Sunbathing is the activity of sitting or lying in the sun, usually with an intent to tan. It can not only make your skin look darker but also benefit our health and well-being. However, when it's not done properly, it can lead to skin damage and even cancer.

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Sunbathing Benefits

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Sunbathing leads to the production of vitamin D in your body. It's an essential substance we need for several functions. For example, it helps us absorb calcium making our bones stronger which can prevent the development of osteoporosis and arthritis in older age. Vitamin D can improve our immune system and help us fight off some illnesses like heart disease, muscle sclerosis, the flu, and certain autoimmune diseases and cancer. 

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Sunbathing can positively influence your mental well-being. Sunlight leads to the release of serotonin in your brain, which boosts your mood, making you more relaxed and even reducing some symptoms of depression. 

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Sunlight also helps regulate the circadian rhythm. When the sun goes down, you become drowsy. Exposure to sunlight can promote better sleeping, as well.[1]

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Is Sunbathing Bad for You?

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The sunlight consists of visible and invisible light. On one end of the sunlight spectrum lies the invisible ultraviolet (UV) light. It is divided into UVB light which reaches only superficial layers of skin, and UVA, which goes deeper. Both of them can cause damage to the skin cells. 

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Excessive sun exposure leads to sunburns and even blistering. It also influences skin aging, making it less elastic, thickened, leathery, wrinkled, or thinned. 

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Furthermore, UV light can cause some DNA damage in skin cells. Usually, our body has ways to repair this damage, but as you get older, this process may become insufficient, leading to the accumulation of DNA damage. This damage can then lead to changes inside the skin cells, making them grow uncontrollably. Those cells can make up a tumor, either benign or malignant. If it is malignant, we call it skin cancer - the most common cancer worldwide.[2]

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Skin is not the only organ that can be damaged by the sun. Prolonged sun exposure can also damage your eyes, causing cataracts and macular degeneration, a form of progressive eye disease which can blur your central vision. 

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Furthermore, spending too much time in the sun can lead to a heat stroke. It happens when your body fails to control its core temperature and can be even life-threatening. It is always important to hydrate and not overexpose yourself to direct sunlight and intense summer heat.

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Some people are genetically more susceptible to serious health consequences such as melanoma, a type of skin cancer. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, about 10% of melanomas are caused by a gene mutation passed down from one generation to another. Cumulative sun exposure can cause various types of skin cancer. Episodes of severe sunburns before age 18 can cause melanoma later in life. It is essential to avoid sunburns through the use of a combination of sunscreen, headwear, and enough time to rest in the shade. 

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How Long Can You Sunbathe? 

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You can sunbathe without sunscreen for around 15 min each day. Getting 5-15 min of sunlight on your arms, face, and other parts of the body, 2-3 times a week, is enough for sufficient vitamin D production.

The exposure time varies depending on where you live, air quality, and your skin type. People in countries closer to the tropical areas near the equator are significantly more exposed to UV rays than those in temperate or colder regions. Poor air quality can block some UV rays, but the ozone layer's thinning enables more UV to penetrate the earth's atmosphere. 

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The skin phototype also plays a significant role. There are six phototypes, ranging from very fair skin to dark brown. People with light skin tend to get sunburns more quickly and are more prone to developing skin cancer. 

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If you want to spend more time in the sun, you should use some protection in the form of sunscreen. 

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Can Sunbathing Harm an Unborn Baby?

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Sunbathing carries the same risks as sunburns and skin cancer for pregnant women. It is easier to get dehydrated when pregnant, so you should drink a lot of water if you spend a lot of time in the sun. Excessive heat can harm the unborn baby, so taking breaks in the shadow is important. Although vitamin D is essential in pregnancy, women are recommended to take vitamin supplements rather than spending too much time in the sun. 

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Can Children Sunbathe? 

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Children are much more susceptible to sunlight. 80% of lifetime sun exposure happens before the age of 18. If a child gets sunburns with blisters, it dramatically increases their chance of skin cancer later in adulthood. 

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Babies younger than six months should be kept out of the sun. They should wear protective clothes to limit their sun exposure if they are outdoors. You should consult your pediatrician before using sunscreen on a baby since their skin is more sensitive. 

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Kids over six months should always wear sunscreen when playing outside. Wearing a hat can also protect them from a heat stroke. 

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Sunbathing Tips and Precautions

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There are ways to make sunbathing safe. You should follow these tips to get only the benefits of sunlight and avoid the risks. [3,4]

• Use sunscreen with SPF30 at least - it protects your skin from sunburns and the damaging effect of UV lights, preventing the development of cancer. 

(SPF - sun protection factor, the SPF30 means that it will take you 30 times as long to get a sunburn as it would if you had no sunscreen on) 

Don't forget to use sunscreen on your entire exposed body, including the top of your head, if it's not protected from the sun by headwear. Around one shot glass of sunscreen is enough to cover the whole body. Don't forget to reapply it every 2-3 hours and anytime after water exposure, such as when swimming or bathing.

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You should choose sunscreens containing the following substances that protect the skin from both UVB and UVA rays. 

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• Benzophenones (oxybenzone)
• Cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate)
• Sulisobenzones, salicylates, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and avobenzone. 

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Furthermore, follow this advice to prevent health complications when sunbathing.

• Wear protective clothing. A hat can protect your scalp and prevent a heat stroke. Some special garments with UPF (UV protection factor) are available nowadays. But feel free to wear clothes from your wardrobe. Clothes made of unbleached cotton, high-luster polyesters, and thin, satiny silk can absorb or reflect UV radiation. This prevents UV rays from reaching your body. In case you wear some protective clothing, sunscreen is not needed. 
• Wear sunglasses to prevent eye damage. Choose sunglasses with at least UV protection 400. 
• Taking breaks in the shadow and keeping hydrated can prevent heat shock and dehydration. 
• Eat tomatoes, which contain large amount of lycopene, that helps to prevent skin redness from UV rays. [5]
• If you get sunburns, cool the skin, apply a moisturizer and keep hydrated.

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Alternatives to Sunbathing

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As mentioned before, sunbathing makes you tan and promotes vitamin D production in your body. But if you don't enjoy lying in the sun but still want to get these effects, there are some alternatives for you. 

• Sunless tanning: don't use the tanning beds! They are dangerous for your skin and usually don't use any UVB light, so they don't cause the production of vitamin D. Lotions, sprays, or creams are the best choice for sunless tanning. They contain the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which safely coats dead skin cells with pigment. The tint disappears when the cells are either washed off or sloughed off.
• Around 1 million people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency, but sunlight isn't its only source. You can eat foods rich in vitamin D like oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks, and some fortified foods. It is also available as a supplement in the form of tablets or liquid drops. 

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