The rise of skin cancer has painted sun exposure in a bad light. Because of this people spend much less time in the sun than in the past. Though this may help mediate the prevalence of skin cancer, other issues have arisen. Regular exposure to sunshine can have big benefits on your physical and mental health! This isn’t because of the sunshine itself but is the result of vitamin D3, a vitamin that our body creates when exposed to sunlight. The lack of sunshine in our lives can lead to vitamin D deficiency and negative health effects.
Sunlight Effects on Physical Health
When UV radiation hits our skin, our body begins to create vitamin D3, which is a powerful and necessary vitamin for health. Yes, you read that right! Simply being in the sun creates vitamins in our bodies! Vitamin D serves a variety of purposes in our bodies. It helps with our immunity, bone health, brain function, and more! People who don’t spend time in the sun are at a higher risk for being vitamin D deficient, leading to negative health effects. Some specific benefits of vitamin D include:
- Anticancer: some research has shown that vitamin D from sunlight can lower the risk of certain types of cancer (with the exception of skin cancer). Positive results have been shown for colon, prostate, and breast cancer.
- Immune System: Vitamin D provides a strong immune system boost. It helps the body produce T cells which fight infections and lower inflammation. It also helps create antimicrobial substances in the body to fight off bacterial infections.
- Autoimmune disease: Some studies show that vitamin D has a positive effect on certain autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes. This exact process is not fully understood but it is likely due to vitamin D’s role in cellular immunity.
- Bone Health: Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium, which makes up our bones. It is crucial to have vitamin D in order to maintain strong and healthy bone structure.
Sunlight Effects on Mental Health
Sunlight affects our mental health in multiple ways. First, vitamin D3 promotes our mental health along with our physical health. Studies have shown that it can lower risk for conditions including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Epilepsy
- Alzheimer’s disease
Second, exposure to sunlight helps our body release serotonin, which is the “happy hormone”, boosting our mood and mental health. Third, sunlight exposure helps our body regulate its circadian rhythm, and keeps our bodies regulated hormonally.
The Takeaway?
Anything in excess can become a bad thing. Excess sun exposure can have negative effects. However, it’s important not to label sun exposure as a bad thing and instead, we must recognize its benefits. Thanks to sunlight our bodies can create their own source of vitamin D3! So, start small! Even 15 minutes of time in the sunlight can do amazing things for your health!
References:
- Aranow, Cynthia. “Vitamin D and the immune system.” Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research vol. 59,6 (2011): 881-6. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755
- Tanaka, Shinsuke, and Tetsuya Matsubayashi. “The Light of Life: The Effects of Sunlight on Suicide.” Journal of Health Economics, vol. 99, Jan. 2025, p. 102947, doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2024.102947.
- Van der Rhee, H.J., et al. “Regular Sun Exposure Benefits Health.” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 97, Dec. 2016, pp. 34–37, doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2016.10.011.
Wacker, Matthias, and Michael F Holick. “Sunlight and Vitamin D: A global perspective for health.” Dermato-endocrinology vol. 5,1 (2013): 51-108. doi:10.4161/derm.24494
