Month: February 2021

The Health Benefits Of Natural Sunlight: Pt. II

Posted on by solarbright

In Part One, we discussed the nature of a solar exposure deficiency among modern urbanites, and its relation to mental health, specifically, in its ability to release endorphins and aid with mental alertness. But is that all that we gain with daily exposure to the sunlight you’re exposed to through your new solar tube or skylight?

Vitamin D

Absorbed through your skin (and diet), this vitamin is actually closer to a hormone. It is biologically inactive until it is processed by your liver and kidneys. Once activated, however, it plays a vital role in bone and dental health due to its ability to aid in the absorption of calcium, strengthening your skeletal structure and the enamel on your teeth. It plays a key role in several immune qualities, as well: as counter-intuitive as it may sound, exposure to sunlight boosts the same immune function which works against the expression of cancer cells. A recent study has also suggested the hormone reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.

 

Finally, the hormone itself has been repeatedly linked to higher levels of estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Levels of the latter have plummeted in the last fifty years or so, due to a variety of causes. Solar power could well be the answer to a weakening sex drive.

 

Considering these benefits, it is notable that recent studies have suggested that globally, fifty percent of adults are Vitamin D deficient. This has grown beyond mere vanity – it is becoming a public health issue. At Solar Bright , our solar tubes, dome skylights, and roof skylights can help you to attain healthy exposure, right in your own home. In Part III, we will discuss further the health benefits of healthy exposure.

The Health Benefits Of Natural Sunlight: Pt. III

Posted on by solarbright

A healthy balance of your body’s hormone levels is clearly vital to good health, and having evolved to absorb sunlight and process it, our modern lifestyle – one which results in a large amount of time being spent indoors – has disrupted this natural process. At Solar Bright, we are experts at increasing the levels of natural sunlight in to your home, through our solar tubes, dome skylights, and roof skylights. In Part III, we wrap up the series with a discussion on some of the detriments of indoor lighting, and the positive stress-relief measures provided by natural light.

We previously reviewed the chemical balance and health benefits involved in safe increases in sunlight exposure. They are profound, and this is even more noticeable when one considers the downside of modern fluorescent lights. While it is not noticeable to the naked eye, fluorescent tube lighting actually produces a strobe effect, a situation unsuitable to those suffering from epilepsy. It also results in eye fatigue in otherwise healthy individuals. Studies have shown the difference in productivity between those sitting in the glare of indoor lighting, compared to those in environments lit with natural light.

 

By contrast, solar exposure is calming. It has a meditative effect on people, who in the midst of their busy lives, often need a moment to relax. It has a calming effect on high blood pressure, acting almost immediately. Bringing solar power in to your home can have a calming impact on your day-to-day life, and can increase the output of your working pursuits.

 

Clearly, one must exercise restraint. As we have been taught throughout our lives, and have likely experienced on a careless day, too much direct sun exposure is not healthy, and comes with its own set of health risks. Temperance is key. However, natural sunlight does not deserve to be avoided, and an adequate amount of sunlight is a key element to a healthy lifestyle.