Sunshine: keeping your skin healthy, radiant and protected!
Sunshine, the natural energy source that powers our planet, profoundly benefits human health and well-being. It helps to enhance our mood, and energise our cells, and its rays are integral to our biological process. In the UK we are all wondering if we will get much of a sunny summer as Mother Nature teases with some fleeting sunshine between the downpours and grey days!
Whether you are staying in the UK for summer or jetting off to warmer climates we need to respect the sun’s rays. When the sun is only out for a short time it may be more tempting to sit too long and bathe in the sun’s rays in between the cloudy days, risking unwanted sunburn. Whatever our summer plans we need to prepare and protect our skin whilst enjoying the sunshine and all the benefits it offers.
Sunshine – a vital nutrient.
Sitting in the sunshine is one of life’s simple pleasures, even sitting in the shade under a tree or parasol delivers many health benefits. Sun-therapy has been used for centuries for healing; Greek medicine named it heliotherapy where they would use sunlight to help treat their patients. Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, systemically practised the use of sunlight for healing skin diseases, mood disorders and much more.
Sunlight is vital for our well-being, the most documented is its ability to provide us with the important Vitamin D, which resembles a hormone that is vital for calcium metabolism, immunity, lowering inflammation, energy production and more. However, sunlight plays many roles in human health.
- Sunlight powers our mitochondria which are structures within our cells that produce energy. The various wavelengths of light, particularly the red and near-infrared (NIR) spectrum enhances mitochondrial function and therefore energy production (ATP). The best times of day to catch these specific light waves are morning and evening which is also the safest time to enjoy the sun’s rays.[i]
- Our suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, receives light signals from our environment through the eyes, helping us to sync up with our circadian rhythm – our internal clock. It is set to a 24-hour solar day, sending signals to the hypothalamus to inform us what time of day it is and to instruct the body to release the appropriate levels of hormones, neurotransmitters and other chemicals.
- Melanin is a pigment produced when melanocyte cells in the skin deter ultraviolet light via photosensitive receptors that trigger the production of melanin which gives us a ‘tan’. Melanin has also been shown to play roles in the immune system, energy production, protection against neurodegenerative diseases and more.[ii] [iii]
Whilst the sunlight offers us many health benefits we need to be respectful of the sun’s rays, taking just enough healthy exposure to help us ‘sync up’ for health, it is also important, especially during the summer months that we take good care of our skin.
Skin Matters
Our skin is the largest surface organ of the body that provides us with a protective barrier which has numerous functions including:
- Temperature control
- Preventing loss of moisture
- Acts as a sensory organ
- Protecting against pathogens and more
This vital organ often gets neglected and yet it helps shield us from many mechanical and chemical threats as well as pathogens, and sun radiation.
Looking after our skin matters, especially in the summer, we need a little sun exposure, especially at those safer times of day, then protect it using a toxin-free sun cream, and/or covering it with appropriate clothing if we remain out in the sun.
Summer skin essentials
Hydration is vital for health at any time of the year, but particularly when we are out in the sun, sweating, sleeping in air-conditioned rooms, chlorine in swimming pools and exposing more of our body to the elements – all contribute to dehydrated skin.
Eating our hydration is helpful (juicy fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers etc), as well as increasing our intake of mineral water as well as enjoying fresh coconut water that supports cellular hydration. Also consider the hydrating power of the plant Aloe Vera, along with its many nutrients and phytochemicals offers extra skin support.
Exfoliate using a skin brush daily before getting into the bath or shower will help to slough off the thousands of daily dead skin cells which can leave your skin feeling softer and smoother.
Essential fatty acids are needed to support skin suppleness and flexibility therefore contributing to skin hydration. Omega 3 fats, particularly from Antarctic Krill has been shown to help moisturise the skin and offer protection from UVB rays, helping to prevent water loss from the skin and slow the breakdown of collagen.[iv]
In the summer we have an array of colourful fruits and vegetables on offer that not only provide us with natural hydration as previously mentioned but also many phytonutrients that are needed for skin health. You can also consider taking a mixed blend antioxidant supplement to help offer extra protection from the sun’s UV radiation.
Normal healthy skin contains a high concentration of Vitamin C which stimulates collagen production to help protect against UV damage that can lead to the breakdown of skin elasticity. Taking extra Vitamin C during the summer can support this natural function whilst offering anti-oxidant protection.
Using a natural moisturiser each day will help to keep our skin soft and supple.
It’s ok to be shady
The good news is that we can still get the benefits of the sunlight even in the shade. Sitting with a book or chilling in a shady area still offers us many benefits, especially to help us sync our body clock and help us produce appropriate levels of hormones and chemical messengers.
However, we do need this natural light to be received by the eye to feedback to the brain, so taking off the sunglasses will allow this to happen naturally. When we wear them all day, we are missing this vital communication. Sunglasses protect our eyes from the damaging effects of the sun and those with specific eye conditions will need to wear them. However, where we have healthy eyes, a little natural light exposure early in the day will help us align our light environment with our circadian rhythm.
Sunlight is a powerful ally for our health and well-being when used safely, it’s also a good time of year to enhance our Vitamin D levels in preparation for the Autumn and winter months.
Enjoy the summer!
References
[i] https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/iub.359
[ii] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1228530/full?fbclid=IwAR3EcFWXPz0-DkFNcD-FOJBNOOuExEluNiWtWXBTus_Cs7lF_ZMBT7U2NMY_aem_AfK9HbNmVBR19rOaqLLpIFwYC_7LWFPQJK0nR2JiivrS4iLaresJKlvVGmnkgeyb8hE
[iii] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103132245.htm
[iv] Kim J, Lee N, Chun YS, Lee SH, Ku SK. Krill Oil’s Protective Benefits against Ultraviolet B-Induced Skin Photoaging in Hairless Mice and In Vitro Experiments. Mar Drugs. 2023 Aug 30;21(9):479. doi: 10.3390/md21090479. PMID: 37755092; PMCID: PMC10533088.
