VITAMIN
D
WHY
DOES THE SUN MAKE YOU FEEL REJUVINATED, COMFORTABLE, AND RELAXED?
WELL IT IS BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS
WAVELENGTHS OF THE SUN THAT PRODUCE NUMEROUS BENEFITS TO THE HUMAN MIND AND
BODY. THE SUN CREATES SEVERAL TYPES OF RADIATION: VISIBLE LIGHT RAYS, INFRARED
RADIATION, ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, X-RAYS, GAMMA RAYS, COSMIC RAYS, AND MICROWAVES. OUR
ATMOSPHERE BLOCKS OUT A CHUNK OF THE MOST DANGEROUS RADIATION, BUT IT ALLOWS
THE SUN’S VISIBLE, ULTRAVIOLET, AND INFRARED RADIATION TO BREAK THROUGH AND COLLIDE
WITH OUR BODIES.
THE FIRST TYPE OF RADIATION IS INFRARED
RADIATION. INFRARED RADIATION CONTACTS
THE NERVES WHICH THEN TARGETS THE MUSCLE CELLS TELLING THEM TO RELAX. THIS
ALLOWS FOR MORE COMPLETE MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS, PRODUCING BETTER MUSCLE RESPONSE
AND POWER. ANOTHER IMPORTANT AFFECT THAT INFRARED RADIATION HAS ON THE BODY IS
THAT IT DILATES BLOOD VESSELS ALLOWING FOR MORE BLOOD, OXYGEN, AND GLUCOSE TO
REACH THE MUSCLES.
INFRARED RADIATION ISN’T THE ONLY TYPE
OF RADIATION THAT ENHANCES MUSCLE ACTIVITY. ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION PROVIDES THE
MOST OBVIOUS BENEFIT OF SUNSHINE THAT IS THE PRODUCTION OF VITAMIN D. THE
VITAMIN D (25-ODH) IT PRODUCES HAS BEEN
SHOWN TO DIRECTLY INCREASE MUSCLE AND POSTURE STRENGTH AS WELL AS MUSCLE
FUNCTION.
NEXT, THE SUN AND ITS ULTRAVIOLET
RADIATION HAS ALSO BEEN SHOWN TO STIMULATE THE BODY’S NIGHTTIME PRODUCTION OF
MELATONIN. MELATONIN PRODUCTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT
RECEIVED ON THE SKIN AND ABSORBED IN THE EYES DURING THE DAYTIME, ESPECIALLY IN
THE EARLIER PART OF THE DAY. THE BODY REQUIRES MELATONIN BECAUSE IT SLOWS DOWN
THE RATE OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION AS WELL AS DILATES BLOOD VESSELS WHILE SLEEPING;
THIS ALLOWS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO CLEAN UP MUSCLE TISSUE FROM ANY BYPRODUCTS/HARMFUL
SUBSTANCES FLOATING AROUND.
LASTLY, LIGHT ENERGY AND COLOR ALSO HAS
AN IMPACT ON MUSCULAR PERFORMANCE. FIRST, COLORS SUCH AS RED, YELLOW, AND
ORANGE (SUN) ARE COLORS THAT STIMULATE MUSCLE ENERGY, WHILE GREEN, BLUE AND VIOLET
DEPRESS THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM. RESEARCH HAS ALSO FOUND THAT NATURAL SUNLIGHT
STIMULATED HEALTHY HORMONE LEVELS, BETTER MOODS, AND DECREASED LEVELS OF
STRESS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID TAKE SOME TIME OUT
OF YOUR DAY TO ENJOY THE SUNSHINE BECAUSE IT DOES PROVIDE MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO
THE MIND AND BODY!
YOU
CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMPACT SUNSHINE/RADIATION HAS ON THE BODY
IN THE JULY/AUGUST EDITION OF ONFITNESS MAGAZINE.
