my friend ann says that sitting in her solarium really helps with her lyme. says it's the sunshine.
is that true?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Absolutely. Positively. Without a doubt. -
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
so what does it do?? should have asked that first, sorry. putting cart before horse..
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Sunlight stimulates vitamin D production, which is good for the immune system.
Better to sit outside, but if you're in the north, that's difficult.
Posted by joalo (Member # 12752) on :
Sunshine on my bare skin seems to help me with depression.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Google search: "Benefits of sunlight" and you'll find lots of good reading. -
Posted by Curley911 (Member # 2205) on :
I'm not an authority on the topic but I have heard pretty consistently that 10 min a day is all you need for vit. D.
Obviously you have to be careful to avoid skin cancer but as a lymie I take doxy which can make us sun sensitive. Personally I am lucky that I don't burn even after hours in the sun.
I have a killer tan in the summer just from walking my dog twice a day. It's kindof fun because everyone compliments me and I know my secret :-)
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- The light coming into your eyes can be much longer than for the time it is okay for your skin.
If fact, if daylight hits the eyes very first thing in the morning for 20 minutes (you don't have to even be in the sun - and the sun should not be directly in your eyes at all) but for the day light to be in your eyes, no glasses, no contacts, no sunglass, no windows . . . lots of good things happen in the brain and for the immune system.
This is also a treatment to lift mood and reset the circadian rhythm that tells you to go to bed at a reasonable time at night. -
[ 11-22-2009, 01:10 AM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by JR (Member # 16898) on :
Keebler beat me to it on both count- Vit. D and Sleep Cycle and Depression. Three counts I guess. My LLMD would not prescribe Doxy in summer so patients could get some benefits from the sun, and not risk the easy sunburn side effect.
Posted by kareamber (Member # 20110) on :
YES! It helps me! I'm not shown to have a Vit D defiecincy, but I feel better in the heat and sun.
It's horrible right now, cause we are stationed in England, and in the winter there is very little sunshine.
Went to Spain for vacation this summer, and that week I felt the best I've felt in months. All that sunbathing was fabulous and helped.
Posted by catskillmamala (Member # 12536) on :
I have been running outside from work to soak up 10 minutes of sun whenever there's a gap in the cloud-cover. Hey, smokers take breaks, I take Vitamin D breaks. And- my last two blood tests showed Vit D right in range, rather than abyssmally low (of course that's after 2 years lyme and babs tx).
Sun feels good, improves mood, and helps immune system
Posted by Gahagan (Member # 21194) on :
To hop on Curley's comment...
My doctor strongly warned me about sun exposure while taking doxy. Protect the skin AND EYES from burn; doxy increases your sun sensitivity.
That said, I agree the sun helps the mood, even if it is just a placebo affect.
Posted by JR (Member # 16898) on :
The glare of the computer does not have the same effect as sunlight-just wanted all you night owls to know that. In fact, it has the opposite effect-and can really screw up your sleep cycle, ruin your eyes and your wrists and your relationships and your ability to participate in real life.
Posted by B4LYME (Member # 23222) on :
All I know is that I did MUCH better in August when I was outside for 4 or 5 hours a day.
The heat and sun I think made the little lyme buggers go hide. They came back in force tho this fall. Yuck
B4
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- JR has an excellent point about light in the eyes late at night - or even much after 9 pm, really. That is the hardest part of self-care for me.
As for winter and it being cold, even in winter, bundle up and open a window or step out first thing in the morning. Closing off a small room and sitting by an open window for a while can be very helpful. Breathing exercises or simple stretching (even reading) can be done as long as the eyes are near the screen and daylight gets to them.
It's better to be outside, though, but at least an open screened window is better than nothing.
Remember, no glass or anything else should be between the surface of the eye and daylight for that first 20 minutes - not even contact lenses. That part really matters. -