During the summer, many people love to sit in the sun and tan. Sitting in the sun carries both risks and benefits. Everybody needs to take caution while baking their skin for hours, because a glowing tan is not the only thing that comes from being in direct sunlight.

To start off on a good note, here are some of the benefits of sun exposure:

1. Improved brain function

Studies have shown that sunlight can help nerve growth in important areas of the brain.

2. Improved bone health

While sitting in the sun, your vitamin D levels rise, regulating calcium absorption. Higher levels of vitamin D decrease the risk of bone fracture.

3. Better sleep quality

Sunlight hitting your eyes produces melatonin, a chemical that induces sleep.

4. Healing of some skin disorders

The dryness that comes from being in the sun may not sound like a good thing, but it definitely helps with clearing acne. Fungal infections can also be helped.

5. Enhanced immune system

White blood cells are increased with sunlight, which fight diseases and help the body fight infection.

Now, here are some negatives:

1. The obvious, sunburn

Sunburn is never pleasant.

2. Sun poisoning

A step up from sunburn, causing a lot of pain and could actually give you a fever, nausea, etc.

3. Skin cancer

Skin cancer is seen as the most common cancer, and it can be avoided by sun damage prevention.

4. Heat stroke

When your body loses a lot of water and cannot cool itself, you may experience sweating, fatigue, nausea and headache, which are all signs of heat stroke.

5. Melanoma

This type of skin cancer spreads more easily throughout the body than other types and is more difficult to treat.

6. Wrinkles/Aged Skin

High UV indexes can cause premature wrinkling and older-looking skin.

All in all, the sun has both positive and negative impacts. As long as daily sunburn and extreme sun poisoning are avoided, the sun has a lot of good effects. Enjoy the summer sun while you can.