- Spend time in sunlight. Vitamin D is often referred to as “the sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the best sources of this nutrient.
- Consume fatty fish and seafood.
- Eat more mushrooms.
- Include egg yolks in your diet.
- Eat fortified foods.
- Take a supplement.
- Try a UV lamp.
'A lack of sunlight can cause a multitude of problems such as weak bones, foot deformities, some cancers, depression, skin problems, weight gain and cognitive issues.
But it's very unlikely an adult could die directly and exclusively from prolonged darkness. The most plausible deadly scenario is that a lack of sunlight could prevent the body from producing vitamin D, which, in turn, would inhibit calcium absorption.
Here are 8 signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
- Getting Sick or Infected Often. Share on Pinterest.
- Fatigue and Tiredness. Feeling tired can have many causes, and vitamin D deficiency may be one of them.
- Bone and Back Pain.
- Depression.
- Impaired Wound Healing.
- Bone Loss.
- Hair Loss.
- Muscle Pain.
Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Let in some sunlight
As the days become shorter, your sleep and waking cycles may become disrupted. The lack of sunlight means your brain produces more of a hormone called melatonin, which makes you sleepy.Moderate sunlight exposure helps improve your mood and focus by boosting the serotonin levels in your body. Also known as the 'happiness hormone', it makes you calm and alert. Also, "sunlight decreases the risk of depression in those at risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)," adds Dr. Roizen.
Vegan Vitamin D Food Sources
| Food | Serving | Vitamin D (IU) |
|---|
| Almond milk, original, forti?ed with vitamin D | 1 cup | 100* |
| Chanterelle mushrooms, raw** | 1 cup | 114 |
| Orange juice, forti?ed with vitamin D | 1 cup | 100* |
| Soy yogurt, forti?ed with vitamin D | 150 grams | 80* |
But staying indoors all day may fuel anxiety, insomnia and that too-familiar sense that humans just aren't meant to spend the whole day inside. You miss a lot when you surround yourself with walls, and sunlight tops the list.
[Disease caused by lack of sunlight: rickets and osteomalacia].
There's no better cure for a stressful day or an overwhelmed mind than sunshine, exercise, and fresh air. Even those times when you're feeling busy and rushed, you should make it a priority to spend at least 20 minutes outside every day.
Here's how a lazy day spent indoors actually affects your health. One day inside probably won't hugely affect your health—but it's not great to constantly stay cooped up from morning until dark. The biggest issue is that entering hibernation mode means you don't get any exposure to natural light.
Shelter is a basic human need. But staying indoors all day may fuel anxiety, insomnia and that too-familiar sense that humans just aren't meant to spend the whole day inside. You miss a lot when you surround yourself with walls, and sunlight tops the list.
Affects from a lack of fresh air, are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain include: Fatigue. Drowsiness. Dullness of mind.
If you're not careful, a lack of sunlight can actually lead to a form of clinical depression. The less sunlight we see in the winter months, the more likely we are to develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms of SAD can be extreme: mood swings, anxiety, sleep problems, or even suicidal thoughts.
Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong. Many people assume agoraphobia is simply a fear of open spaces, but it's actually a more complex condition.
But staying indoors all day may fuel anxiety, insomnia and that too-familiar sense that humans just aren't meant to spend the whole day inside. You miss a lot when you surround yourself with walls, and sunlight tops the list.
Midday, especially during summer, is the best time to get sunlight. At noon, the sun is at its highest point, and its UVB rays are most intense. That means you need less time in the sun to make sufficient vitamin D ( 5 ). Many studies also show that the body is most efficient at making vitamin D at noon ( 6 , 7 ).
Sunlight energizes the T-cells that play a central role in human immunity. "This study shows that sunlight directly activates key immune cells by increasing their movement." He added that blue light from the sun, as well as from special lamps, is the safest form of sunlight and does not promote skin cancers.
Here are 7 effective ways to increase your vitamin D levels.
- What is vitamin D?
- Spend time in sunlight.
- Consume fatty fish and seafood.
- Eat more mushrooms.
- Include egg yolks in your diet.
- Eat fortified foods.
- Take a supplement.
- Try a UV lamp.
The precursors of Vitamin D — that is, molecules that produce the vitamin — present in your skin are activated by the sun; so soaking some morning sun is a good idea, health-wise. “Weak bones, lack of calcium and various skin and hair issues are triggered by Vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D helps with strong bones and may help prevent some cancers. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include muscle weakness, pain, fatigue and depression.
Sunlight triggers the synthesis of vitamin D within the body. Stanford researchers found that this action causes immune cells to travel to the outer layers of the skin where they are available to protect and help repair damage such as that caused by sun exposure.
The precursors of Vitamin D — that is, molecules that produce the vitamin — present in your skin are activated by the sun; so soaking some morning sun is a good idea, health-wise. “Weak bones, lack of calcium and various skin and hair issues are triggered by Vitamin D deficiency.
Surprisingly, you CAN get a suntan through a window! Most panes of glass absorb around 97 per cent of the sun's UVB rays - the ones which cause sunburn and some skin cancers. While the glass will absorb 37 per cent of the less harmful UVA radiation, expert Luis Villazon told Science Focus.
Pre-vitamin D effective ultraviolet transmission through clothing during simulated wear. However, not all UV exposure is linked to detrimental health effects with some exposure to UVB wavelengths below 316 nm required for the synthesis of pre-vitamin D(3).
We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. A lack of vitamin D, known as vitamin D deficiency, can cause bones to become soft and weak, which can lead to bone deformities.
Regular sun exposure is the most natural way to get enough vitamin D. To maintain healthy blood levels, aim to get 10–30 minutes of midday sunlight, several times per week. People with darker skin may need a little more than this. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.
The decline in sunlight is not only having an effect on our Vitamin D intake, but it could also have life-changing effects on our vision. Short-sightedness, also known as myopia, has increased alongside our declining exposure to the outdoors.
The Bottom Line
Fortunately, a vitamin D deficiency is usually easy to fix. You can either increase your sun exposure, eat more vitamin-D-rich foods, such as fatty fish or fortified dairy products. You can also find a variety of vitamin D supplements on Amazon.Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain's release of a hormone called serotonin. Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of major depression with seasonal pattern (formerly known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD).
It reveals the chain reaction that sunlight has on your body - with vitamin D, the cholesterol in your body is then able to help the body absorb calcium - and if you don't tend to go outdoors, it can massively impact your immune system, which has a knock on effect on cancer, heart disease and depression.
