Mental health and being outside

YES! Vitamin D is in many fortified food products however we can also get it into our body through our skin and the sun! This vitamin is integral for many bodily functions such as assisting the body to absorb calcium. 

But did you know that vitamin D is also produced in our body when our skin is exposed to UVB radiation from the sun. This could be why vitamin D is known and called the sunshine vitamin. 

So when you go outside in the sun, an active form of vitamin D plays a role in the make up of dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Disturbances of dopamine and norepinephrine have been found to play a major role in depression therefore by spending time outside you are creating more feel-good hormones! There is still a ton of research occurring about depression and vitamin D but if you find that your mental health benefits from being in the sun, keep on doing your thing! 

Connect with Safe and Sound Therapeutics to find out more about depression.