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Makes us
feel sexy
It's far easier to get
turned on when the sun is out. Sunlight raises our sex
hormone levels, we are wearing fewer clothes and we
automatically feel more happy and relaxed. There can be
no doubt the sun has a wonderful effect on our psyche.
But doctors do warn us that the sun does have its
dangers. It's important we enjoy the sun in moderation.
Expert
view. - It is important to protect yourself
from too much sun, it is a shame when cancer fears
mean people may miss out on the pleasures of baking in
the sunshine. There is no reason why everyone
shouldn't enjoy a beach holiday if they take
reasonable precautions like staying out of the sun in
the middle of the day and sitting in the shade under
an umbrella reading a book.
Keeps your bones and teeth healthy
Sunshine is vital for healthy bodies. We need the sun to
create vitamin D in our bodies. This
vitamin helps us absorb calcium and
phosphorus - both of which are vital for strong bones and
teeth - and it also keeps our nervous system healthy, our
heartbeat normal and helps our blood to clot.
Helps prevent cancer
The sunshine vitamin, vitamin D, helps our bodies make vitamin
A, which boosts the immune system. This vitamin helps
fight colds and infections, improves our vision and skin and,
in high doses, has been shown to prevent cancer of the lungs,
bladder and breasts.
Keeps
us alert and happy
Ever wondered why you feel so cheery on a bright spring
day? Well, it's because sunlight turns off our melatonin
- the hormone that sends us off to sleep. We are
programmed to be active by day and sleep at night, but
melatonin levels are high on a dark day making us feel drowsy
and depressed. |
Keeps the heart healthy
A certain amount of ultraviolet light is thought to
guard
against heart disease. As well as reducing stress, it
lowers blood pressure, and research suggests that it could
reduce cholesterol and increase the heart's efficiency.
Is
good for the skin
Ultraviolet light is an effective treatment for
psoriasis and acne. We do have to be careful with the
amount of exposure to the sun and calculate if the short-term
gain is worth the long-term risk.
Our
bodies get the right amount of vitamin D by baring our faces
in the sun for half an hour at lunch time so anything else
could be considered excessive, unless we use sun protection so
to be in the sun for longer periods.
Lying in the sun is good for us psychologically and
helps our bodies produce vitamin D. If you go on
a beach holiday wear a factor 25 to start of with and
reapply it when you get wet. And then you can
brown safely.
Fights depression
From November to March at least one in 10 of us are crippled
by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - a form of depression
caused by a lack of sun shine. Four times as many women as
men get it, and many sufferers overheat, lose their sex drive
and can hardly bear to get up in the morning.
The main treatment is light therapy, which uses a light box to
simulate sunlight. Light boxes are available to buy or
hire and the minimum intensity of treatment is 2500 lux -
equivalent to a bright spring day or the light from 2500
candles. Around 85 per cent of people with SAD find
relief from their symptoms after two hours, but people with
mild symptoms in the autumn are advised to go out for a daily
walk and turn on the lights in their home.
The best cure of course in to go on a sunny island like Rhodes
and get the real thing. |
