The sun's rays are vital for us. We all know that under their influence the body produces vitamin D, which is so necessary for strengthening bones and increasing immunity. But, in addition, the sun gives us the hormone of happiness - serotonin, for its formation the sun is also necessary. The sun also helps lower blood pressure and prevents the formation of blood clots.
And at the same time the sun can become ours worst enemy: Dry skin, premature wrinkles, sunburn, sunstroke and even skin cancer are all also caused by sun exposure.
In order to get the maximum benefit from the sun and not harm your health, you need to know how to sunbathe correctly.
How to sunbathe
When sunbathing, you must adhere to some rules.
- Before going out into the sun, sit in the shade for about 10 minutes.
- You should start with 5 minutes: 2.5 minutes on the back and chest. Increase your time in the sun by 5 minutes every day. The maximum time spent in the sun is 1 hour.
- Lie with your feet facing the sun and remember to turn over periodically.
- Don't sleep or read in the sun. You may not notice how long you've been tanning and get sunburned.
- It is not necessary to sunbathe lying down. If you move: walk, boat or bike, the sun's rays also affect you. At the same time, they fall at a smaller angle and their effect is softer, which reduces the risk sunburn.
- For sunbathing The best time is morning, before 11 o'clock, and evening - after 16 o'clock. During the hottest days, try not to go out into the sun.
- Do not sunbathe immediately after eating, but being in the sun on an empty stomach is harmful.
- If you have fair skin, it is better to sunbathe under a canopy or umbrella rather than in direct sunlight.
- Use a protective cream that matches your skin phototype. If you swim, apply cream every time you get out of the water.
- Don't forget about your headdress.
- Be especially careful when sunbathing near water and in windy weather. You can easily and unnoticed get burned.
- After being in the sun, do not go straight into the water, sit for a few minutes in the shade.
Sunbathing for the elderly
For some reason, there is an opinion that it is harmful for older people to be in the sun. In fact, it's the other way around. Scientists have found that the more time older people spend outside in sunny weather, the lower their risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Only when staying in the sun should the elderly be careful, especially if they have high blood pressure or suffer from coronary heart disease.
Sunbathing It is better for older people to take it not in the open sun, but in its diffuse rays: under an umbrella, in the shade of trees.
Sunbathing for children
It is necessary to understand that a child’s skin is very sensitive to solar radiation, and the younger the baby, the stronger the effect of ultraviolet rays on her.
Pediatricians do not recommend sunbathing in direct sunlight for infants under one year of age. Air baths on outdoors, but in the shade in calm weather. The temperature should be above 22 degrees. The duration of the first baths should be 1–2 minutes, then the sessions are gradually lengthened and increased to 30 minutes.
Sunbathing should begin in diffused sunlight: under a light canopy or in the lacy shade of trees, then you can go out into the open sun. Remember that the baby's head should be in the shade. Be sure to protect your child’s head with a panama hat, a scarf with a visor, and a hat with a brim so that the sun does not get into the eyes.
How long are the baths? First, take the child out into the sun for 1-2 minutes, after 2 days add a minute. The maximum time spent under the sun is 10 minutes. After this, the baby can be doused with warm water. If you notice that the child is overheated: the skin is red, he is capricious, or, conversely, has become lethargic, take him into the shade and give him something to drink.
Sunbathing is best done in the morning, before 11 o'clock. Sunbathing should not be carried out at temperatures above 30 degrees.
Who especially benefits from sunbathing?
Due to the fact that the sun promotes the synthesis of vitamin D, sunbathing is useful for diseases and conditions such as:
- osteoporosis – vitamin D is necessary for strong bone tissue;
- caries - the sun is the prevention of caries. Scientists have found that children living in southern countries, are less likely to suffer from this disease;
- age-related vision loss – vitamin D slows down age-related macular degeneration of the retina;
- menopause - studies have shown that women who rarely spend time in the sun (less than 1 hour per week) experience menopause 5 years earlier than those who constantly tan. In addition, during menopause, the development of osteoporosis begins, so sunbathing is recommended for women during this period.
The sun increases metabolism, and due to this it is useful for people suffering from obesity.
