• Published by Salsabilatuzzahra Jaha S.Psi. from BehaviorPALS Center 

The sun is a material of energy which is very beneficial for human life. Its radiance of heat and light is beneficial in all aspects. One of them is the health aspect. Apparently, humans need heat and sunlight for their bodies. Unfortunately, many people ignore this. There are also some people who don't have time to spend themselves exposed to sunlight. Yet it is important for our bodies to get sunlight. Then what is the importance of sunlight for our bodies?

Sunlight for the human body

The sun is the largest source of vitamin D in the world. Vitamin D has an important role in regulating calcium metabolism and immunity. Not only that, the various important roles of vitamin D produced by the sun are as follows:

1. Body and Bone Immunity

Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism for maintenance of metabolic function and for bone health.

2. Help to Ease Labor

Deficiency of vitamin D in pregnant women can cause rickets or weakening of the bones which results in a flatter, smaller pelvis and smaller pelvic outlet. This makes it difficult for the mother to have a normal delivery. Lack of vitamin D also causes rickets in the baby in the womb. So vitamin D has an important role in the smooth delivery of mothers.

3. Reducing Cancer Risk

Vitamin D, which is produced from the sun, has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. In addition to reducing the risk of cancer, sun exposure has also been shown to reduce the risk of death in cancer sufferers. Several surveys and studies conducted have seen that people who are exposed to more sunlight are more likely to hinder breast cancer and colorectal cancer than people who are rarely exposed to the sun.

4. Maintain Heart Health

Deficiency of vitamin D from the sun can increase the risk of heart attack. A lack of vitamin D can also increase blood pressure (hypertension) in humans. Vitamin D deficiency can negatively affect the physiological processes of cardiovascular disease, so it is great for the heart.

5. Maintaining Mental Health

Besides being beneficial for physical health, sunlight is also beneficial for one's mental health. Vitamin D produced by sunlight can also reduce the risk of depression, Alzheimer's, epilepsy and other neurocognitive disorders. Even vitamin D can reduce the risk of schizophrenia. Vitamin D from sun exposure can increase the expression of calcium-binding proteins and can also increase serotonin levels in the brain where serotonin acts as a happy hormone.

Tips for Basking in the Sun

We can do sunbathing activities to get the benefits of sunlight. However, you need to pay attention while basking in the sun because of course, too long in the sun is also not good. Therefore, consider the following tips when you want to bask in the sun:

1. Sunbathing in the morning for a duration of 10 minutes.
2. Wear sunscreen that contains UVB filters
3. Keep exercising

By Salsabilatuzzahra Jaha S.Psi from the BehaviorPALS Center

Source :

Wacker, M., & Holick, M. F. (2013). Sunlight and Vitamin D: A global perspective for health. Dermato-endocrinology, 5(1), 51-108.

https://www.siloamhospitals.com/informasi-siloam/artikel/tips-berjemur-aman-untuk-dapatkan-vitamin-d-melimpah

Sunlight, Importance, Health

Children 4 Years - 6 Years / 4 Tahun - 6 Tahun / General Health / Kesehatan Umum / Health / Kesehatan / The Importance of Getting Sunlight!

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