Sun Exposure Benefits: Why Every Man Needs More Sun

Before you read: this article talks about raw butter and raw cream. Raw animal foods carry a risk of food poisoning. Buy from a farmer you trust, keep it fresh and make your own call.

The sun is pure life force energy.

It warms, heals and energises us.

Animals seek out patches of sunlight in the home. Flowers turn so they can absorb the sun.

Everything on this planet runs on it. The plants. The animals. The seasons. You.

Every ancient culture knew it. They built temples to the sun and timed their lives by it.

In the modern world, they want you scared of sunlight. They want you covered up in toxic chemicals, even when you’re indoors.

I treat the sun as fuel.

Here are the benefits of sun exposure, the best time to get it, and exactly how I build up my sun exposure.

What the sun does for you

The sun will:

• Give you energy. Nothing wakes a man up like the morning sun.
• Help your body make its hormones. Your body produces them when bare skin meets sunlight.
• Improve your muscle gain. A body in the sun builds.
• Speed up your recovery. Sunlight gets your blood flowing.
• Set your body clock. Morning light times your whole day, including your sleep.
• Lift your mood. Ten minutes in the sun and the fog clears.
• Give you a healthy tan. A tan looks healthy because it is a sign you live outside.
• Connect you to something bigger. Sit in the sunrise and try to stay stressed.

Light energy nourishes your body on a level far beyond what we can really comprehend.

Sun exposure and your hormones

This is where it starts.

Your body produces hormones in response to sunlight on your bare skin.

Three things matter:

• Skin has to be bare. The sun has to reach your skin.
• Glass blocks it. Your skin doesn’t make these hormones through a window.
• Your body knows when to stop. You can’t overdo it from sunshine. Your skin caps how much it makes.

So get outside, and get skin out.

Sun avoidance has it backwards

The message we all grew up with was simple. Avoid the sun.

It’s backwards.

A Swedish study followed 29,518 women for 20 years. The women who avoided the sun had roughly twice the death rate from all causes of the women with the most sun exposure. (Lindqvist et al., Journal of Internal Medicine, 2014)

The goal is plenty of sun, built up the right way.

Benefits of sun exposure for men

Energy and drive

The sun is the original energy source.

When I’m getting proper sun every day, I’m up early, I train hard and I want to build. When I’m stuck inside, all of that dims.

Muscle gain

The sun helps you build muscle.

A man who lives outside, moves outside and trains outside looks and feels different.

Blood flow and recovery

Sunlight improves your recovery.

When the sun hits your skin, the capillaries throughout your body are activated. Your blood vessels dilate. Blood moves.

That’s why a session in the sun after training feels so good.

Stronger bones

Sunlight permeates through your skin, all the way to your bones. It strengthens them. It even passes through your skull.

It’s a positive, healthy form of light that goes right through you.

Looks

Health maxing is looks maxing.

A tan, clear eyes and a body that lives outdoors are attractive to everyone, because they signal health.

Testosterone and your energy as a man

I put the sun at the centre of my testosterone protocol. Full detail in How to Increase Testosterone Naturally.

I also get sun on the parts of the body few men ever expose. I cover that inside Retention Mastery.

The best time for sun exposure

Look at the animals on the savannah.

They’re up at sunrise, out in the morning sun. They rest in the shade through the hottest part of the day. They come back out in the afternoon light. They sleep not long after sunset.

Copy them.

• Sunrise: Get outside and watch it. Light into your eyes, skin out.
• Morning: Your main sun session. Gentle light, long time out.
• Midday: The strongest sun. Short doses once your skin is built up. Shade when you’ve had enough.
• Afternoon: Back out as the light softens.
• Sunset: Watch it. It starts winding your body down for sleep.

Morning sun is the best place to start. It times your body clock and it’s the gentlest on your skin.

More on light timing in How to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm.

How to build up your sun exposure

1. Start where you are

If you’ve been inside all year, your skin isn’t ready for a full day at the beach.

Start with short sessions. Build up a little each day, based on how much sun you’ve had before.

Your skin will tell you. When it’s had enough, listen.

2. Use shade and clothing

When you’ve had your dose, move into the shade or cover up.

A light linen or cotton shirt and a hat do the job.

3. Get the sunrise and sunset in

I start and end my day in the sun’s gentle light. In my experience it prepares the skin for the stronger light in the middle of the day.

4. Eat clean

Since I cut out seed oils and other processed foods, as well as chemical skincare products, I can handle the strong Australian sun for as long as I want.

