You're Supposed To Be Addicted To Sunlight
The shocking mechanism behind our urge to tan and be outside
With all the discussion today about mental health, sunlight needs to be a serious and foundational part of the conversation.
There’s a strong reason why everybody (or at least I’d hope so) loves sunlight and sunbathing, regardless of the propaganda campaign against it.
This taps into a level of human biology that cannot be denied.
Evolution has biologically driven you to become addicted to sunlight.
I firmly believe it’s a necessary component to crushing anxiety and depression through the endogenous stimulation of something called beta-endorphin.
UV Light & Beta-Endorphin
This was a UV-exposure mouse model.
Dorsally shaved mice received a dose of 50 mJ/cm2 of UVB 5 days per week for 6 weeks ~ equal to 20–30 minutes of midday sun exposure in Florida during the summer for a fair-skinned person of average tanning ability.
After 1 week, significant elevations in circulating plasma beta endorphin were observed. Circulating β-endorphin levels remained elevated for the duration of the 6 week exposure regimen. They returned to baseline within 7 days of no UV exposure.
Beta-endorphin is a natural OPIOID peptide belonging to the class of compounds known as endorphins, it reduces pain and promotes a sense of well-being.
Think of runner’s high.
That’s the work of β-endorphin.
β-endorphin offers many benefits:
Pain relief
Mood enhancement
Stress reduction
Immune system support
Alleviates depression
Enhances pleasure
Reduces cravings
You get all of that and then some with more wise sunlight exposure and sunbathing.
When your skin is exposed to UV light, epidermal keratinocytes synthesize proopiomelanocortin (POMC).
POMC is a precursor protein that produces many biologically active peptides. One of them being β-endorphin that’s synthesized in the skin.
Without a doubt, we evolved to become addicted to sunlight.
It’s no surprise that the centralized researchers still can’t connect the fucking dots and still parrot the same narrative and fail to address the nuance.
They have also somehow started to view it as a pathology, referring to the word ‘addiction’ as if sunbathing is going to cause mass hysteria and societal collapse.
This is the level of stupidity involved when you worship a reductionist approach.
This article is short and sweet.
I want to drive home the power of sunlight exposure, and beta-endorphin is one of those beautiful pieces of evidence to lay forward.
Much love,
Zaid
Spot on, Zaid.
Others:
- Early am sunlight helps switch our circadian cycle epigenetics from night mode to day mode.
- More sun helps keep vitamin D and A in balance - by making more D and using up some A. Helps prevent excess active retinoids as vitamin A gets used with sun exposure.
- Our mitochondria can feel/sense the UV radiation that is the warmth of sunshine and they like us to move - any level of movement better than none.
- Sun exposure helps us to not get fat, with better appetite control - in a couple ways. POMC is one way and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) is another:
https://open.substack.com/pub/denutrients/p/binge-eating-and-phenylalanine-and?r=os7nw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web and https://open.substack.com/pub/denutrients/p/msh-regulator-of-appetite-and-weight?r=os7nw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web.
POMC, excerpt from a unpublished paper of mine:
Leptin activates TRPC1, 4-7 channels (Table 1, Kumar, Goswami, Goswami, 2013) which generate an action potential in T-type calcium channels which causes calcium influx and activation of Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. (Perissinotti, Martínez-Hernández, Piedras-Rentería, 2021) In normal health POMC neurons are activated during energy abundance leading to satiety signals and weight loss and are inhibited by lack of food energy. Reduced POMC activity is associated with increased appetite and obesity. (Rau, Hentges, 2019) POMC neurons may be regulated by signaling from leptin, insulin, and glucose. (Pinto et al., 2004; Parton et al., 2007; Belgardt et al., 2009; Dodd et al., 2018, as cited by (Rau, Hentges, 2019)
I haven’t worn sunglasses for a good six years, previously forced to wear them as ‘tinted safety eyewear’ on worksites. I haven’t used sunscreen either for 20+ years even though they ram it down your throat here in Australia at every opportunity. Last time I had sunburn was on site wearing sunglasses funny that eh!