The sun has a number of important effects on the human body. Most of these have to do with the UV radiation in sunlight. The problem with this is that humans have no sense of UV radiation. You can't see them and you can't feel them directly (the part of the sun's radiation that you feel is infrared radiation). The most well-known effects are certainly skin cancer and sunburn. But that is by far not all. In addition, research is still in the process of understanding and quantifying some of the effects. The links below will allow you to learn more about these topics.
- Skin cancer: White skin cancer and black skin cancer are probably the most serious consequences of UV radiation. Every 3rd new case of cancer is skin cancer and affects millions of people every year.
- Sunburn: Probably the most well-known short-term consequence of UVB radiation is sunburn. He's anything but harmless.
- Vitamin D production: UV radiation is the only way the body can produce vitamin D without supplements. Vitamin D deficiency can have serious consequences and is widespread (an estimated 50% of the European population does not have enough vitamin D).
- Eye damage: The eyes are also damaged by UV radiation. Cataracts, for example, can be a result of this.
- Serotonin production: Sunlight causes the body to produce serotonin (known as the happiness hormone). Serotonin deficiency is associated with poor well-being and depression.
With the research program and the data from sun-a-wear, we contribute to a better understanding of the effects of UV radiation on the body. You can find more information about this in the article sun-a-wear and UV research.
