SUNSHINE & MUSCULAR STRENGTH

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.