by Hope Darby

Created on: July 24, 2008

We all know the dangers of over-exposure to the UV rays emanating from the sun. The sunscreen industry has boomed in the last ten years, thanks to the sun-wary education of the masses. More and more, people are slathering on high-SPF creams, wearing UV-blocking sunglasses, and avoiding the sun entirely. Unfortunately, this over-protection prevents our bodies from being able to carry out basic functions that not only improve our quality of life, but also prevent disease.

There are two byproducts of sunlight that are intrinsic to our body's defense system: melatonin and Vitamin D. These two components serve very vital roles, and cannot be easily reproduced by non-sun-related means. Let's take a look at the benefits brought on by melatonin and Vitamin D production. We'll start with melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced in most animals and some plants. It serves a variety of functions. It regulates sleep, provides powerful antioxidant activity which leads to longer-lasting youthfulness (especially in regards to the skin), enhances the immune system, and has been studied for the treatment of cancer (especially breast cancer), immune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), circadian rhythm sleep disorders and sexual dysfunction. It is commonly used to help treat Alzheimer's disease, ADHD, migraines, and seasonal affective disorder (a type of depression). A deficit of melatonin causes premature aging, insomnia or frequent waking, fatigue, and has been linked to chronic prostate problems in men, and endometriosis, PMS, fibroids, and fibrocystic breasts in women.

Melatonin is commonly sold over-the-counter, but the best way to increase your melatonin levels is by understanding how it is produced. The pineal gland is the primary source of the melatonin in your body. This gland is stimulated by darkness, which causes melatonin to often be referred to as "The Dark Hormone." It is, therefore, paradoxical that sunlight exposure assists in proper melatonin production. The reason for this is, if the body receives at least 15 minutes of direct sunlight per day, the pineal gland remains fully shut down during daylight hours. When darkness falls, the pineal gland revs up, and churns out melatonin. Just as the body needs rest in order to perform properly, the gland needs rest to produce at full capability.

Similarly, Vitamin D production is also increased by direct sun exposure. An incredibly important prohormone, Vitamin

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