When it comes to your daily sun intake, it can seem like there are far too many rules. In fact, many of them tend to contradict each other. While it can seem encouraged to bask in the sun for our emotional health and an immune system boost, it’s also discouraged to ingest any prolonged sun exposure without being bathed in sunscreen.

While melanin offers natural protection against sunburn and some skin cancers, it’s not a complete shield. The sun can also worsen hyperpigmentation and accelerate aging. In that same vein, our skin uses sunlight to produce vitamin D, which is crucial for our well-being. Sunlight can also boost serotonin production, the hormone linked to mood regulation and our sense of contentment. Here’s a closer look at how the sun both helps and hurts us, and how to live in the perfect balance.

The Sun vs Our Health

Is the sun our friend or our foe? Let’s dive a little deeper into both sides of the coin and decide how much sun is too much sun. 

The Health Benefits of Sun Exposure

  • Boosts Vitamin D Production: The sun’s UVB rays enable the skin to produce vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health, immune function, mood regulation, and overall vitality. Just 10 to 30 minutes of midday sun exposure a few times per week is often enough to maintain healthy levels.
  • Enhances Mood and Mental Health: Want a dose of feel-good energy? The sunlight helps your brain release serotonin, a hormone responsible for improved mood, focus, and calmness. This is why spending time outdoors often reduces symptoms of seasonal depression.
  • Supports Sleep Quality: If you’re having trouble maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, morning sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm by suppressing melatonin during the day and encouraging its production at night. This will lead to deeper, more restful sleep.
  • Promotes Healthy Skin: If your sun exposure is limited, it can actually help with certain skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne, thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects and role in skin cell turnover.

The Disadvantages of Excessive Sun Exposure

  • Increases Risk of Skin Cancer: Even with an excess of melanin, overexposure to UV radiation can damage DNA in skin cells, increasing the risk of melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. This is the main reason dermatologists stress sunscreen use.
  • Accelerates Skin Aging: UV rays break down collagen and elastin, leading to the premature wrinkles, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation known as photoaging. Prolonged exposure without protection can also lead to peeling and inflammation, impacting the skin barrier and long-term health.
  • Eye Damage: Though it’s often not as commonly mentioned, UV rays can actually harm the eyes over time, contributing to cataracts and other vision issues if protection like sunglasses aren’t used.

Striking The Balance

So how much sun is too much sun? It’s undeniable that daily sunlight intake is a powerful natural healer, but what’s important is that the sun is dosed mindfully. 

One should aim for early morning or late afternoon exposure, as this is when UV rays are gentler and less permanently damaging. Timing-wise, you’ll reap the most mental and physical benefits without going overboard by spending 15 to 20 minutes outdoors daily in this kind of sun. Making sure to protect your skin with broad-spectrum SPF 30+, even on cloudy days, your body and brain will thank you for all the wellness.

An Expert Weighs In

So how about the sun’s impact on our skin? Is that summer, sun-kissed look at the expense of our wellbeing? “The sun plays a powerful role in our overall vitality,” Holistic Esthetician and Skincare Specialist Kassandra Alejo. “It helps regulate our circadian rhythm, mood, and energy. But our skin remembers every bit of sun it receives. Over time too much unprotected exposure can weaken the skin’s barrier and speed up collagen loss, making the skin more prone to dryness, fine lines, and uneven pigment.”

Kassandra Alejo emphasizes that we may not even be aware of them the sun is doing its damage.

“The sun communicates with our skin in different ways. UVB (burning) rays are what cause visible sunburn, while UVA (aging) rays penetrate deeper and quietly break down collagen which leads to fine lines, loss of firmness, and uneven tone over time,” Alejo explained. “We can feel UVB, but UVA is the one we don’t feel at all, and it’s present even on cloudy days.

For that reason, the esthetician tells her clients to apply SPF even if they’re working from home with open windows,

“It’s a way of protecting the skin’s integrity and preserving the glow and vitality we work so hard to nurture.”