Under the influence of sunlight, the production of testosterone increases, so doctors recommend childless couples to vacation in warm regions.
The sun's rays dry and disinfect the skin, so sunbathing has a beneficial effect on skin diseases - neurodermatitis, psoriasis, acne.
Increased production of serotonin in the sun reduces the symptoms of depression. This is confirmed by the fact that in southern countries people suffer from depressive disorders less often than in the north, where the sun is a rare guest.
For whom the sun is contraindicated
Contraindications to sunbathing are:
- cardiovascular diseases with impaired blood circulation;
- oncological diseases;
- organic lesions of the central nervous system;
- significant sclerotic changes in blood vessels;
- increased sensitivity to solar radiation;
- active pulmonary tuberculosis.
The healing power of the sun's rays has been known for a long time. No wonder the proverb says: “Where the sun rarely shines, there the doctor often comes.”
But inept use of the sun, instead of benefit, can cause irreparable harm - cause serious disorders of the nervous, cardiovascular and other body systems.
Heliotherapy is the therapeutic and prophylactic use of direct radiation from the sun (sunbathing). Sun treatment is a method of phototherapy and one of the methods of climatotherapy.
Resorts use three main modes of solar irradiation: gentle, or low-load mode; Moderate exposure mode; mode of pronounced impact.
Benefits of sun hardening:
· stimulate metabolic processes: protein, lipid, carbohydrate and mineral;
· skin barrier function improves;
· the activity of the endocrine glands is activated;
relaxing and then tonic effect on nervous system;
· improved night sleep;
· improvement of general well-being.
Indications for heliotherapy:
diseases of internal organs outside the acute phase;
· conditions after injuries in the convalescence phase;
· skin diseases;
hypovitaminosis D.
Sun hardening can not only bring benefits, but also have great harm, therefore, this type of hardening must be treated very responsibly and follow all the rules of hardening by the sun. Improper sun hardening can lead to serious consequences.
Contraindications for heliotherapy:
Melanoma is a malignant tumor that appears on the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
· many skin diseases can modify their course under the influence of insolation (psoriasis, etc.), and not always for the better.
systemic lupus erythematosus
Sun hardening must occur
· gradually,
· should be considered individual characteristics(age, health status, etc.),
· climatic conditions.
Rules for sunbathing:
Before starting hardening, you should consult your doctor.
The best time for sunbathing is in the morning. In summer: in the southern regions from 7 to 10 o'clock, in middle lane from 8 to 11 o'clock,
in the northern regions from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Autumn and spring best time for sunbathing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It is undesirable to be exposed to sunlight immediately after eating or on an empty stomach. Sunbathing should begin no earlier than one to one and a half hours after meals, and end no later than one hour before meals.
Sunbathing can be done in any place accessible to the sun's rays and protected from sharp, gusty winds.
The head should be covered with a light-colored hat that does not impede the evaporation of sweat and does not prevent the head from cooling. The dosage of exposure to the sun depends on the time of year and the intensity of solar radiation.
Make sure you have availability in advance drinking water, you need to drink every 10 minutes regardless of the subjective feeling of thirst, preventing the danger of sunstroke.
While sunbathing, moderate physical activity is required, such as walking, but not too intense. At rest, the body tolerates radiation much worse than in a state of moderate physical activity. You should not sleep while sunbathing, as it is impossible to take into account the duration of exposure to the sun and it is easy to get severe burns.
You can start sunbathing with 5-10 minutes, then increase each procedure by 5-10 minutes, gradually bringing it to 1-2 hours with breaks in the shade for 15 minutes after every half hour. Breaks are necessary, as overheating of the body can cause sunstroke or heatstroke.
You should always monitor your well-being, the condition of your skin and sweating. If you experience any unpleasant sensations, such as increased heartbeat or redness of the skin, you should stop the procedure immediately.
After hardening by the sun's rays, it is necessary to take water
procedures - rubbing, dousing, showering or swimming - and then relax for 15-20 minutes in the shade.
It should be remembered that the use of various creams and ointments to speed up the tanning process is not recommended.
Sunbathing at an air temperature of 30°C is absolutely contraindicated.
