Judging by the latest research, it becomes clear that a lack of sun allows people to suffer from depression much more often. Moreover, the disadvantage sunlight not only directly affects the human psyche, but also the general physical condition.

Autumn and winter - short days

Yes, it is in winter and autumn that people most often do not get enough sun rays. The days are getting shorter, the sun is no longer shining as brightly as in summer, so during this period you want to sleep more, your productivity decreases and your mood is no longer as bright.

Vitamin D

If a person does not have enough sunlight, then the process of producing vitamin D in his body slows down. After all, it is this that allows calcium and phosphorus to be absorbed faster. As a result, immunity decreases, Bad mood and irritability. Based on this, a person must seek for himself additional source sun to compensate for losses.

Sunny days are the key to health

To feel good, it is enough to appear in the sun at least once a week. Even the busiest people can afford it. You don't have to go far! You can simply go to an open window and put your hands and face towards the sun. Don't miss sunny days!

Foods with vitamin D

You can replenish the vitamin D balance in your body with certain foods. This element is found in fatty fish (salmon meat, sole, etc.). Fish contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, which reduce inflammation in the body and allow the heart to work in the right rhythm.

Serotonin - the hormone of joy

Surely many people know that during sunbathing, serotonin is produced in the human body. This is the substance that is responsible for good mood. It can be obtained from certain products: dark chocolate, apples, bananas, pineapples, plums, etc. But you don’t need to rely heavily on chocolate; it’s better to give preference to fruits, since they also contain vitamins.

All life on Earth, including humans, are constantly under the influence of our heavenly body - the Sun. And, despite all the benefits of civilization that we have achieved, primarily electricity, we still get up and go to sleep according to the Sun. Our general well-being and simply our state of mind depend on its rays.

This is most noticeable in those periods when we are forced, for the sake of economic gain, to move the clocks forward or back an hour. or in the winter season. Many of us are immediately feeling the effects of these changes.



How does sunlight affect human health?

The most valuable thing that sunlight gives to a person is ultraviolet radiation. It makes our immune system work - but, just in the autumn-winter period, many people begin to get sick, when there is little light. During these same dark seasons of the year, many people gain excess weight, since the lack of ultraviolet radiation negatively affects our metabolism. In winter, people are more sleepy and indifferent, but in summer, the opposite is true. Because bright sunlight increases performance, and its lack reduces it.

Surely many people have felt unwell in the fall just because there is also a lack of sun at this time. And this is not surprising. The fact is that in sunlight the human body produces the hormone serotonin, and its second name is the activity hormone. It is produced in daylight hours day and is adjusted by light intensity. This hormone regulates our sleep and keeps us alert. Therefore, many experts suggest that the causes of most depression are not personal problems person, but a simple lack of sunlight.


Lack of ultraviolet radiation also affects our skin. For example, in winter, when there is low light, the skin begins to itch and peel. This happens due to a disruption or cessation of the formation of vitamin D in the body.

In winter, holes in teeth begin to form more often than ever.
There is even an opinion that a lack of sunlight has a bad effect on human vision.

How to make up for the lack of sunlight for a person?

Tip #1

Walk more. But remember: only walking during daylight hours will bring benefits. To gain the “solar” norm necessary for a normal existence, it is enough to expose your face and hands to the sun a couple of times a week for 10-15 minutes. By the way, sunbathing in a solarium in order to replenish ultraviolet radiation is useless. Artificial sun cannot replace the real thing.

Tip #2

Let the light into your home too. Wash the windows (dirty ones block up to 30% of the light) and remove tall flowers from the windowsill (they block 50% of the sun's rays).

Tip #3

Vitamin D stores can be replenished with food. The main assistant is fatty fish. Largest quantity(about 360 units per 100 g) of vitamin D is found in salmon. It is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which also help maintain heart health and suppress various types of inflammation. But even when absorbing heavy doses of vitamin D, you need to walk in order for it to be absorbed.

Tip #4

The activity hormone - serotonin - can also be obtained from foods. It is found in dark chocolate, pineapples, bananas, apples and plums.

Tip #5

It is useless to fight drowsiness - it is better to give in to it. The peak of the drowsy state is from 13 to 17 hours. At this time, it is better to take a 15-20 minute nap in a chair, and then wake up alert and healthy. A short rest perfectly restores performance. Plus, every hour you should be distracted from work and rest for 5 minutes.

