Artificial lighting in the house. How to compensate for the autumn sun deficit. How lack of sun affects a person's emotional state

The celestial body controls biorhythms, fuels physical and mental activity, and improves immunity. Affects a person’s performance and mood. The problem of lack of sunlight is relevant for millions of people living north of the 40th parallel. We will consider in detail what will help cope with the lack of sun in this article.

Solar radiation adjusts the body's biological clock, affects the cycle of activity and sleep, fluctuations in body temperature, and the balance of hormones. The close connection between light and health has long been proven by scientists. The most famous are the works of the founder of heliobiology, L. Chizhevsky. In medicine, the problem of disruption of biorhythms due to lack of sun and magnetic storms remains relevant.

Adverse effects of lack of sun:

• increased risk of cardiovascular diseases;
• disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system;
• decreased production of vitamin D;
• changes in body biorhythms;
• deterioration in performance;
• decreased sex drive;
• inhibition of ovulation;
• depressed mood;
• weakening of the immune system.

To properly set the internal clock, a healthy person needs at least two hours of light every day. Through the eyes, bright light affects the hypothalamus, which regulates the release of hormones. These active substances regulate many functions.

Effect on hormone synthesis

There is a direct connection between lighting and the release of serotonin. The production of the hormone decreases with a lack of sun. The female body reacts more sensitively to emerging hormonal imbalances: headaches become more frequent, fatigue and drowsiness bother us, and weight gain occurs.

The lack of sunny days in winter provokes depression in people of different sexes and all age groups. Psychiatrists estimate that seasonal affective disorder affects 5–10% of the healthy population.

Vitamin D deficiency

For the transition of tryptophan to serotonin, calciferols are needed: ergocalciferol (D 2) and cholecalciferol (D 3). Lack of light leads to D3 deficiency and severe health consequences. The absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, and other metabolic processes change. The combination of a lack of sun and hypovitaminosis D has a negative impact on bone health and the state of the immune system.

In countries located north of 60°, doctors diagnose the highest prevalence of osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis. Lack of sun to produce vitamin D is a typical cause of rickets in children. Bone tissue softens, parts of the skeleton take on an ugly appearance. Defects in the form of “chicken” breasts appear, legs are bent, and speech development disorders occur. To receive ultraviolet radiation, a child must walk in sunny weather with an open face and hands from spring to autumn.

Symptoms of lack of sun (video)

From the video you will learn what indicates a lack of sunlight.

How to make up for sun deficiency?

Helping the body overcome the negative consequences of a lack of light is a feasible task. For example, serotonin synthesis increases during physical activity. Not only sports, but also physical exercise and outdoor games increase the production of the “pleasure hormone” by 5 times.

Proper alternation of work and rest

You need to go to bed a few hours before midnight (24 hours). This makes it easier to get up early, allowing you to make the most of daylight hours. If you feel drowsy during the day, you should give in to it. Drowsiness most often occurs in the afternoon - from 13 to 15 hours. During this period, it is better to take a little nap.

Use of drugs

If you have difficulty falling asleep at 10-11 p.m., taking a course of Melaxen tablets helps. The adaptogen drug contains a synthetic analogue of melatonin. The medicine is intended to normalize biorhythms and physiological sleep.

In the morning you can take herbal adaptogen preparations: tinctures of aralia, eleutherococcus, ginseng, lemongrass. St. John's wort tincture and oil are antidepressants that help overcome winter melancholy and blues due to lack of light.

Additional lighting

If there is little sun in your area of ​​residence, then even short trips to more southern regions make up for the lack of insolation. Other methods are phototherapy or treatment with bright light from artificial sources.

Solariums work mainly in the UV range, but provide a different spectrum of radiation. This is enough for tanning, but not for vitamin D synthesis.

Special red light lamps and ultraviolet irradiators make up for the lack of sun in autumn and winter. Phototherapy is recommended for seasonal depression, for the prevention of other disorders caused by light deficiency.

