American culture has gone through certain dramatic swings in our preference for sun exposure, from the obsession with lily-white skin in the 1800s to a tanning culture in the 1960s to a real awareness today of the dangers of getting too much UV light exposure. So should you get outside and let the sun see you, or not? We think the answer is a resounding yes, though we would advocate wearing your sunscreen. Here are some of the ways that our boot camp workout will boost your well-being by giving you some sun exposure.
Sunlight Gives You Vitamin D
Skin can’t conduct photosynthesis (wouldn’t that be cool?), but it can produce vitamin D just from being exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is present in very few foods and has many beneficial effects on our bodies. In particular, it promotes your ability to absorb calcium and build healthy bones. Vitamin D deficiency not only contributes to weak, soft, or brittle bones, it also comes with other health risks, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, asthma, and cancer. Vitamin D fights disease, boosts weight loss, and reduces depression, making it a robust nutrient that you simply can’t do without.
Sunlight Boosts Your Alertness
Just like darkness triggers your body to release the hormone melatonin, which puts you to sleep, bright sunshine causes your body to release the hormone serotonin, which helps you to be alert, calm, and focused.
Sunlight Improves Your Mood
Bright sunlight has both a psychological and a physiological effect on your body. While sunlight striking your skin promotes Vitamin D production, sunlight striking your eye promotes your body to improve your mood. It’s strange but true that bright light can induce positive effects on your state of mind and mental health. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition that happens to people who don’t see enough bright, full-spectrum light, particularly in the winter when the days tend to be shorter and cloudier and people tend to stay indoors more.
The same hormone, serotonin, which we mentioned in the previous section, also acts as a natural antidepressant in the brain, boosting your mood and improving your emotional outlook. Add to that the beneficial, mood-boosting effects of the exercise itself, and you’ve got a double whammy when you do a boot camp workout outside.
Sunlight Is Good For Certain Skin Conditions
Don’t think that exposure to sunshine is pure skin cancer waiting to happen. While you certainly want to limit your sun exposure, avoid sunburns, and wear sunscreen while you’re outside, the sun actually has beneficial effects on your skin when you get a balanced amount of it. If you’re suffering from skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, jaundice, or acne, sun exposure can do you a lot of good.
Boot Camp San Francisco Happens in the Early Morning
Before the sun is too high, you’ll get all the benefits of sun exposure without suffering and suffocating under the blazing hot sun while you work out. Join us for an early morning workout and benefit your body. Sign up today!