Many people I’ve spoken to over the years have experienced the same.

When your skin tissue is full of unstable, polyunsaturated, chemically processed fats like seed oils, they oxidise. That leads to unpleasant burning.

Increase your saturated fats. Beef. Butter. Coconut oil. Raw butter and raw cream if you can get them.

Saturated fat protects your skin, increases your testosterone, increases the amount of sun hormones your body can create and improves your tan.

Same with your skin products. Stop putting unstable chemical products on your skin, and your skin has a far better time in the heat of the sun.

5. Hydrate with minerals

Sun and sweat go together. Drink plenty of water, and add minerals to it. I use Aurum Ionic Liquid Magnesium.

Coconut water is great here too.

6. Care for your skin, before and after

Before: I put coconut oil on my body to moisturise. It has a natural SPF of roughly 5, so it smooths out the sun exposure.

After: aloe vera straight from the plant after a big day.

My own approach to sunscreen

I haven’t used sunscreen in about eight years.

When I aligned my circadian rhythm, ate healthy and got in the rhythm of nature, I became tolerant to sunlight wherever I go.

If I have a big, extreme day of sun, my skin goes red in the evening. By the next day it’s a golden brown tan, and I feel amazing.

In my opinion, there’s no need to add processed chemical slop to your skin.

Sunscreens have been recalled from the market for the dangerous chemicals found in them. In 2021, Johnson & Johnson recalled five Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens after testing found benzene, a known human carcinogen. (FDA recall notice) In 2022, Banana Boat recalled batches of a sunscreen spray for benzene too, traced to the propellant that sprays it out of the can. (FDA recall notice)

Spray sunscreens are especially harmful. They carry propellants and other chemicals your skin should not be absorbing.

If you want to cut your sun exposure, put on a T-shirt. Wear a hat. Find shade. Be smart that way.

Anyone can get a tan

Plenty of men think they’re just not built to tan.

There’s no genetic reason you can’t tan.

My heritage is Northern European. English. My skin is very white normally, and yet I tan very, very well. I expose myself to the right amount of sunlight, I eat healthy and I live a natural, clean life.

Anyone can do this. Anyone can get a tan.

Build it up slowly. Align your circadian rhythm. Be healthy in general. Get out every day.

A tan comes with time and consistency.

I have yet to meet someone who did everything I recommend and wasn’t able to get a nice, healthy tan.

Getting sun in winter or a dark country

Not everyone lives in Australia.

If you live somewhere dark, the moment the sun comes out, literally run outside.

Get your skin out whenever you can. Even a cold day with sun on your face is worth it.

Morning light still matters in winter. Get out at first light every single day.

Make the sun part of your life

You don’t need a perfect plan.

Get outside in the morning. Take your breaks in the sun. Train outside when you can. Watch the sunset.

Do that every day and you’ll feel it.

The sun is the base of everything I teach. It fuels your energy.

If you want me to build your whole day around the sun with you, apply for The Apollo Method.

FAQ

What are the main benefits of sun exposure?

Energy, the hormones your body makes in sunlight, muscle gain, faster recovery, stronger bones, a properly timed body clock, better sleep, a better mood and a healthy tan.

How much sun do I need a day?

Spend at least an hour outside every day. The more the better. If you’re starting out, build your skin up a little each day, and use shade and clothing when you’ve had enough. Get outside every morning without fail.

Does sun through a window count?

No. Glass changes the light, and your skin doesn’t produce its sun hormones through it. Get outside.

Is morning or afternoon sun better?

Both are great. Morning sun is the best start because it sets your body clock and it’s gentle on your skin. Afternoon light is a great second session.

Does winter sun still count?

Yes. Winter sun is weaker, and cloud cuts how strongly your skin responds. Get out whenever the sun shows and get skin out where you can.

Do I need sunscreen?

I haven’t used it in about eight years. Clean up your food, cut the chemical skincare and build up slowly. When you want less sun, put on a T-shirt and a hat, or find shade. Skip spray sunscreens above all.

How do I build up my sun exposure?

Start where you are with short sessions, and add a little each day. Get the sunrise and sunset in, eat saturated fats instead of seed oils, drink water with minerals and use coconut oil before and aloe vera after. Use shade and clothing when you’ve had enough.

Can anyone get a tan?

Yes. There’s no genetic reason you can’t tan. I’m English, with very white skin, and I tan very well. Build it up slowly, align your circadian rhythm and live clean.

Stay Golden, Sol