Every available grassy embankment is jam-packed with office workers making the most of the sun, soaking it up on their lunch breaks. People smile, get a bit of colour in their cheeks, relax and become more social.
If this is the result of one day of sunshine in Scotland, imagine the effects on people in a place such as LA in California, USA, with an average of 320 days of sunshine a year.
The Effect of Weather on Health
The study of Human Biometeorology shows that atmospheric conditions have significant effects on health. It’s been well documented that depression and health deterioration occur mostly in the winter months, as do the most suicides. So not only does the weather affect humans psychologically, but also physically.
Essential Sunlight for Health
Sunlight is the most crucial form of vitamin D. Synthetic vitamin D known as D2, converts at a rate 500% slower than natural vitamin D3 from the sun. Vitamin D is critical to the support of the immune system in the body. Although it can be found in foods such as milk and cod liver oil, the potency received from the sun is absorbed much more quickly.
Recent studies by the U.S Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and Norway's Institute for Cancer Research have shown that the health benefits of sunshine may actually outweigh the negative aspects, such as the risk of skin cancer. Many people avoid the sun now because of the fear of skin cancer. However, they are missing out on absorbing vitamin D to protect them from other diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked with heart disease, other forms of cancer, allergies, Alzheimer’s, obesity and depression.
The Social Aspects of Sunshine
There is joy in the light that comes with the sun. But there is also beauty in the darkness. The contrast in the dramatically changing weather in Scotland adds to the intensity of reaction from people when the sun shows; because who knows when it will be seen again?
Compare this to the constant, steady temperature of 20-25 degrees year round in LA, then one might get the impression that LA city sider's should be a very healthy and happy population. However, the constant stream of sunshine in LA may mean that people are indifferent to the effects of the weather. They miss out on the social community celebration that occurs in Scotland when the sun appears for a day.
Whether the sun appears reluctantly once a month, or whether it beams down warming faces each day; there are positive and negative aspects to health, psychological and social effects that play a great part in determining the mood of individuals and populations. The key, as with most things, is balance.
Sources:
NaturalNews.com, “The Effects of Weather on Health and How to Prepare.” (Accessed April 15th, 2010)
News-Medical.net, “Researchers say health benefits of sunshine outweigh the skin cancer risk and might help you live longer.” (Accessed April 25th, 2010)
Jane Alexandra Cormack - Jane currently works as a director and facilitator of her own company, Rhythm In Colour. These workshops connect women through creativity ...
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