The aggressive heat that comes with the summer season always surprises me every year. It shouldn’t, considering I have lived in Houston, Texas my entire life. The heat index has already climbed up to 111 degrees here, and it is only June! Even in Atlanta, where SHIM Headquarters is located, the temperature continues to rise. It can often be difficult to deal with the overwhelming heat in the South. However, with the heat also comes sunshine, which carries many physical and mental health benefits. 

Benefits of Sunshine on Mental Health

Vitamin D Exposure

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Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is most often obtained by sunshine. Vitamin D plays a vital role in many bodily functions, but it is also important in maintaining your mental health. According to Robin Foroutan of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, low levels of vitamin D can be linked with “depression, as well as mood disorders and faster cognitive decline.” While it is not a cure, improving your vitamin D levels can help with many mental illnesses and overall feelings of well-being. 

Boost in Serotonin 

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Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that carries signals between neurons throughout your body. It is an important chemical that regulates things such as memory, sleep, and mood regulation. The amount of sunshine that you get can have huge impacts on your serotonin levels, according to BSN Rachel Nall. Sunshine triggers “cues” in your retinas that tell your brain to release serotonin. When you don’t have enough access to sunlight, you run the risk of not having enough serotonin. Low levels of serotonin can be linked to major depression, anxiety, and panic disorders, and even prenatal depression. Getting outside under the sun for a few minutes each day is a great way to increase your serotonin levels.   

Improved Quality of Sleep

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The quality of sleep we get each night has enormous impacts on our mental health, according to Harvard Medical School. Additionally, the amount of sunlight we get each day can affect our quality of sleep. Just as exposure to sunshine boosts your levels of serotonin, it also boosts your levels of melatonin. Like serotonin, melatonin is a chemical that your brain makes to help regulate bodily functions, specifically sleep. 50-80% of psychiatric patients suffer from poor quality of sleep. When you increase your serotonin levels, you also increase your melatonin levels. As stated above, a great way to up these levels is to get out in the sunshine. 

Other Health Benefits of Sunshine

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Sunshine has many other positive impacts on your health besides just mental health. According to the Tri-City Medical Center, in addition to mental health benefits, the physical health benefits are: 

• Stronger Bones
• Lower Blood Pressure 
• Reduced Inflammation 

Much of the benefits from sunshine comes from exposure to Vitamin D. Vitamin D has been proven to improve bone strength. Low vitamin D has been linked to osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases. Vitamin D is also shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Also, sunlight releases nitric oxide in your blood. This brings down your blood pressure and improves overall heart health. 

It is important to note that too much sunshine can also be damaging. Experts estimate that spending 10-20 minutes in the sunshine will improve your health without causing any long-lasting damage to your skin and eyes. 

Conclusion 

During the summer, a great way to improve your overall mental and physical health is to spend some time out in the sunshine. Exposure to sunlight has been proven to increase the serotonin, melatonin, and vitamin D levels in your body. All of these things have strong links to regulating your mood and your sleep, which positively impacts your mental health. Sunshine also has many positive impacts on your physical health, like lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and strengthening your bones. It is important to remember, however, that too much sun can have some adverse effects on your health. 

There is so much darkness enveloping the world right now. It can be difficult to navigate the social climate while also taking care of yourself. Spending time out in the sun is an easy and natural way to care for yourself. My motto has always been that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Caring for yourself is the best way to make sure that you can care for others. 

Written by Bethany Fischer, blogger from Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles/ 

Featured Image: Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash