Contents
Our body needs sunlight and warmth – we literally feel it with our skin. However, warnings against solar radiation are becoming more categorical year by year. What is the real benefit of the sun and how to get it without harming yourself?
The human body was created for life on this planet, throughout the evolution of the sun was above our heads – since when did it suddenly become our enemy? “First of all, this is due to the increase in life expectancy,” explains Stephan Ruppert, MD, head of the Nivea laboratory for the development of sun protection. “And over the past three hundred years, it has more than doubled. In those days when life expectancy was 30–40 years, the human body simply did not have time to accumulate a life-threatening number of mutations (one of the reasons for which is solar radiation). Therefore, such effects of ultraviolet radiation as skin cancer were simply not known to science until the XNUMXth century. The way of life has also changed significantly: such phenomena as migration, long-distance travel have become commonplace. “Modern people often do not live in places that correspond to their genotype, their evolutionary fitness,” says Stefan Ruppert. A striking example: the aborigines of Australia do not have a single case of skin cancer, while among the white population of this continent it has the highest rates in the world.
As far back as the early 80s, scientists discovered a link between ozone depletion and solar radiation levels, and it has only been in the last fifteen years that more attention has been paid to the long-term risks associated with the sun. But despite this, the sun remains an invaluable ally in promoting our health – provided it is used correctly.
Full spectrum lamp
This invention is for those who do not have enough sun: the radiation distribution curve in such lamps (for example, Osram Biolux) is as close as possible to natural sunlight, as is the color rendering index. They can be purchased in regular stores that sell household goods, or through the Internet.
Cell renewal
“We age from both too much sun and too little,” says Lionel de Benetti, head of research programs at Clarins Laboratories. Indeed, solar energy stimulates skin renewal processes, accelerating the synthesis of collagen and elastin fibers. Infrared radiation also plays an important role: the skin perceives it earlier than ultraviolet, and begins to activate the natural mechanisms of protection against solar radiation. Every morning, infrared rays reach the Earth’s surface first, and then ultraviolet rays – the former play the role of a signal for living organisms, and they are well prepared to meet the latter.
Synthesis of important substances
It is well known that ultraviolet radiation contributes to the production of vitamin D. It is synthesized under the influence of sunlight, which is why it is produced exclusively in the skin – the external organ that receives the maximum amount of light. “This vitamin is extremely important because calcium absorption depends on it,” explains Stefan Ruppert. “It strengthens our bones, but that’s not all, this vitamin is also important for the immune system, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and has a positive effect on mood.” In order for the skin to synthesize the optimal amount of vitamin D, in the summer it is enough for us to be in the sun for fifteen minutes a day. In winter, vitamin D can be taken in gelatin capsules.
The rhythm of life
Metabolism, body temperature, blood pressure, hormones – all these phenomena are associated with the cycle of day and night. The level of our energy rises and falls, being in close dependence on the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. Some people are especially sensitive to these changes. They feel tired and even depressed in winter, but are in great shape in spring and summer. The reason is simple: light affects the synthesis in the body of certain chemicals that affect the nervous system and our behavior. “Sunlight affects most of the vital instincts, such as hunger and sexual appetite, and even the desire to explore everything new and unknown,” explains geneticist Svetlana Borinskaya.
Good mood
Sunlight reduces stress levels in both adults and children. Presumably, this effect is also associated with the important role of vitamin D: it promotes the absorption of magnesium, the lack of which (typical for residents of Western countries) leads to a deterioration in the functioning of the nervous system and physical condition, insomnia and increased anxiety. Many people who complain of fatigue, lack of energy or nervousness, without suspecting it, suffer from a lack of sun.
Light and shade
The ability of ultraviolet to penetrate the skin and harm it depends on the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays, which changes during the day.>p>When the sun is at its zenith, the radiation penetrates through the layers of the atmosphere with little or no scattering – then the dangerous effect of ultraviolet is most pronounced. Doctors recommend avoiding the sun between 11 a.m. and 16 p.m., but it’s even easier to determine the best time to tan by looking at the length of your own shadow. If the shadow is twice as long as our height, the damage from the sun is minimal. And when the shadow becomes shorter than our height, it’s time to leave the beach. No sunscreen will save you one hundred percent from radiation, especially during those hours when the sun is high and especially dangerous UVA rays have the best penetrating ability. Ultraviolet is reflected from the ground, asphalt and the surface of the water, so near the reservoir and the pool, the tan “sticks” faster. In addition, the rays are scattered in the air, that is, you can successfully sunbathe under an umbrella or a canopy.