How Much Sun Each Day
July 1st, 2007Growing up in Australia I remember people often asking how much sun does your body need each day to remain healthy? In terms of how much sun is healthy for an individual depends on the age and the skin type of the person. We can all benefit in some form or another from the positive rays of energy the sun gives out but too much sun exposure may lead to other problems with the eyes and skin in later life.
Young growing children need to spend time outside playing each day as it helps with their physical and social development. How much sun children need each day comes down to a number of important factors. If the child is spending time in the early hours before 9am the sun is not at its strongest and therefore the powerful UV rays from the sun are not as potent on the skin as they are during the middle of the day. The same thing goes in the latter part of the afternoon, the sun at this time is much less harmful on the eyes and skin. During the middle of the day when it is hot and sunny it would be best to spend no more than about 15 minutes in direct sunlight and that goes for both fair skinned children and adults. Where the problem seems to lie with children’s sun exposure is in later life when sunburn damage to the skin as a child can turn into skin cancer as an adult, perhaps 20-30 years later. This information has come from numerous scientific studies which may or may not be conclusive.
How much sun each day for those with dark or olive skin also depends on what time of the day it is and where in the world the individual is located. In places like Africa, Australia and certain parts of Asia, the sun is very potent for many months of the year and therefore even those with darker skin can suffer from too much sun exposure which can lead to problems with the eyes, headaches and even skin cancer. Although it is mostly those with fair skin that need to protect their skin from harsh midday sunshine.
The human body needs a certain amount of vitamin D each day and the best way to get it is from the sun. The body actually converts sunlight into vitamin D which is essential to good health and especially important for growing children. You can read vitamin D and the sun for more information.
The important thing to remember when considering how much sun each day the body needs to stay healthy is that more is definitely not better. The body can absorb and use an incredible amount of vitamin C each day from supplements and food but this is certainly not the case with vitamin D. The body only needs around 10-15 minutes of direct sunshine on the skin each day to stay healthy. Although some people like to get a sun tan which does give a radiant and healthy look to the skin, too much sun can lead to wrinkles and numerous other skin conditions that will not improve your appearance and which those interested in vanity should at least consider before it is too late.
The UV rays from the sun are incredibly potent and because of this the skin can still get burnt on cloudy days. If you live in an area where the sun is very strong, use a high SPF sunscreen and use it habitually everyday, it could be the difference between having healthy vibrant skin when you are older or sun bleached and patchy skin in later life. It is healthy for everyone to take some sun each day but keep it to a minimum and you will stay looking healthy and younger for longer.
If you find this site helpful, please leave a donation for John
Other Related Posts:-