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While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, most people in this country see beautiful, bronze skin as an attractive trait. In some parts of the world, where people are naturally darker, they actually try to avoid the sun and lighten their skin. In Victorian times, it was fashionable to have pale skin because that was a sign that you had money and didn’t have to work out in the fields. However, today having a tan is widely regarded as an attractive trait and there is also a relationship between looking good and feeling good.

Why Do People Think That Tanned Skin Is Beautiful?

I asked a lot of people this question and I got many different answers. Some people said that a tan will help make your muscles look more toned and more well defined. Some people also said that a tan makes people look younger. Another common answer to the question was that a tan gives your skin a certain glow and makes you look more alive.

Having a tan today doesn’t mean that you have to do manual labor outdoors all day long. Today, having a tan is more associated with people that have an active, outdoor lifestyle. A tan makes people look more healthy and fit. Pale skin is often associated with sickness, which is another reason why a tan makes people seem more healthy and vibrant. These were among the most common answers I received when I asked people why they thought tanned skin was attractive.

Looking Good and Feeling Good

It’s hard to deny that there is a correlation between the way people look and their self-esteem. When people feel like they look good, they will also feel better about themselves. There are actually some scientific studies that document this correlation. And because looking good can equate to feeling good, having a nice tan may actually make you feel better about yourself.

In addition to just feeling better about yourself because you are please with your appearance, having a tan actually make you feel better physically. The reason that you may actually feel better physically when you get a tan is because exposure to ultraviolet light stimulates vitamin D production. Of course it’s possible to get vitamin D in your diet, but most people don’t eat all the right foods to get the vitamin D they need. Spending some time in the sun, or even using a tanning bed to catch some rays, will help your body produce this necessary vitamin.

What is it about vitamin D that makes people feel better? Well, vitamin D plays an important role in several ways. It helps regulate cell growth, it can boost your immune system, and it helps with energy metabolism. Vitamin D is also associated with higher bone density. With higher bone density you will be less prone to injury if you happen to take a fall. There was a study done in 2005 that showed a remarkable correlation in the levels of vitamin D and an increase in leg strength. There have also been studies showing that vitamin D helps reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

It’s probably not a surprise that if you are please with your appearance, you will feel better about yourself. However, most people are unaware of just how much better vitamin D can make them feel physically. Because you can get vitamin D from tanning, it’s possible that tanning will make you not only look good, but also feel good.