Vitamin D 3 is not produced in the skin during the period of the year when the sun's altitude above the horizon is below 50°C. At the latitude of Moscow this time is from the end of August to the end of April. If spring and summer are cloudy and rainy, then the skin does not receive enough light. Walking more on sunny days is beneficial for everyone, but for fair-skinned people it is enough to expose their hands and face to the sun without sunscreen for 15–20 minutes a day.

Going outside and enjoying the warm rays is a pleasant and healthy activity. Just remember that everything is good in moderation. Simple folk wisdom is true when it comes to tanning. American researchers have established the effect of excess ultraviolet radiation on the appearance of carcinogens that damage the DNA structure. Doctors consider long-term sun exposure to be the main cause of skin cancer.

Essential vitamins

The lack of insolation for the formation of cholecalciferol in the skin is supplemented by taking vitamin preparations. If a child was born in the autumn-winter period, then symptoms of hypovitaminosis D may appear. Aquadetrim drops are prescribed from infancy for treatment and prevention. The requirement for vitamin D 3 in children under 12 months is 400 IU (international units), 10 mcg/day.

A child over 1 year old and an adult need to receive 600–1000 IU of vitamin D during the cold months of the year. Vitamin D 3 Bon oil solution, D 3,600 IU capsules, dragees and Ergocalciferol drops are taken orally for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. If you have a deficiency of sun, you can take multivitamin complexes Duovit for women and men, Doppelhertz Active Calcium + D 3.

How to eat when there is not enough sun?

Vitamin D, antioxidants and minerals to combat the effects of sun deficiency can be replenished with foods. You should include more fatty fish in your diet. Salmon is especially rich in vitamin D and omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. The latter compounds are important for heart and vascular health.

100 g of fatty fish contains vitamin D from 200 to 400 IU, that is, the amount is close to a child’s daily requirement. Against this background, the indicators of egg yolks look much more “modest” - from 30 to 60 IU, liver - up to 50 IU, butter - about 35 (per 100 g of product).

An analogue of the hormone serotonin, which is not produced when there is insufficient lighting, is included in natural chocolate, bananas, apples, and pineapple.

Macro- and microelements, flavonoids and vitamins from other fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, legumes, and milk are beneficial for the body. Recently, dairy products fortified with vitamin D have been widely available on store shelves. The fact is that the deficiency of this active substance causes the greatest concern among doctors. Experts say that in temperate and northern latitudes, every second person receives only 50% of vitamin D.

You should rationally use the priceless natural gift - sunlight. Science does not yet provide an exact answer to the question of what level of insolation will bring more benefits with minimal harm to the skin.

Without enough light, skin regeneration worsens, hair becomes dull and falls out. Immunity decreases, loss of strength and depression plague. Time spent in the fresh air, physical activity, and proper nutrition are needed for the synthesis of vitamin D and serotonin, which have a significant impact on metabolism, mood and appearance.

If there is a lack of sun, you need to eat sea fish, dark chocolate, fruits, take vitamin D, adaptogens and antioxidants, get enough sleep and rest.

Hello dear readers! Sunlight - what does it mean for humans. Scientists call it that - the beginning of life. More than a century ago, the first studies of sunlight were carried out.

From the article you will find out who or what is capable of absorbing solar energy. Due to which our internal organs are saturated with it. What the sun's rays can do. What diseases does sunlight help treat?

Why walking in sunlight is beneficial and for how long. What vitamin can be produced in our body thanks to this gift of God. Skin and sunlight, his and her actions.

sunlight

Sunlight, and light in general, is the beginning of life. Chlorophyll, which is the green pigment in plant leaves, absorbs solar energy. It accumulates in the form of glucose.

Sunlight creates oxygen and carbon dioxide. It is a source that nourishes our body and supplies it with vital energy. The sun's rays kill microorganisms and prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

The fact that sunlight kills microbes was discovered back in 1877 by scientists Downes and Blunt. They discovered this by accident when they saw that bacteria that were in the shade continued to multiply, and those that were exposed to sunlight stopped growing.

