As the weather continues to warm up, getting out into the sun can be beneficial for your physical and mental health. Sunlight can have numerous benefits that can make you a healthier person that has the motivation and energy to complete daily tasks. Sunlight helps us to get Vitamin D which the body needs to help regulate blood pressure, depression hormones, and your immune system. Getting enough Vitamin D can be hard during the winter season, so getting Vitamin D from other sources can help you feel normal. Below are more benefits that can come from seeking more sunlight and boosting your serotonin and Vitamin D.
1- Limit Stress
One of the biggest benefits of sunlight is a boost of melatonin which lowers stress reactivity. Being outside helps your body to more naturally produce melatonin and reduces your stress level. If you are overly stressed and want something to help clear your head and limit your body’s reaction to stress, try walking or exercising outside to increase hormone production.
2- Fight Depression Symptoms
Vitamin D can help curb depression symptoms and boost your mental health. Finding sunlight can be hard to find during the winter, but any extra sunlight you can get will help bring you farther out of the depth of depression. Sunshine also boosts serotonin which can help you stay calm. Serotonin also helps people feel happier and more at peace with their situation.
Getting just an hour of sunlight can help serotonin and Vitamin D which you desperately need when your mental health is at a low point.
3- Help Extend Your Life
The idea of dying young is not appealing to think about, so extending your life to see how life plays out is something that adults should strive for. Extending your life can be helped by getting enough sunlight. A study has shown that those in Sweden who spent more time in the sun lived up to two years longer than those with less sun exposure. While research still needs to continue, it can’t do much harm to get more sunlight, even if the life extension is not completely true.
4- Improve Metabolism And Immune Function
While your metabolism and immune system have to deal with your physical health, having a healthy body can improve your mental well-being. Sunlight has multiple benefits because it helps you to be physically and mentally well. Metabolism and immune systems help us to process foods, fight off illness, and improve our absorption of vitamins.
Studies have also shown that sunlight can lower the risk of high blood pressure, excess body fat, and high blood pressure. Exercising and daily life are much easier when you feel healthy and energized.
5- Increased Energy
Having more energy as an adult can be hard, but proper diet, exercise, and enough sunlight can help boost your energy levels. After working all day or chasing kids, you may feel like taking a long nap, but getting out in the sunlight and moving your body will actually make you feel more motivated. Being out in the daylight signals to your brain that you need to be awake and alert which will make you more lively during the remainder of the day.
As the weather starts to warm, take advantage of any small moment of sunlight you can get. It can help you feel better about upcoming challenges and help you feel healthier. Winter can be long and difficult, but the sunlight will be more prevalent in the coming weeks.
Ogden Psychological Services
Working with our trained counselors and therapists can help you stay on top of your mental health. Our team understands that trying something new or working through past trauma isn’t easy, but we work hard to make you feel as comfortable and safe in our office as possible.
We treat a wide range of mental health diagnoses and behavioral issues including, Autism, ADHD, Depression, Trauma, PTSD, and more. Ogden Psychological Services also offers Neurofeedback, which can help the brain become more organized without the need for strong medications. This helps you avoid unwanted side effects while helping the brain waves become more regulated. Contact our office to schedule your first appointment today.
