why best way to compensate for the lack of serotonin is to regularly take street walks during the daytime.
As you can see, the lack of sunlight does not have much effect on the body. good influence, therefore, to be not only cheerful, but also healthy and beautiful, regularly walk outside in the sun. The sun will definitely give you beauty and good mood!
Long, dark days of winter, time spent sitting in front of the TV or computer, or excessive use of sunscreen - all this can lead to minimizing sun exposure to the human body. Although it may seem like your tan is the only thing that suffers when you don't get sufficient quantity sunlight, in fact, your health may also be affected. Lack of sunlight can affect a person physically, mentally and emotionally.
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D is nutrient, has important to maintain healthy body, including building strong bones and a healthy immune system. Vitamin D is produced when the skin is exposed to the sun, and thus lack of sun exposure can lead to low level vitamin D. A lack of vitamin D can lead to muscle and joint pain, and doctors have also documented a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and an increase in the incidence of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, as well as multiple sclerosis. People with dark skin living in northern regions most susceptible to vitamin D deficiency.
Seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression caused by a lack of sunlight. People most often suffer from SAD during winter months when the days are shorter and darker. Symptoms of SAD include sleepiness, loss of energy and fatigue, overeating, anxiety, mood swings, decreased sex drive, and decreased concentration. Those suffering from this form of depression may also be more prone to illness or infection due to a weakened immune system. The effects of SAD can vary from person to person. While some people experience only minor mood changes, others may find themselves unable to function fully. Treatment for SAD includes the use of light sessions, antidepressants, and complementary therapy. In most cases, SAD symptoms begin to subside with the arrival of spring and the return of sunlight.
Changes in sleep structure
Lack of sun exposure can also affect sleep. Sun exposure helps the body determine when to produce the hormone melatonin. Melatonin helps regulate internal clock body, signaling when it's time to go to bed. In a five-day study conducted by researchers in New York State, children were given glasses that blocked the blue light found in sunlight. The results showed that the children had delayed melatonin production and went to bed an average of an hour and a half later than at the start of the study.
Ways to deal with the consequences lack of sun exposure
There are effective ways to combat the effects of lack of solar radiation. The easiest way to do this safely is to increase your exposure. This means that you need to go outside more often sunny days or open the curtains wide to allow sunlight into the room. You should use the recommended amount of sunscreen to prevent your body from being overexposed to UV rays, but avoid overusing protection as this may unnecessarily shield your body from receiving the benefits of the sun. During the winter months, you can combat the lack of sun with the help of special lamps. You can also combat vitamin D deficiency by taking it in the form of a supplement.
All life on Earth, including humans, are constantly under the influence of our heavenly body- The sun. And, despite all the benefits of civilization that we have achieved, primarily electricity, we still get up and go to sleep according to the Sun. Our general well-being and simply our state of mind depend on its rays.
This is most noticeable in those periods when we are forced, for the sake of economic gain, to move the clocks forward or back an hour. or in the winter season. Many of us are immediately feeling the effects of these changes.
How does sunlight affect human health?
The most valuable thing that sunlight gives to a person is ultraviolet radiation. It makes our work immune system- but, just in the autumn-winter period, many people begin to get sick, when there is little light. During these same dark seasons of the year, many people gain overweight, since the lack of ultraviolet radiation negatively affects our metabolism. In winter, people are more sleepy and indifferent, but in summer, the opposite is true. Because bright sunlight increases performance, and its lack reduces it.
Surely many people have felt unwell in the fall just because there is also a lack of sun at this time. And this is not surprising. The fact is that in sunlight the human body produces the hormone serotonin, and its second name is the activity hormone. It is produced during daylight hours and is regulated by light intensity. This hormone regulates our sleep and keeps us alert. Therefore, many experts suggest that the causes of most depression are not personal problems person, but a simple lack of sunlight. 
Lack of ultraviolet radiation also affects our skin. For example, in winter, when there is low light, the skin begins to itch and peel. This happens due to a disruption or cessation of the formation of vitamin D in the body.
In winter, holes in teeth begin to form more often than ever.
There is even an opinion that a lack of sunlight has a bad effect on human vision.
How to make up for the lack of sunlight for a person?
Tip #1
Walk more. But remember: only walking during daylight hours will bring benefits. To gain the “solar” norm necessary for a normal existence, it is enough to expose your face and hands to the sun a couple of times a week for 10-15 minutes. By the way, sunbathing in a solarium in order to replenish ultraviolet radiation is useless. Artificial sun cannot replace the real thing.
Tip #2
Let the light into your home too. Wash the windows (dirty ones block up to 30% of the light) and remove tall flowers from the windowsill (they block 50% of the sun's rays).