Sunlight treatment helps get rid of most infectious diseases. It also helps in the treatment of pneumonia, sore throat, fever, etc. Sunlight is able to produce vitamin D in our body through its action on the skin.

Energy from sunlight

What the energy of sunlight can do. Is it good for our health? Scientists have come to a very important conclusion regarding the energy of sunlight. It is directly related to improving human health.

How sunlight energy helps our health:

• stimulating the activity of the immune system increases immunity
• Helps with a variety of skin diseases
• Sunlight is an excellent disinfectant
• after pneumonia, tuberculosis and bronchitis, the sun's rays acting on the back or chest help restore

respiratory system

• the sun cleanses the blood and fills it with oxygen
• Moderate exposure to the sun will help treat arthritis

Walking on sunshine

Scientists from Oxford claim that the benefits of sunlight for our health outweigh the harmful effects. Walking in sunlight regulates sleep, improves mood and increases productivity.

For people engaged in mental work, Neuroscientist R. Foster recommends placing their workplace near a window, especially on a bright sunny day. This will double a person's attention.

Artificial light does not create such a positive effect. Our scientists also suggest making the most of the daylight hours and taking frequent walks in the sunlight.

Sunlight deficiency

How to make up for the lack of sunlight:

Tip #1. Walk more during daylight hours. It is enough to expose your face and hands to sunlight for ten to fifteen minutes twice a week to gain the “solar” norm for the necessary normal existence.

Tip #2. Keep window glass clean and remove tall flowers from window sills. This way you will let in and replenish the lack of sunlight in your home.

Tip #3. There must be a sufficient supply of vitamin D in the body. Your body will receive this vitamin through food. The main assistant in this is fatty fish. There is a lot of vitamin D in Salmon and Omega-3 which is rich in fatty acids. They support heart health and suppress inflammation. In order for vitamin D to be absorbed, do not allow a deficiency of sunlight. Be sure to take a walk so that it can be absorbed.

Lack of sunlight

What does lack of sunlight affect?

• for the mood
• on hair growth and skin regeneration
• for performance
• on the immune system
• hormonal balance
• on the cardiovascular system

What will help neutralize the negative consequences:

• good sleep
• Walking in the sunshine
• sports
• food that should contain fish, fruits and dark chocolate

With a lack of sunlight, not only people suffer, but also all living things. Light starvation sets in. When this happens in winter, the skin itches and peels. Also, most often it is in winter that a larger number of holes appear in the teeth.

What are the dangers of lack of sunlight?

Walking in the fresh air in the sunshine can save your life. Scientists have found that lack of sunlight can cause pancreatic cancer.

People who live in places with frequent heavy clouds suffer from a lack of vitamin D in their bodies. Lack of ultraviolet radiation is very dangerous for people who have pancreatic cancer.

If you increase your intake of vitamin D in your body, you will not only provide effective prevention, but may also have therapeutic effects. Why is a lack of sunlight dangerous for people suffering from heart disease?

One in ten people risk their lives because lack of sunlight increases the risk of cancer and heart disease.

To ensure that you have enough vitamin D in your body at any time of the year, eat fatty fish and dairy products at least two or three times a week. Why dairy products? They contain a lot of calcium, and calcium, as well as active movement, help the body absorb vitamin D.

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Be healthy and happy.

Video about the benefits and harms of sunlight

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 of the Scientific Center for Balneology and Rehabilitation of the 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, Head of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Fundamentals of Health at the National State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Health. 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

6 678

Do you feel tired more often in autumn? Are you having (even more) difficulty getting up in the morning? Are you depressed and often catch colds? When the seasons change, many of us complain of not feeling well. This condition is often explained by... lack of sunlight. We suffer not only from an excess of sunlight, but also from a lack of it. Why?

