This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. If you suspect your medication is affecting your sensitivity to sunlight, speak with your healthcare provider before making any changes.
We've been fed this narrative that the sun is scary. That it makes us age, damages our skin and that we need to hide away from it. And when you go on vacation for a week, spend a little time in the sun and end up with a burn, it's understandable that you start blaming the sun.
But here's something I want you to think about:
Could your internal environment have something to do with how well you tolerate sunlight?
Our bodies have an innate intelligence. Think about a plant. Sunlight isn't optional for its health and growth. It's a necessary input. And the same goes for us. Our bodies are constantly adapting to the inputs we give them. When you lift a heavy weight at the gym, your body responds by creating tiny tears in your muscle fibres, which repair and adapt to help you build muscle. When you're exposed to sunlight, your body responds too. It produces more melanin, the pigment that helps protect your skin from UV exposure.
It adapts.
Of course, repeatedly burning isn't the goal. Our skin has its own protective and repair systems, from melanin production and antioxidant defences to DNA repair and circadian signalling. We've evolved with the sun, not apart from it.
Sunlight is one of the most important environmental signals our biology receives. But how well we respond to it is influenced by more than the time we spend outdoors. Think about your lifestyle, what you're eating, your hydration, stress levels, mineral status and sleep patterns. So many of us are living out of sync with nature. We're exposed to artificial light late into the night, spend very little time outdoors, and often don't get the nourishment and minerals our bodies need.
Let's look at some things that may influence how our bodies respond to sunlight.
1. Your relationship with light
Morning sunlight, especially getting natural light into your eyes and onto your skin, helps set your body's internal clock and prepares you for the day. Your circadian rhythm influences many processes in the body, including hormone production, sleep, metabolism and cellular repair. Too little natural light during the day and too much artificial light at night can disrupt these rhythms and affect the systems that support skin health.
Getting outside in the morning, experiencing natural daylight throughout the day and reducing bright artificial light after sunset are simple places to start.
2. The fats you're eating
Vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed and grapeseed are high in polyunsaturated fats, which are particularly susceptible to oxidation. An imbalance in dietary fats can contribute to oxidative stress in the body, which is one reason I pay attention to the quality of fats in the diet.
Your skin is constantly exposed to environmental stressors, including UV radiation, so supporting your body's antioxidant systems matters.
3. Your overall diet
When you're eating foods with a gazillion ingredients you don't recognize, you're potentially adding to your body's inflammatory burden. A diet high in processed foods can also mean fewer of the nutrients and antioxidants your body needs to support normal skin function and its natural defences.
Think about the quality of your food, how varied your diet is and whether you're getting enough nutrient-dense whole foods.
4. Your liver's role
Your liver is involved in processing and eliminating many substances your body encounters every day. When your body's detoxification pathways aren't functioning optimally, this can affect how certain compounds are processed and cleared.
Some substances and medications can also contribute to photosensitivity, making your skin more reactive to sunlight.
Supporting your liver means giving your body the basics it needs: adequate nourishment, hydration, regular bowel movements and a lifestyle that doesn't constantly overwhelm it.
5. Hydration and minerals
Hydration is about more than drinking water. Your cells need an appropriate balance of fluids and electrolytes to function properly. Minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium all play important roles in fluid balance.
When you're dehydrated or not getting enough minerals, your body may be less resilient to everyday stressors. Pay attention to your fluid intake, mineral intake and how much you're losing through sweat, especially when spending time in the heat.
6. Alcohol and oxidative stress
Alcohol is dehydrating. It can also affect blood flow and increase oxidative stress. It also depletes zinc and antioxidants like glutathione. This weakens your skin's natural ability to respond to UV exposure and makes you more likely to burn.
7. Medications and photosensitivity
Something many people don't realise is that certain medications can increase your sensitivity to sunlight. This is known as photosensitivity and can cause exaggerated sunburn, redness, rashes or even blistering.
Some examples include:
Painkillers and anti-inflammatories: certain NSAIDs
Heart and blood pressure medications: amiodarone, diuretics and certain blood pressure medications
Antidepressants: amitriptyline and some SSRIs
Antibiotics and antifungals: certain antibiotics, voriconazole and griseofulvin
Acne treatments: certain acne medications
Diabetes medications: sulfonylureas such as glipizide and glyburide
Other medications: certain tranquilizers and chemotherapy drugs
If you've suddenly become much more sensitive to sunlight, it's worth reviewing your medications with your healthcare provider. Don't stop a prescribed medication without speaking to them first.
8. Raw foods, fruit and antioxidants
I'm a big advocate for cooked foods in fall and winter, and when healing a leaky gut. But when you're spending time in the heat and sun, this is where raw foods can come in handy.
Fresh fruits and vegetables provide water, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help your body manage oxidative stress and support its natural defences.
Especially fruit!
And isn't it interesting that we often crave juicy fruit when we're hot and spending time in the sun? Our bodies are pretty intelligent when we learn to listen.
Low antioxidant intake means fewer of these protective compounds available to help your body deal with oxidative stress. Think colourful berries, citrus fruits, watermelon, celery, cucumber and other fresh produce that helps you stay nourished and hydrated.
9. Salt and hydration
The quality of salt matters too.
A high intake of processed foods, including restaurant meals and packaged foods, can mean you're consuming a lot of refined sodium without the wider range of minerals found in less processed foods.
Mineral balance plays an important role in fluid regulation and cellular function. I pay attention to both the quality and quantity of salt in the diet, and favour mineral-rich salt over highly refined table salt.
10. Your lymphatic system
Your lymphatic system helps move fluid, waste products and cellular debris around the body. Unlike your circulatory system, it doesn't have a pump of its own. It relies on movement, muscle contractions, breathing and changes in pressure to keep lymph flowing.
When you're sedentary, movement is limited and lymphatic flow may be less efficient. Daily walking, the Big 6 lymphatic exercises, gentle movement, deep breathing and spending time outdoors are simple ways to support healthy lymphatic circulation.
11. The sun protects you from heavy metals
This might not be a direct cause of sunburn, but I thought I'd throw this in for good measure! The sun may actually play a protective role when it comes to heavy metals.
Why? Because sunlight stimulates melanin production, and melanin has metal-binding properties. It's been studied for its ability to bind certain metals, which is why it's sometimes described as a natural metal chelator.
A little more to the story than just pigmentation! ☀️
Building resilience from within
The goal isn't to avoid the sun or to spend hours exposing yourself to it. And it's certainly not to ignore sunburn. But I also want you to look beyond what you're putting on your skin.
How are you sleeping? Are you getting morning sunlight? Are you eating enough nutrient-dense food? Are you supporting your gut, staying hydrated and giving your body the minerals it needs?
These things are connected.
Your internal environment matters.
This is a big part of the work I do with my clients. I help women support their gut, regulate their nervous system and bring their energy back so they can feel vibrant, connected and more like their authentic selves.
Because building health isn't about one supplement, one food or one product. It's about looking at the bigger picture and giving your body the support it needs to thrive.
