If you want healthier bones, get some sun.

This is the 5339th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Sunshine and the beach are the first choice for many people to go on vacation and relax, and many doctors will also let their patients get some sun. What are the benefits of sunbathing? It actually has a profound positive impact on our physical health. From promoting the synthesis of vitamin D and helping bone health, to improving mood and relieving stress, to strengthening the immune system and preventing diseases, the benefits of sunshine are multifaceted. Now let's talk about the benefits of sunbathing.

Sunbathing has a significant positive impact on the health of children, young people and the elderly

01

For infants and young children

1. Promote calcium absorption

Ultraviolet rays in sunlight help the skin synthesize vitamin D, which in turn promotes the absorption and utilization of calcium, and plays a vital role in the development and growth of bones. Moderate sunlight exposure can effectively promote children's absorption of calcium in food, thereby promoting healthy bone growth.

2. Enhance immunity

Moderate sunlight exposure can activate immune cells, enhance the body's resistance and reduce the risk of disease. Through sunbathing, children's immune systems are exercised and can more effectively resist the invasion of external bacteria and viruses.

3. Improve sleep quality

Sunlight helps regulate the biological clock, making it easier for young children to fall asleep at night and improving sleep quality. The regulating effect of natural light helps children form a regular schedule.

4. Prevent myopia

Sunlight can stimulate the retina to secrete dopamine, inhibit the growth of the eye axis, and reduce the probability of myopia. Regularly letting young children play outdoors and get exposed to sunlight can effectively prevent or slow the development of myopia.

02

For Youth

1. Improve your physical fitness

Long-term exposure to sunlight can enhance the body's resistance to viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, and improve the vitality of phagocytes. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight have a bactericidal effect, which helps to improve the body's resistance of young people.

2. Promote metabolism

The infrared rays in the sun can penetrate into the subcutaneous tissue, warming it up, promoting blood vessel dilation, accelerating blood circulation, and speeding up metabolism, which helps young people maintain good physical condition and vitality.

3. Relieve stress

Sunlight can relieve tension in the body and improve the discomfort caused by depression and excessive stress. Sunlight promotes the body's production of vitamin D, which helps to improve mood and reduce stress.

03

For Seniors

1. Maintain bone health

The ultraviolet rays in the sun help the skin synthesize vitamin D, promote calcium absorption, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The elderly can effectively prevent osteoporosis and keep their bones strong through proper sun exposure.

2. Improve your mood

Sunlight stimulates the brain to release serotonin, a hormone that can elevate mood, enhance concentration and calm emotions, helping to prevent depression. Elderly people who spend time in the sun can effectively improve their mood and reduce depression.

3. Regulate your biological clock

Moderate sunlight exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality, which is especially important for older people who often have problems with insomnia or daytime sleepiness. Regular sunlight exposure helps older people maintain good sleep patterns.

4. Enhance immune function

Moderate sun exposure can improve the immune system and help fight infection and some chronic diseases. The elderly can enhance their immunity and reduce the occurrence of diseases through moderate sun exposure.

5. Maintain cardiovascular health

Sunlight helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Regular sun exposure has a positive impact on cardiovascular health in older adults, helping to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.

04

Sun exposure has significant benefits for a variety of groups

Here are some groups that particularly benefit and why:

1. Pregnant women

Pregnant women need more calcium and vitamin D during pregnancy to support the fetus's bone development. Sunbathing can help pregnant women synthesize vitamin D, promote calcium absorption, and contribute to the health of mother and baby.

2. Patients with joint pain

The warming effect of sunbathing can promote local blood circulation and reduce inflammation around joints, thereby relieving joint pain and stiffness. For people with joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, sunbathing is an effective auxiliary treatment.

3. People with weak immunity

Sunbathing can activate immune cells, such as T lymphocytes, thereby enhancing the body's immunity. For people with weak immunity and prone to colds or infections, proper sunbathing can help improve the body's resistance.

In summary, moderate sun exposure has many benefits for many groups of people. The exposure time needs to be controlled to avoid sunburn, and long-term exposure can cause skin cancer. The duration and method of sun exposure depends on the season. Usually, in winter, spring and autumn, only the head and face need to be exposed to the sun for 10 to 30 minutes. In summer, shorts and short sleeves can be worn to expose the head, face and limbs to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes. 2 to 3 times a week can meet the vitamin D reserve. At the same time, pay attention to applying an appropriate amount of sunscreen to sensitive skin parts such as the face and forearms. Wear sunglasses to prevent eye damage when the sun is strong.

It should be noted that it is best to sunbathe outdoors, and it is not recommended to sunbathe through glass, because glass will block ultraviolet rays, making it impossible for the skin to synthesize vitamin D. In addition, people who are allergic to ultraviolet rays should avoid sunbathing to prevent skin allergies.

Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University

Author: Chen Nong

Instructor: Dong Jian

The Science Popularization Project of the Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission is 23DZ2300500 and 24DZ2305800, and the Shanghai Health Science Popularization Talent Capacity Improvement Project (Leading Talent) is KKPYL-2023-B04.