Life Balance: Soak up the Sun, Boost Your Mood
Life Balance: Soak Up the Sun, Boost Your Mood
The summer season is here! This means long days, cold drinks, campfires, and tan lines. If you have been inside all winter, now is the time to get outside, and enjoy the sunshine! Do you like to garden or go swimming? Do you like visiting your neighbourhood park or going to your local farmers market? Whatever you like doing, it’s important to get outside and soak up the sun. With all the news about sun safety and skin cancer, we can easily forget the good benefits of sunlight, but there are lots.
Did you know that getting anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes of sunlight on your arms, hands, and face 2-3 times a week is enough to enjoy the vitamins D-boosting benefits of the sun? Vitamin D is a vitamin that helps develop strong bones, teeth, and can even improve your resistance against certain diseases. If you’re feeling down, try spending some time outside. Exposure to sunlight can also boost your mood and help you feel calm and focused.
Finding the time to spend outside doesn’t have to be difficult. Try incorporating “outside time”
in your daily routine by doing things like:
- Eating your lunch outside
- Parking further away from a store so you can walk
- Going for a walk after work twice a week
- Having a picnic for dinner instead of staying indoors
Just remember that if you’re going to be outside for more than 15 minutes, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
Have a great summer!
