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Are your sunglasses making your sunburn worse?

skincare sun vitamin d
Are your sunglasses making your sunburn worse?

When your eyes are exposed to full spectrum sunlight, your brain receives messages to begin creating a variety of hormones, including melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), which produces melanin.

The more melanin you produce, the darker your skin gets, protecting you against UV damage.

Exposure to sunlight triggers the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is your body's master clock. It sets the tone for our Circadian Rhythm, which is your natural and internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle every 24 hours.

*Exposure to sunlight also triggers the brain to produce other protective hormones, like:

Vitamin D, the hormone most synonymous with the sun. Vitamin D supports immune function and sufficient levels are associated with healthy bones, better fertility, blood sugar regulation, and other things.

Melatonin, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It supports the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant that protects against nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage.

When you wear sunglasses, your eyes cannot detect the sun to then start sending messages to the brain to produce protective hormones like melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). Your body produces less melanin and instead of skin darkening, it starts to turn red due to the UV damage.

*Of course this post isn't advocating for no sun protection. We don't want cataracts. But we can:

~Wear a hat to provide shade, which still allows the eyes to detect sunlight and trigger a response.

~It's safe to sungaze within 1 hour of sunrise and within 1 hour of sunset, when UV levels are at zero.

~Wear UV-protective sunglasses when needed.

Do you get sunburned more when you wear sunglasses? Comment below!

Learn more on episode 8 of The Innate Wisdom Podcast with Jim Stephenson, Vitamin D researcher. And learn more about light and hormones for pregnancy in my pregnancy prep eCourse, Conscious Conception, relaunching this spring/summer. Get on the waitlist here to not miss any updates!

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Not medical advice.

References:

Artemis, N. (2018). Renegade Beauty. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Brenner, M. Hearing, V.J. (2009). The Protective Role of Melanin Against UV Damage in Human Skin. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671032/.

Gomes, C. Preto, S. (2018). Should an Artificial Window Substitute a Natural One?. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Circadian-rhythm-Hormones-12_fig2_318156888.

Legg, T.J. Nall, R. (2019). What Are the Benefits of Sunlight?. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight.

Mead, N.M. (2018). Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290997/.

Syed, A. (2020). Wearing sunglasses may cause your skin to get sunburns. Retrieved from: https://technobyte.org/wearing-sunglasses-causes-sunburns/.

Tolman, T. How Wearing Sunglasses Can Make You Sunburnt. Retrieved from: https://www.tylertolman.com/how-wearing-sunglasses-can-make-you-sunburnt/.

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.