I know what you're thinking...
"But Emmaline, you don't like the sun!"
I do though... I LOVE the sun. It makes me feel so so good, like the majority of us. The sun is so good for our health too. I know I feel so much more awake, happy and almost lightweight. I'm generally the first to know when it's going to rain with all the creaks I have in my joints, but I digress...
Of course there are risks when you spend a lot of time in the sun, the main one being skin cancers. If we can look after our skin and body though, our risks should massively reduce.
Please don't worry about wearing SPF in the sun, you will still absolutely absorb vitamin D. We don't just absorb it through our face but also through our head, hands and pretty much everywhere that is exposed. So please do wear your SPF on your face and neck daily to prevent skin cancers and all the other superficial stuff such as fine lines, wrinkles, redness, pigmentation and so on (I've been in this industry nearly 20 years and unfortunately I have seen skin cancers on the face a lot more than I would like to!)
Please contact me here to purchase any of the Nimue or SkinBetter Science products
Now, with a positive mindset, let's look at some of the ways the sun benefits our health and well-being (and pray that it pops out to see us very soon!)
SUNLIGHT BOOSTS OUR VITAMIN D LEVELS
This is always the biggest one we know of. We absorb Vitamin D through sunlight and Vitamin D is so important to help us absorb calcium, boost our serotonin levels, boost our immunity and and also reduce inflammation (especially inflammation in the brain that can sometimes lead to 'grogginess').
IT CAN HELP US SLEEP
As Vitamin D helps boost our serotonin levels, serotonin also helps to regulate our melatonin as well which in turn helps us sleep better.
LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE
Nitric oxide is released when the sun hits our skin and this can lower our blood pressure. Thus leading to a more relaxed feeling.
MOOD BOOSTING
As much as it helps our serotonin levels (which some people call the 'feel-good' hormone), just being outside and closer to nature can always boost our mood and make us feel better.
BENEFITS OF UVB RAYS
Vitamin D is great to help boost our immunity and UVB rays promote this. They can also help our wounds heal, reduce depression and just make us feel overall better.
HOW TO BUILD SUN EXPOSURE INTO YOUR WEEK
Ideally we should get between 10 to 30 minutes of sun exposure a few times per week. If we're working inside a lot of the day though, this might be difficult. Here are some ways to get some extra daylight into your life...
Go for a walk on your lunch hour or as a morning/afternoon break
Opt to workout outside instead of always inside a gym
Maybe take your phone calls outside instead of sitting at a desk
Choose to meet your friends outdoors instead of inside. Go for a walk or run in the park with them instead of hitting a shopping centre or restaurant/coffee shop
Join a workout class that takes place outdoors instead of inside
SITTING BY A WINDOW DOES NOT COUNT
When it comes to absorbing Vitamin D, if you're sat working from home by a window, please be aware that your body can't absorb Vitamin D this way. Unfortunately though, the UVA rays (cancer causing and skin damaging rays) will still penetrate through glass so ensure you're still wearing your SPF daily.
I hope you found this post helpful,
Thank you so much for reading,
Lots of love,
Emmaline
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