Consequences of improper sun hardening:
Heatstroke or sunstroke occurs when very long stay in the open sun and leads to various disruptions in the functioning of many human organs and systems. The first symptoms of heat stroke are general weakness, nausea, dizziness.
With sunstroke, a slow increase in body temperature can cause damage to the central nervous system. Heat stroke is different in that it can occur not only in the open sun, but also in a stuffy room at very high air temperatures.
Sunburn occurs when you spend too much time in the sun; this is an example of improper sun exposure. There is severe redness of the skin, blistering, and fever. The burn often does not appear immediately at the site of sunbathing, but only after several hours.
Prolonged sun exposure can cause hyperthermia.
Ultraviolet rays stimulate pigment formation.
Temporary contraindications for hardening procedures:
· diseases accompanied by fever;
· seizures bronchial asthma;
· hypertensive crises;
· severe injuries;
· renal and hepatic colic;
· food toxic infections.
It is advisable to start sun hardening from the first warm days and continue it throughout the summer. If sunbathing begins late - in the middle of summer - then its duration should be increased especially carefully.
“The sun, like a dear mother, will never offend you.” This saying puts the sun and mother on the same level, and one cannot but agree with this. The sun, really, like a mother, will both praise us and scold us. Will render beneficial features on our body, but also, with strong love- cause harm. The sun always makes us happy, we miss it on winter days, we wait for spring to come, then summer. The holidays will come, and it will be possible to sunbathe a little under the bright and warm sun.
Doctors do not advise spending a lot of time under the bright sun, especially in the afternoon. All these walks can result in a burn or heatstroke. Children suffer more severely from such complications. But this does not mean at all that you need to give up sun exposure. So that our joy is not darkened, we need to know what pros and cons we gain from our love for this “hot” planet.
The benefits of the sun and sunbathing
The most noticeable benefit from the sun is the regulation of our daylight hours, or in scientific terms - the sleep cycle. Sunbathing gives us vitamin D. It is known that this component comes to us through food ( chicken eggs, butter, Cheddar cheese, cream, powdered milk whole), but for it to transform, chemical transformations are needed. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation on our skin, a group of vitamins - ferols - is activated, as a result of which calciferol is produced, familiar to us under the name vitamin D. This useful element regulates the absorption of many minerals, participates in the metabolism of phosphates and calcium. All these actions normalize the functioning of the kidneys, intestines, parathyroid glands, stabilize the skeletal system, skeleton, prevent osteoporosis, and have an antibacterial effect on us.
Ultraviolet radiation itself also helps us and, when used in small doses, can be beneficial. It heals small wounds, dilates blood vessels, which leads to high-quality blood circulation. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin - acne disappears, becomes elastic and healthy. Do not avoid sun rays, because every time you expose your skin, you receive ultraviolet radiation, thereby producing a pigment in the body that can scatter and absorb these rays. And by getting a tan, your skin shows that you are provided with protection from radiation.
The radiation cannot be seen with the ordinary eye; it is outside the range of the spectrum we can see. But science has proven that it has three divisions - A, B and C. Two of them act harshly on us and can harm us. These are rays B - they “work” in the middle of the day, so it is not advisable to walk between 12 o’clock and 15-16 o’clock; group C - mostly climbers are familiar with it - it acts high on mountain tops and is considered very harmful; Ray A, which occurs in evening time. In this regard, it is best and healthier to sunbathe in the evening, after 18 hours, there are fewer problems and the skin color turns out beautiful and even.
In medicine, this ultraviolet light is used in cosmetology (note that during frequent drying with a UV device, when doing nail extensions, you can get skin cancer), dentistry (it is harmless for the patient, but doctors need to be careful), and dermatology. The device created by physicists uses light to treat severe forms of tuberculosis, psoriasis, and pustular diseases.
Harm from excess sun
As a rule, the damage from sun rays that we encounter most often is burns on our body. They appear because we forget ourselves and for a long time We spend time under the sun, and then pain and burning sets in, and we notice redness. Areas of skin begin to peel off. These are all signs of sunburn. Our skin is divided into five phototypes, and each of them has its own perception of ultraviolet radiation. The risk group includes bright people. They have skin phototypes 1 and 2 and the sun's rays are the most dangerous for them, it dries out their skin, signs of premature aging appear, and they are destroyed. useful material, proteins. Staying in the sun puts them at risk of developing diseases such as melanoma and skin cancer. These are blondes, they can also include redheads, light-eyed, often with freckles.
