“Balance is key.” Such a small, simple phrase applies to many aspects of life. Finding your balance in a world of overindulging isn’t always easy.
You aren’t supposed to eat sugar all the time, just some of the time. You aren’t supposed to work out too many days a week, just most. Warnings about too much of one thing and too little of another often contradict, making it even harder to find your balance. How much is too much, and how little is too little?
Finding balance is the key for your exposure to sunshine.
Just in case there weren’t enough things to try to balance in your life, here’s one more. Even though we are told to stay away from harsh sunlight and to use sunscreen at all times, research is showing the benefits of sunlight and UV ray exposure and the risks that occur with sunlight and UV ray avoidance.
According to an Environmental Health Perspectives article, “A growing number of scientists are concerned that efforts to protect the public from excessive UVR exposure may be eclipsing recent research demonstrating the diverse health-promoting benefits of UVR exposure.”
Because many messages about sunlight exposure focus on the risks of skin cancer, the benefits of sunlight exposure are often overshadowed. The best-known benefit of sunlight is its ability to boost the vitamin D supply in the body. Sufficient vitamin D levels promote proper bone formation and overall bone health. Insufficient vitamin D levels contribute to many major illnesses.
Exposure to sunlight can also improve melatonin and serotonin production, aid in preventing autoimmune diseases, and increase endorphins.
Scientists are unsure of how to highlight the pros and cons of sun and UVR exposure. (Even they have trouble with balance.) To find balance when it comes to sun exposure so that you benefit from the positives of sunlight without putting yourself at risk, talk to your doctor about your vitamin D levels and your natural skin pigmentation to see what is best for you.