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We can't live with it and yet we can't live without it! According to the experts too much sun is not good for you, and yet for generations sunlight has been associated with good health and well-being.
Researchers have discovered that too much exposure to the harmful rays of the sun can lead to premature ageing of the skin and makes us vulnerable to developing skin cancer. You only have to compare the back of your hands against, say, your abdomen to see the difference. Your hands will certainly look older.
Those who live in hot countries such as Australia have higher rates of skin cancer, such as malignant melanoma.
So what can we do? Simple; avoid too much sun for too long. There Is no need to put yourself at risk be spending long hours on the beach roasting away.
Even using sun beds far long periods of time is not good. The radiation used in them is similar to those of the sun. Besides which, whatever happened to the "roses and cream" complexion of the British Beauties once envied by so many?
When out in the sun use sunscreen. Wear a hat or keep covered up and take the sun a little at a time.
Having said that there are, however, some benefits to sunlight. As we age the bones need calcium to maintain strength. This is stored, with the help of vitamin D, in our bones.
Our skin forms the vitamin itself once it is exposed to sunlight. A chemical reaction is stimulated in the skin by suns ultra-violet light, thereby creating good supplies of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D levels can be increased by taking fish liver oils in the diet or by taking it in supplement form. Remember a lack of Vitamin D can cause a thinning or weakening of the bones.
Some brain chemicals are also affected by sunlight. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland inside the brain, can, if we have too much, cause sleepiness. Or if we have too little, it wakes us up.
This is why light conveniently blocks production of melatonin, so we wake up, whilst darkness stimulates production, thereby making us feel sleepy. This probably explains why we feel lethargic and sleepy and seem to have no energy during the winter months.
Another brain chemical called Serotonin, also affects us. During winter it can make us feel tired, gloomy and fed-up.
Sunlight however stimulates production of serotonin, which in turn increases feelings of happiness, reduces paid, balances the appetite and reduces stress. During sunny days we will feel happy, active and optimistic and will tend to forget our aches and pains. With the winter lack of sunshine we tend to feel miserable, are more likely to suffer aches and pains and have an increase in appetite, meaning we eat more.
A lack of sunshine (and therefore serotonin) can, taken to the extreme, be one of the causes of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or winter depression. Those susceptible to this kind of depression are usually people who have not been exposed to long periods of light such as night-workers, during the long dark winters.
A deficiency in Serotonin can increase suicidal tendencies or aggression. It can also, on dark days, weaken the immune system, making people more prone to catching colds, flu or other infections.
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Author: Ann Brady
Copyright www.exercise.co.uk
2001
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Copyright Exercise, Fitness & Leisure 2001
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