Also, the sun may cause harm to the eyes and brain. In the first case, from exposure to sunlight on our vision, we can get a burn to the retina. Best protection- These are sunglasses, which are an important accessory in winter and summer. The cause of heatstroke is exposure to the scorching sun with your head uncovered. Symptoms: high temperature (40-41 degrees), nausea, headache, possible loss of consciousness. Sometimes, heat stroke can be fatal.
From all of the above, we see that vitamin D plays a significant role in many processes in our body. Avoiding exposure to the sun and hiding from ultraviolet rays, we may experience a lack of this vitamin, which will lead to a decrease in immunity.
We all dream about summer, plan trips to the sea... To make a walk on the beach bring you a good mood, the editors of the website www.site advise you to drink more fluids, avoid standing in the sun, apply sunscreen to your skin, determine your skin phototype, use a hat and umbrella. Do not forget that sunbathing is best taken in moderation, but we have just discussed the benefits and harms of the Sun! Remember that during treatment and when taking medications, a drop can be medicine, and a spoon can be poison? This is exactly what happens with sunbathing!
In many circles, attempts are being made to convince everyone that sunbathing is a complex and extremely risky procedure that should only be performed by a technically trained person in a laboratory or a doctor. When reading an ordinary book about sunbathing, one definitely gets the impression that sunbathing is difficult and also very dangerous. There are so many warnings and so many procedural details to follow, listing so many times and conditions when sunbathing should be avoided, that it is very easy to dismiss it all in disgust and forget about sunbathing altogether. But there are many commercially motivated claims here. Anyone with enough common sense to sleep, exercise, and breathe fresh air, can also take a sunbath. This bath is as natural as the named procedures. The ritual used by Dr. Rollier and other doctors makes no sense. They start by exposing one leg for a few days, then the other, then both legs, then the thighs, then the abdomen, chest and finally the back. All this ceremony is unnecessary. In my opinion, Rollier is overly cautious at the beginning of sunbathing and delays the process after the patient has acquired a good tan.
There are a few simple precautions to be taken when sunbathing, which anyone of average intelligence can understand and apply. For those who have never sunbathed, the following precautions are especially necessary.
TAN FIRST
One of the first things you need when sunbathing is a tan. Women and those who do not want a dark tan on the face, neck and arms can get a light tan through sunbathing, which can control the amount of pigmentation in these areas. Many people are impatient and want to tan too quickly. They run the risk of overextending the tanning process and getting burned. Don't try to get a year's worth of tanning in one day!
Some tan quickly, others slowly and difficultly, and some do not tan at all.
The caution required when starting sunbathing depends on your skin type. Brunettes - people with dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin - tan easier and faster than anyone else and do not succumb to burning quickly. Blondes, redheads and others with fair skin, usually also with blue eyes, usually have difficulty tanning and burn easily. They should not be upset by this, for with patience and perseverance they too can achieve a beautiful golden brown complexion. Don't think that people who tan slowly don't benefit from the sun.
Blondes and redheads need to be more careful when starting sunbathing, because nothing good will come from a burn. All types of people should apply a little intelligence while sunbathing and do so with due care. Typically, blondes and redheads do not tan quickly. They tend to be covered with freckles and patchy pigmentation rather than tan evenly. With proper care and persistence, most of these people can achieve a beautiful tan. With a tendency towards freckling, women may tend to cover their face, neck and arms in order to prevent freckles from appearing there. This greatly or completely deprives them of the value of sunbathing.
Children do not tan as quickly and usually not as deeply as adults, nor do they get burned as easily as adults.
As already indicated, we believe that the main advantage of pigmentation is the protection it provides against burns. We caution those with deep tans against excessive sunbathing. The idea that people with perfectly tanned skin can stay out in the sun all day without harm is misleading and not based on experience.
