17 January 2022
Sunshine is the ultimate pick-me-up for millions of people as it boosts levels of serotonin, the body’s natural happy hormone. It also helps the heart, eases joint pain and lowers the risk of some cancers. It also helps us live longer
For the millions of people who cite improved health for theirreasons for retiring to the Caribbean sunshine, the climate is a major USP. Year-round golden sunshine ensures lazy summers and mild winters and keeps the pace easy and slow. Sunlight helps our bodies produce vitamin D which maintains calcium and prevents brittle, thin, or misshapen bones. It also boosts the heart, alleviates aches and pains, and helps our bodies ward off certain cancers - so for a healthyretirement, a home in the sun may be just what the doctor ordered!
Rise and shine
Being woken up gradually by the sun’s natural light switches off melatonin, the hormone that stimulates sleep. This improves your energy and mood without the “fight or flight” stress of an alarm clock forcing you awake. You’ll wake up at your own pace and benefit all day from a calmer, clearer mind.
Mood booster
Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin, the body’s natural happy hormone. Just five minutes of sunshine is enough to make you feel less stressed, according to research published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal – imagine how the day-long sunshine in The Caribbean could make you feel?!
Memory enhancer
The high level of vitamin D in the bloodstream can boost memory and protect against dementia, according to studies in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Sunshine boost our vitamin D levels, improving memory and speeding up our ability to process information.
Eases aches and pains
Being out in the sun helps to warm the body’s muscles and eases stiffness, reducing the pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Millions of retirees abroad cite sunshine as a major health boost as they experience less joint pain and muscle pension thanks to the warm, health-giving properties of day-long sunshine.
Keeps a body leaner
Morning sunshine can help lower body fat, according to scientists. As the most potent agent in synchronizing a person’s body clock, light regulars the circadian rhythms which, in turn, also regulate energy balance, says Dr Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Not getting sufficient light can muddle your internal body clock, altering the metabolism and causing weight gain. Serotonin can also act as a natural appetite suppressant for some people.
Boosts longevity
Sunshine contributes to longevity, especially when combined with a healthy diet based on natural ingredients free of preservatives and processing. In The Caribbean, fruits and vegetables are found in abundance with seafood, rice and locally-grown fresh produce the mainstay of most diets.