Tip #6

You can enhance the synthesis of hormones with the help of physical activity - during training, their increased production occurs. Half-hour intensive exercise stress increases the concentration of “happiness hormones” by 5-7 times. By the way, in the gym you can solve another winter problem - loss of strength. There is evidence that one of the reasons for this phenomenon is lack of movement.

Lack of sunlight negatively affects:

* skin regeneration, hair growth

* mood

* immune system

* performance

* cardiovascular system

* hormonal status

The following will help neutralize negative consequences:

* walks

* sports training

* good sleep

*meal including fish, fruit and dark chocolate

Short daylight hours, vitamin C deficiency and lack of sunlight cannot but affect the well-being and condition of the body during the winter cold. Scientists believe that, first of all, such conditions affect changes in hormonal levels.

This occurs due to insufficient production of such important hormone-like substances in the human body, like dopamine (the wakefulness hormone) and melatonin (the sleep hormone).

The problem is that with a lack of sun over a long period of time, an incorrect ratio of these hormones can be observed: Usually in winter, melatonin is produced in large quantities, while dopamine in the body is critically lacking.

This fact largely explains why most people feel sleepy during the winter months. Activity decreases significantly, sleep problems appear, and with a lack of sun, health and general state. People begin to get tired faster, experience apathy and depressed mood, which are often accompanied by poor performance.

In addition, as researchers suggest, lack of sun has an adverse effect not only on hormonal levels, but also on many other systems of the body. First of all, short daylight hours affect:

• internal biorhythms;
• natural skin renewal processes;
• immunity;
• vitamin D production processes who cannot function normally when there is a lack of sunlight;
• endocrine system;
• cardiovascular system;
• reproductive function.

Who suffers most from sun deficiency?

Poor health in winter, associated with hormonal changes and lack of sunlight, is most often observed in the following groups of patients:

• elderly people;
• children and adolescents;
• patients suffering from chronic insomnia;
• women of different ages.

Statistics show that the female population suffers more from lack of sun than men. An increase in melatonin production and a deficient state of the wakefulness hormone in the body also affects female sex hormones, so women very often encounter such unpleasant symptoms during the winter season, such as:

• frequent dizziness;
• headaches and migraines;
• fatigue for no reason;
• constant state of drowsiness;
• increased appetite;
• depressed psychological state;
• tendency to an apathetic state;
• reduced performance;
• gaining excess weight.

How to deal with lack of sun?

Scientists advise not to despair and to seriously engage in overcoming this problem, under no circumstances succumbing to an apathetic state. To do this, they suggest following the following simple rules, which can help restore the body, even if the lack of sun has been observed for quite a long time:

• Competent organization of the regime. It is necessary to go to bed and wake up at the same time every time so that the body can get used to it and no longer experience the feeling of lack of sleep. Experts advise going to bed 1-2 hours before 12 o'clock at night.
• Proper morning rise. To make getting up in the morning much easier, you can use Eleutherococcus, Schisandra or Aralia, taking them in the morning on an empty stomach. Also, during the winter season, if there is a lack of sun, it is recommended to take drugs instead of coffee that can regulate the balance of melatonin and dopamine in the body. For example, drug "Melaxen" helps not only gradually improve overall well-being, but also psychological state.
• Searching for sunlight. Try as soon as possible to spend as much time as possible on fresh air under the sun as soon as it comes out. Some experts are convinced that the lack of sun can be easily overcome by traveling to warm countries during winter. You can also sign up for phototherapy procedures, which will also help temporarily replace natural sunlight. For this, special white light lamps are used.
• Improved mood and increased activity. Herbal preparations, which include St. John's wort, have a beneficial effect on nervous system and have an antidepressant effect.

Don't forget to take extra vitamins if you don't get enough sunlight. In autumn and winter, vitamin deficiency is especially common in many patients. Revitalize your diet by focusing on orange fruits and red and orange vegetables.

The meaning and benefits of sunlight, its effect on the human body cannot be compared with anything! It is only thanks to sunlight that we can use our eyes properly.