INNERVATION DUE TO OVERHEATING IN THE SUN
Excessive sunbathing causes severe loss of nervous energy (innervation). Tilden wrote that he observed people who received such a strong innervation from sunbathing that it took them two years to completely restore their nervous energy. I have seen great harm from overstimulation of this kind. My advice to patients is to never sunbathe for more than an hour, and many simply cannot take that much sun. Referring to statements about territories that are “lands of eternal sunshine,” Tilden said: “Continuous sunlight adds another cause of innervation and leads to the destruction of the mechanisms of healing and immunization.”
The stimulating effect of light is so well known that it is not worth dwelling on here. Claims that sunbathing causes restful sleep and improve the nervous system, are true only if this process does not lead to overwork.
HOW TO SUNBATH
Sunbathing is completely different from the common practice of enjoying fresh air. Sunbathing is taken completely without clothes. Care must be taken not to burn the body. The rule should be: “better too little than too much.” Blondes and redheads should be more careful than brunettes and representatives of dark-skinned races.
You should start sunbathing by exposing your entire body for six to ten minutes daily and gradually increase the time of exposure from half an hour to an hour or more, even up to three to four hours. But increase the time slowly. Expose the exposed front part of your body to the sun for three to five minutes, then expose the exposed back side of your body to the sun for three to five minutes. Daily increase the time each side spends in the sun by one minute and up to half an hour for each side of the body. Although I often find even this pace too fast and have to slow it down significantly, I do not believe that it should be scrupulously followed by healthy and active people.
Air baths
Air baths are very useful, they harden the body, improve metabolism, have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, and calm the psyche. Good mood, vigor, sound sleep and excellent appetite - this will be the result of correctly performed aerial therapy.
It would seem that it could be simpler than taking air baths - undress and walk or lie down. However, in order not to harm your body, you should follow simple rules. The greatest effect from air therapy is achieved in the summer between 8-11 and 17-19 hours. Air baths are taken once a day under canopies, on verandas, protected from direct sunlight, in the shade of trees. The time of the first procedures is 10-15 minutes, then it can be increased to 1-2 hours. If the air temperature is below 15 degrees, then adoption air baths should be postponed until later auspicious days. “Goose bumps” warns of hypothermia, get dressed quickly.
Sunbathing (heliotherapy)
Skin color fashions have changed over time different times. The ancient Greeks White color skin was considered a sign of ill health, and the father of medicine, Hippocrates, called the sun a medicine for everyone. In the 19th century, beauties hid from the sun under wide-brimmed hats to keep their skin the color of aspirin. But the famous fashion designer Coco Chanel at the beginning of the 20th century established the fashion not only for small dresses, but also for tanning. Everyone went to the beach, the cut of the swimsuits changed every year, revealing more and more new areas of the body. Finally, the most “advanced” vacationers began to sunbathe without clothing at all, and this is how nudists appeared.
The sun's rays are, without a doubt, beneficial; under their influence, the skin produces the pigment melanin - that same tan, as well as vitamin D, which prevents rickets. However, it should be remembered that sunbathing should not be taken by people suffering from tuberculosis, vascular sclerosis, hypertension, diseases of the central nervous system, and migraines.
Sunbathing is best done in the summer in the morning from 8 to 11 and after the heat of the day subsides, from 16 to 18. During the first days of rest, you should not stay in the open sun for more than 5 minutes, otherwise you can get serious burns. Every day you can increase your time in the sun by 2-4 minutes. You should know that each person’s sensitivity to sunlight is different: blondes react to radiation more strongly than brunettes, children are about a third more sensitive than adults (remember how solar power plants work). remember, that long stay exposure to the sun in unseasoned people can cause exhaustion of the body; along with a bronze tan, they get irritability, headaches, sleep disturbances and weight loss.
Sunbathing is taken after air baths, but before swimming in the sea.
It is not recommended to wash with soap before sunbathing, as soap degreases the skin and makes it easy to burn. Before going to the beach, use special cosmetical tools for tanning and burns.
Sunbathe on an empty stomach or immediately after eating.
Stay in the sun with your head uncovered.
Lie in the sun for a long time. A heavy tan dries the skin, which can cause wrinkles, weakens the nervous system, and has a bad effect on sleep.
BARIATRICS is the most effective method in the world today of LOSSING WEIGHT and MAINTAINING WEIGHT after LOSSING WEIGHT.