Tip #3
Vitamin D stores can be replenished with food. The main assistant is fatty fish. Largest quantity(about 360 units per 100 g) of vitamin D is found in salmon. It is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which also help support heart health and suppress various kinds inflammation. But even when absorbing heavy doses of vitamin D, you need to walk in order for it to be absorbed.
Tip #4
The activity hormone - serotonin - can also be obtained from foods. It is found in dark chocolate, pineapples, bananas, apples and plums.
Tip #5
It is useless to fight drowsiness - it is better to give in to it. Peak drowsy state- from 13 to 17 hours. At this time, it is better to take a 15-20 minute nap in a chair, and then wake up alert and healthy. A short rest perfectly restores performance. Plus, every hour you should be distracted from work and rest for 5 minutes.
Tip #6
You can enhance the synthesis of hormones with the help of physical activity - during training, their increased production occurs. Half-hour intensive physical activity increases the concentration of “happiness hormones” by 5-7 times. By the way, in the gym you can solve another winter problem - loss of strength. There is evidence that one of the reasons for this phenomenon is lack of movement.
Lack of sunlight negatively affects:
* skin regeneration, hair growth
* mood
* immune system
* performance
* hormonal status
Neutralize negative consequences will help:
* walks
* sports training
* good sleep
*meal including fish, fruit and dark chocolate
An unconditional factor ensuring the maintenance of life on the planet is sunlight. Despite the fact that the Sun is very far from the Earth (as much as 149 million kilometers!), the surface of our planet receives enough for life solar energy, including infrared and ultraviolet radiation, which the human eye is unable to see. Only half of one billionth of everything reaches the Earth solar radiation, however, the Sun is main source energy for everyone natural processes, which are on globe. The entire biosphere exists only thanks to sunlight.
Research carried out over ten years by scientists from medical center at the University of Washington in Seattle, proved that not only the absence, but simply the lack of sun has a negative effect on a person. Thanks to the sunshine human body produces serotonin, a hormone responsible for large number physical processes. This hormone is also called the joy hormone. Lack of serotonin causes winter depression. When people wake up in the dark in the winter, go to work in the dark and return with the street lights already on, their body does not receive an insufficient amount of energy necessary for active life. The result is discomfort, depression, health problems and even a slowdown in brain activity.
Science Daily published records from researchers studying the effects environment per person. They collected weather data from NASA satellites to measure sunlight exposure across the United States. A team of researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found a direct correlation between low exposure to sunlight and an increase in the number of people with depression. And among depressed people there was a high percentage of those who had cognitive impairment.
Scientists from research group The University of Washington found that lack of sunlight can cause problems with the joints or lymphatic system. The lack of vitamins A and D, which the sun gives us, leads to insufficient calcium production, which, in turn, makes our bones fragile: just tripping and falling can cause many fractures. Israeli scientists from medical clinic Tel Aviv analyzed data from 51 thousand people over 50 years of age and came to the conclusion that walking in the sun protects better against fractures than taking calcium.
Researchers from the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem have proven that in Greenland and Finland, with the onset of the polar night, the ovulation process completely stops in women. On the contrary, in the spring, with the return of a long photoperiod, the activity of the ovaries is significantly activated. This is also proven by the fact that more twins are born in these countries than in any other place in the world. Moreover, not only in polar countries, but in any other spring, women’s chance of getting pregnant increases sharply. Israeli scientists came to this conclusion based on a re-examination of more than 600 cases of infertility treatment.
In winter we sleep much more than in summer. And this is also connected with sunlight. In studies of the functions of the pineal gland in the human body, scientists have found that this small gland produces melatonin, which plays an important role in maintaining human biorhythms. At night, the level of melatonin in the blood increases sharply. The pineal gland increases it under the influence of the hypothalamus, which transmits information about how much sunlight falls on the retina. Less light– more melatonin and, accordingly, lower activity, deeper sleep.
In 2009, a symposium was held in Rotterdam to study the effects of sunlight on humans. Representatives from 22 countries (scientists, doctors, architects, teachers) presented the results of their research in this area. The main conclusion was about the unconditional influence of light on the physical, physiological and psychological state people. Thus, American scientists have proven that the lack of sunlight in offices and shops directly affects decreased productivity. Schoolchildren living in apartments with windows facing north usually have a more difficult time studying. On the contrary, students in schools whose classrooms are located on the sunny side learn the material much more successfully.
By the way, Israeli scientists, in studies published in the journal JAMA, also claim that replacing calcium obtained through solar exposure, you can't do anything.
