When is the right time to improve your vitamin D levels with sunlight intake?

Vitamin D is among the most important nutrients your body needs, but it is never enough. According to experts, more than 40 percent of people worldwide suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which leads to various serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, fatigue, anemia, and even mental health problems. Therefore, you should know when and how much you can supplement it through natural sources such as sunlight.

Why is the sun your best source of vitamin D?

Vitamin D, made from cholesterol in the skin when exposed to the sun, is also known as the sunshine vitamin. Experts say that when the skin receives the sun’s rays, vitamin D is produced from cholesterol. The sun’s ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur.

It then helps intestinal cells absorb calcium and phosphorus, two essential minerals for maintaining strong, healthy bones. However, experts say that even too much sunlight can be harmful to your health.

When is the best time to get sunlight and get plenty of vitamin D?

According to experts, midday, especially in summer, is the best time to receive sunlight. Doctors say around noon (the sun is at its highest), but UV rays are also the most powerful. And therefore, you need less time in the sun to produce enough vitamin D.

In addition to getting nutrients around midday more efficiently, it is also safer than sunbathing later in the day, as sun exposure at that time can significantly increase the risk of dangerous and deadly skin cancers.

Therefore, sit directly in the sun, facing your back, and wear a tank top for at least 20 to 30 minutes three times a week during summer and 5 to 6 times during winter, especially for those with lighter skin. . Doctors say if you have darker skin, you may need a little more time.

However, be sure not to burn yourself if you stay in the sun for too long. Instead, try not to use sunscreen for just the first 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight, and apply sunscreen before you start burning. Additionally, it is perfectly fine to wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your face and eyes while exposing other parts of your body. Since the head is a small part of the body, it will only produce a small amount of vitamin D.

Dangers of too much sunlight

Staying in the sun for more than 30 minutes can lead to the following dangers:

sunburn

Sunburn occurs when you have redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, and blisters on your skin due to excessive sun exposure.

eye damage

Sitting in the sun for longer periods of time exposes you to deadly ultraviolet rays that damage the retina, increasing the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts.

Heatstroke

Too much sun exposure causes heatstroke, a condition in which the body’s core temperature can increase due to excess heat.