Thanks to the rays of the sun, vitamin D is synthesized in our body, which, in turn, affects the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Sunlight also affects our mood; a lack of sunlight can lead to loss of strength, depression, apathy and a general deterioration in a person’s well-being.

The human nervous system is formed and develops only in conditions of sufficient sunlight. Sunlight can stop the development of infectious diseases, being a “natural antiseptic.” It is capable of killing some fungi and bacteria located on our skin. Sunlight affects the number of red blood cells in our body and increases hemoglobin.

How does the absence of the Sun affect the state of our body?

It is not possible to compensate for the lack of sun only with food and vitamins; you need the right balance of nutrition, daily routine and active walks in the fresh air. More about this from a medical point of view:

The impact of light on the retina of the eye is great. It triggers many physiological processes that allow the body to be in an active state. The main effect of sunlight is to stimulate serotonin and suppress melatonin production. Excessive melatonin activity in winter has a depressing effect on the body, causing drowsiness and lethargy. Exactly the same effect can be observed when the light flux decreases due to strong and prolonged cloudiness.

In cloudy summer conditions, it is very difficult for the body to recover after a long winter. Winter depression is a common phenomenon, caused by reduced daylight hours and lack of sunlight.

Daily regime

To support the body in conditions of low light activity, it is necessary to observe correct mode day. The pineal gland is responsible for circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin, so a clearly structured sleep and activity schedule will help nerve cells cope with the lack of light. You need to sleep in the dark and be awake in the light. If you also balance your diet, you will have a higher chance of having a full summer, despite the weather.

The diet requires a proper ratio of proteins and the “right” fats of Omega-6 and Omega-3 groups. Unsaturated fats, unlike saturated fats, lower cholesterol levels in the blood, which is why they are called “correct”. The sources of Omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids in the body are vegetable oils: olive, sunflower and flaxseed. Omega-3 fatty acids are found mainly in fatty fish, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, walnuts and dark green leafy vegetables. Most people consume too much Omega-6 and not enough Omega-3. The optimal ratio of fatty acids: Omega-6 - 80% and Omega-3 - 20%. It turns out that you need to eat 1.5-2 kg of fatty sea ​​fish every week. It's no surprise that modern diets are often deficient in Omega-3s. The overall diet should contain about 20% fat, about 30% protein, and the remaining 50% carbohydrates.

It is generally not possible to saturate the body with serotonin using foods, since pure form it is not contained anywhere. You can compensate for the deficiency with products containing the precursor of serotonin - tryptophan: cheese, rabbit or chicken meat, cottage cheese, eggs, dark chocolate, fish, nuts, seeds, etc. Sweets can stimulate the production of the joy hormone, but there is a danger of exceeding the amount sufficient for the production of serotonin . Choosing sweet, seasonal fruits will help! Consuming fast food and a general overload of the diet with “wrong” fats and fast carbohydrates will have a negative impact on the body’s condition.

Light therapy

Medicine offers light therapy in the fight against seasonal depression. Light therapy is the use of fairly bright rays, which, unlike direct sunlight, do not contain ultraviolet radiation. Thanks to powerful optical properties, polarized light is able to directly affect intracellular functional parts. Thanks to this, the processes of metabolism and synthesis of substances necessary for normal life are accelerated. As a result, the tone of all tissues increases, immunity increases, regenerative properties become significantly better, and pathogenic processes are inhibited or even eliminated. Light therapy is used not only for seasonal depression, but also for late sleep syndrome, desynchronization of the biological clock associated with a sharp change in time zones.

Vitamin D

A separate role in the development of depressive disorders is given to vitamin D, which is involved in the metabolism of nerve cell proteins. Its deficiency leads to inhibition of nervous processes and the development of symptoms such as decreased attention, memory, fatigue, and drowsiness. The sufficiency of this vitamin stimulates the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for a good level of nerve cell activity. It is worth noting that the synthesis of vitamin D does not depend on daylight hours, but on ultraviolet rays.

Despite the important role of vitamin D, it is strictly prohibited to prescribe it yourself. Excessive use has toxic consequences and requires hospitalization. You can find out about a deficiency and determine the required dose of vitamin D only from the results of a blood test. It is also necessary to be careful when using vitamin-mineral complexes, since an overdose of such drugs is no less dangerous than a deficiency.

