10 benefits of feeling the sun on your skin!

What’s the average number of hours a day you’ve seen of the sun lately?
Struggling with the seemingly never-ending winter where you are?
How much better would you feel if you stopped dreaming of the summer (seems a long way away, right?) and spent a little time in the sunshine instead?

Here’s a little reminder of what the sun can do for your body and mind, and it’s shining here right now – so shrug off the winter blues and come join us!

  1. Brightens your day and your mood! Sunshine causes the release of endorphins such as serotonin; proven to improve mood and energy, and increase feelings of calm and focus, boost our mood and decreases the effects of stress.
  2. Up your energy - sunshine prevents the over-production of that naughty sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, which is produced by your body as soon as it’s dark… want to feel awake, lively and energised? Is it time to shake off the sleepyhead dozy feeling? You need sunshine!
  3. Sleep better. A little bit of sun is all you need to regulate your circadian rhythms, by balancing serotonin and melatonin production, it improves quality of sleep, eases symptoms of depression, and aids concentration. Not that you’ll need to concentrate on much if you stay with us, but how much will it help when you get back to work? (Work? shhh! Sorry, we won’t say it again…)
  4. It’s a Vitamin D Party! When the sun caresses your skin, it causes production of vitamin D, well-known for promoting healthy bones and teeth, but Vitamin D also does so much more:
    • improves functioning of the brain, which can improve memory and protect against brain-aging/dementia.
    • supports; anti-cancer cells (T-cells), the immune system, excess fat loss
    • and is one of the treatments for decreasing asthma symptoms.
    As if that’s not enough already, Vitamin D has been linked to eye health too.
  5. Sun-kissed (not burnt) Skin is Happy Skin: by causing the production of nitric oxide, the sun helps protect your skin against UV damage and promotes healing (apparently German soldiers used the sunlight to disinfect and heal wounds). It can also be beneficial for skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, acne and fungal infections.
  6. Pain relief (possibly not including hangovers, though a snooze in the hammock could help ease that too): research studies have found links between sunlight and the relief of pain, especially from rheumatoid arthritis and joint problems.
  7. Better blood, better body: sunlight lowers cholesterol, by converting high cholesterol in the blood into hormones. There’s also believed to be a link between sun exposure and an increase in metabolism; it makes sense that if you’re having a cold winter your metabolism slows down to store fat and keep you warm, makes better sense to be where the sun shines then, doesn’t it?
  8. The studies say it’s true - Cancer Prevention
    We’re well aware of the dangers of excess sun exposure, but did you know that a moderate amount of sunlight can help prevent some types of cancer? According to studies, the more sun there is during the day, the less likely it is that you’ll have a number of cancers. Seems believable if you consider all the links with the additional benefits below…
  9. Immune system boosting sunshine: the white blood cells in our bodies, which defend against and fight infections, increase after moderate sun exposure and prepare to battle for your body!
  10. Sunlight can treat the blood and blood vessels; it’s been shown that the health of people with hardened arteries improves with sun exposure, and with nitric oxide being released as soon as sunlight touches the skin, it can lower blood pressure too. Add the increased oxygen content in blood from the sunlight, and your blood, tissues, muscles and organs are all good to go!


That’s the science lesson finished for today.
We found all this information from a bit of research but obviously we’re not doctors, so don’t cancel the medical professionals and self-sun-treat just yet!

Also, the risks of over-exposure to the sun are very real, so we remind our guests that:

  • Exposure to the sun should be done SLOWLY! If you’re not used to the sun your skin will be more sensitive. Avoid sunburn by building up your tolerance step by step.
  • Wear sun protection/sun hat, stay out of the sun during its strongest hours, and stay hydrated.

 

Lastly, it’s possible to fool your body into thinking it saw the sun with the use of lightboxes and other gadgets, but there’s nothing like a few days of real sunshine, fresh salty air and the wind in your hair, a hammock on a sunny terrace or a wind-sheltered beach cove where you can feel the sand on your feet and watch the sea.

So, come watch the sea with us and get a little bit of sunshine on your skin, we look forward to seeing you!

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