How to Get a Healthy Dose of Sunshine

Spending some time in the sun everyday is good for your physical and mental health, according to Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy. Not only does sunshine serve as a good source of Vitamin D, which is a necessary nutrient that abets your bones and immune system, but it also can make you feel happier. To soak up a healthy dose of the sun's rays, make sure that you do so safely. It's important that you don't let yourself become sunburned, as sunburns and the absence of protective sunscreen can cause skin cancer.

Things You'll Need

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Wide-brim hat

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Instructions

• 1

  Expose yourself to the sunshine outdoors. Go outside for a walk, run, bicycle ride, sit outside while you eat or lie on a chaise and let the sunshine penetrate your skin. Only allow yourself to develop a pink hue and never a burn.

• 2

  Break up your day so that you don't spend the entire day indoors. Or, plan your sunshine exposure around your schedule. Perhaps you spend some time outdoors in the morning doing your sun salutations, taking your dog on a walk or watering your garden, and then try again in the evening before the sun goes down.

• 3

  Give yourself a few moments in the sun without sunblock. While sunblock is essential for protecting your skin against sunburns, it also blocks the essential Vitamin D nutrients from absorbing into your skin. Use sunscreen if you plan on being outside in the sun for long periods of time.

• 4

  Drink water and stay hydrated when outdoors in the sunshine. Even if you don't feel thirsty, it's important to hydrate because dehydration can set in when you didn't even realize you needed water.

• 5

  Know your sunshine limits. If you begin to feel overheated or as though your skin is becoming too hot, you could be on the verge of a sunburn or even heat stroke.