The sun regulates biochemical processes in the body. The sun is not active enough in the fall, and without ultraviolet radiation the reaction leading to the synthesis of vitamin D is impossible. This vitamin affects the immune system and mood. In addition, vitamin D improves the body's sensitivity to magnesium, the deficiency of which leads to deterioration in physical condition, insomnia and increased anxiety. People who complain of fatigue and autumn depression most often actually suffer from a lack of vitamin D.

What to do? Vitamin D levels can be partially replenished through animal products. “Vitamin D refers to vitamins that can be both synthesized in our body and stored externally. In any case, even if we actively spent the summer in the sun, the reserves may only last until mid-winter. Therefore, vitamin D must come from food, explains Sergei Sergeev, nutritionist, member of the Russian Society of Medical Elementology. – Its main source is fatty fish, more precisely, fish oil, cod liver. Other sources of this vitamin include meat, egg yolk, and milk.” Natalya Fadeeva, endocrinologist-nutritionist, doctor at the MEDEP Center for Family Dietetics, also advises including sea fish with vegetables in your daily diet, as well as foods containing large amounts of calcium: sesame seeds, cheese, cottage cheese, fermented milk products.

Read also

Vitamin D can also be taken in gelatin capsules, but you need to be careful here. “Under no circumstances prescribe the drug to yourself. Recently, cases of hypervitaminosis have become more frequent due to the irrational use of concentrated vitamin solutions. Remember that you can only take such drugs on the recommendation of a doctor,” warns Natalya Fadeeva.

The sun determines the rhythm of our life. Sunlight affects the chemical balance in the body, which affects our behavior. Psychiatrist David Servan-Schreiber wrote: “Light determines most of the vital instincts, such as hunger and sexual appetite, and even the desire to explore everything new and unknown.”* In addition, light reduces the level of the hormone melatonin, which regulates the sleep/wake rhythm. “During the period when darkness and twilight prevail over sunny days, melatonin synthesis may be disrupted, and people often complain of drowsiness, apathy, even depression,” says Natalya Kruglova, nutritionist, member of the National Association of Dietetics and Nutritionists. “The fact is that without sufficient lighting, melatonin is not able to transform into the neurotransmitter - serotonin, which is responsible for many functions in the body, including our mood and activity.”

What to do? To compensate for the lack of serotonin, include in your diet foods rich in tryptophan (the amino acid from which serotonin is formed) - dates, bananas, figs, dairy products, dark chocolate.

The sun is the source of vitality. According to experts, in the fall, about 3–8% of the population of northern countries suffer from so-called seasonal depression. Women are especially susceptible to it. Signs of autumn depression include chronic fatigue and drowsiness, problems concentrating, decreased libido, and hypersomnia.

What to do? The required level of sunlight can be achieved using artificial lighting. There are, for example, full-spectrum lamps - the radiation distribution curve in them is as close as possible to sunlight, as is the color rendering index. To make waking up more comfortable, special dawn simulators have also been created, often built into alarm clocks. They gradually increase brightness over the course of an hour, simulating sunlight and helping to wake up. You can buy these devices in many online stores (for example, wellness-shop.by, nikkenrus.com, etc.). However, you should prepare in advance for the fact that their price will be relatively high.

Another way to combat autumn depression is luminotherapy. Exposure to broad-spectrum artificial light with a power of 10,000 lux**, which imitates natural sunlight, can combat psycho-emotional disorders caused by lack of sun in autumn and winter. The duration of the session depends on the power of the beam flow, but on average it is 20 minutes. “In Russia, unfortunately, this type of therapy is not yet widespread enough. There are several types of lamps that are used for various procedures - for example, the treatment of seasonal affective disorder, cosmetic procedures. However, the duration of the course and the type of lamp must be determined by a specialist, who must also carefully monitor the dynamics of therapy and the patient’s reaction,” says Ekaterina Markova, psychologist, specialist in socio-psychological issues at the MEDSI International Clinic.