It is important not only to eat right and give the body enough time to rest, but also to add walks and physical activity to your daily routine. They will have a positive effect on your well-being and the condition of your blood vessels, which also suffer in unfavorable weather. Active walks in the fresh air activate the production of important hormones and neurotransmitters. Required for the production of serotonin physical exercise, regular sports, long walks, good rest and even pleasant memories.

Sunlight plays an even greater role in plant life and oxygen production on our planet. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Sun for all inhabitants of the Earth. It is not for nothing that for many millennia our ancestors revered him as God, who gives life to all living things!

Next weekend the clocks will be set back an hour. The main reason for the transfer is economic. Thus, our working day will largely occur during daylight hours. In addition, the likelihood of depression will decrease, the growth of colds will stop, and the risk of tooth loss will even decrease. In any case, our experts are sure of this.

The most active and valuable component of sunlight is ultraviolet radiation, says Vladimir Ostapishin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Director Science Center balneology and rehabilitation FMBA of the Russian Federation. - Invisible and imperceptible by any of the senses, it is beneficial for the human body. Ultraviolet light activates the immune system (in autumn and winter, sores begin to cling to a person), improves metabolism (weight gain is a constant companion of the dark season), and increases efficiency (in winter we become drowsy and apathetic). There is evidence that a lack of sunlight negatively affects vision.

Teeth on the shelf...

Autumn blues are also a direct consequence of light starvation, explains Roza Tsallagova, MD, PhD, head of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Fundamentals of Health at the National state university physical culture, sports and health named after. P. F. Lesgaft. - Under the influence of sunlight, the body produces the hormone serotonin, which is also called the activity hormone. It appears exclusively during the day and is regulated by light intensity. Serotonin is responsible not only for regulating sleep, but also for cheerfulness - the brighter the sunlight, the higher the dose of serotonin. By the way, some doctors are of the opinion that most depression does not have any psychological background. This is pure physiology, they are based on a lack of light.

Have you noticed that in winter your skin itches and flakes? The reason is the same - a lack of ultraviolet radiation, due to which the process of formation of vitamin D in the body is disrupted (or stopped). It is converted in the skin from provitamin supplied with food exclusively under the influence of sunlight. For the same reason, in winter, as a rule, the number of holes in teeth increases sharply.

Pantries of the sun

How to make up for sun deficiency and neutralize its consequences?

Tip #1

Walk more. But remember: only walking during daylight hours will bring benefits. To gain the “solar” norm necessary for a normal existence, it is enough to expose your face and hands to the sun a couple of times a week for 10-15 minutes. By the way, sunbathing in a solarium in order to replenish ultraviolet radiation is useless. Artificial sun cannot replace the real thing.

Tip #2

Let the light into your home too. Wash the windows (dirty ones block up to 30% of the light) and remove tall flowers from the windowsill (they block 50% of the sun's rays).

Tip #3

Vitamin D stores can be replenished with food. The main assistant is fatty fish. The largest amount (about 360 units per 100 g) of vitamin D is found in salmon. It is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which also help maintain heart health and suppress various types of inflammation. But even when absorbing heavy doses of vitamin D, you need to walk in order for it to be absorbed.

Tip #4

The activity hormone - serotonin - can also be obtained from foods. It is found in dark chocolate, pineapples, bananas, apples and plums.

Tip #5

It is useless to fight drowsiness - it is better to give in to it. The peak of the drowsy state is from 13 to 17 hours. At this time, it is better to take a 15-20 minute nap in a chair, and then wake up alert and healthy. A short rest perfectly restores performance. Plus, every hour you should be distracted from work and rest for 5 minutes.

Tip #6

You can enhance the synthesis of hormones with the help of physical activity - during training, their increased production occurs. Half an hour of intense physical activity increases the concentration of “happiness hormones” by 5-7 times. By the way, in the gym you can solve another winter problem - loss of strength. There is evidence that one of the reasons for this phenomenon is lack of movement.

Lack of sunlight negatively affects:

• skin regeneration, hair growth
• mood
• immune system
• performance
• cardiovascular system
• hormonal status

The following will help neutralize negative consequences:

• walks
• sports training
• good sleep
• meals including
• fish, fruit and dark chocolate