Sunlight May Fight Depression Year Round
By Tom Herrin
If you are anything like a lot of people, spending time with little or no sunlight can get the best of you. Going for long periods of time without seeing blue skies can do me in fast. At one time, I thought it was my imagination until I did some research. I found that it was a fairly common problem with some suffering quite a bit because of it. The fix is really simple, get more sunlight. Those who tend to get depressed when they fail to have enough sunlight can benefit directly from opening a few windows.
The Sun Can Energize
When sunlight strikes our eyes, it can make a path to the brain. This can tell the brain to start the metabolism going. This light, effectively, turns into energy. It helps our body to move and work. At the same time, sunlight can halt production of melatonin which helps us sleep. This two part action from the sun can work together well.
The Sun Can Jump-Start the Immune System
There has been a lot of talk about the immune system in the past year. When ours is working well, we are able to fight off many of the illnesses we run across every day and don't even notice. When there are major diseases out around us, our body may not be able to recognize them. Boosting our immune system is critical. Sunlight contains a lot of Vitamin D. This is a vitamin that helps to strengthen bones and fight inflammation. It also seems to help combat several kinds of cancers such as those of the lungs, colon, and pancreas among others. Sunlight is known to activate T cells that have their own job of identifying and fighting some diseases.
Taking in More Sunlight Is Simple
Sunlight is free. It is all over the place. All we have to do is open a window and let it flow in. If we are a little more ambitious, we can go outside and take a walk for just a few minutes each day. It will always make us feel well by the nature of serving to help eliminate depression. According to one study of women, those who got the least amount over a 20-year period did not live as long as those who got more. We still should be aware of using sunscreen, but it seems that sunlight all year round is a winner.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Oceanside, Calif.