Despite the bad weather, don't give up walking! Physical activity helps combat the symptoms of autumn depression. Regular walks in the fresh air for at least one hour a day will help you quickly get in good shape. “On sunny days, you need to stay in the fresh air as much as possible so that the sunlight hits your face. This is especially true for those who received little sunlight in the summer, spending the entire daylight hours indoors at work or at home, advises Natalya Fadeeva. – For those who have seen little sun in the summer and do not have the opportunity to travel to the south in winter, a visit to the solarium once a month for 5 minutes will be sufficient. Before visiting a solarium, it is recommended to consult a doctor, as there may be individual contraindications.”

*David Servan-Schreiber, “Guerir le stress, l"anxiete et la derpession sans medicaments ni psychanalyse,” P., 2003.

** Lux – unit of illumination

An unconditional factor ensuring the maintenance of life on the planet is sunlight. Despite the fact that the Sun is very far from the Earth (as much as 149 million kilometers!), the surface of our planet receives enough solar energy for life, including infrared and ultraviolet radiation, which the human eye is unable to see. Only half of one billionth of all solar radiation reaches the Earth, however, the Sun is the main source of energy for all natural processes that exist on the globe. The entire biosphere exists only thanks to sunlight.

Research conducted over ten years by scientists from the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle has proven that not only the absence, but simply the lack of sun has a negative effect on humans. Thanks to sunlight, the human body produces serotonin, a hormone responsible for a large number of physical processes. This hormone is also called the joy hormone. Lack of serotonin causes winter depression. When people wake up in the dark in winter, go to work in the dark and return with the street lights already on, their body does not receive an insufficient amount of energy necessary for active life. The result is discomfort, depression, health problems and even a slowdown in brain activity.

Science Daily published records of researchers studying the influence of the environment on humans. They collected weather data from NASA satellites to measure sunlight exposure across the United States. A team of researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found a direct correlation between low exposure to sunlight and an increase in the number of people with depression. And among depressed people there was a high percentage of those who had cognitive impairment.

Scientists from a research group at the University of Washington have found that when there is a lack of sunlight, problems with the joints or lymphatic system occur. The lack of vitamins A and D, which the sun gives us, leads to insufficient calcium production, which, in turn, makes our bones fragile: just tripping and falling can cause many fractures. Israeli scientists from a medical clinic in Tel Aviv analyzed data from 51 thousand people over 50 years of age and came to the conclusion that walking in the sun protects better against fractures than taking calcium.

Researchers from the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem have proven that in Greenland and Finland, with the onset of the polar night, the ovulation process completely stops in women. On the contrary, in the spring, with the return of a long photoperiod, the activity of the ovaries is significantly activated. This is also proven by the fact that more twins are born in these countries than in any other place in the world. Moreover, not only in polar countries, but in any other spring, women’s chance of getting pregnant increases sharply. Israeli scientists came to this conclusion based on a re-examination of more than 600 cases of infertility treatment.

In winter we sleep much more than in summer. And this is also connected with sunlight. In studies of the functions of the pineal gland in the human body, scientists have found that this small gland produces melatonin, which plays an important role in maintaining human biorhythms. At night, the level of melatonin in the blood increases sharply. The pineal gland increases it under the influence of the hypothalamus, which transmits information about how much sunlight falls on the retina. Less light means more melatonin and, accordingly, lower activity and better sleep.

In 2009, a symposium was held in Rotterdam to study the effects of sunlight on humans. Representatives from 22 countries (scientists, doctors, architects, teachers) presented the results of their research in this area. The main conclusion was about the unconditional influence of light on the physical, physiological and psychological state of people. Thus, American scientists have proven that the lack of sunlight in offices and shops directly affects decreased productivity. Schoolchildren living in apartments with windows facing north, as a rule, have a more difficult time studying. On the contrary, students in schools whose classrooms are located on the sunny side learn the material much more successfully.

By the way, Israeli scientists, in studies published in the journal JAMA, also argue that nothing can replace calcium obtained through solar exposure.