Without the sun, there would be no life on Earth—and, therefore, no you! You can thank the sun each morning for everything that makes this world and this life something special. Your relationship with the sun isn’t all about gratitude, though: Though plenty of cultures have worshipped the sun, it’s no God. The sun is a star, and its enormous and powerful output can help and hurt your health, your lifestyle, and your home.

The Power of the Sun

It’s hard to understate just how powerful the sun is. The sun is so large that a million Earth could fit inside. Instead, that space is taken up by gas—so much of it that the sun accounts for more than 99 percent of all mass in the solar system. Inside the sun, the temperature is around 15 million degrees Celsius. At noon in Texas, the sunlight reaching the Texas landscape contains more energy more than 300 times greater than the output of all the power plants in the world combined.

The sun is actually fairly moderate in size and power—by star standards, anyway. But that’s for the best because a powerful enough star would make life here impossible. The power of the sun is just enough to help life on Earth flourish. It’s also powerful enough to hurt you, though, which is why it’s so important to understand your relationship with the sun.

The Sun and Your Skin

The sun can feel great on your skin—or, if you wait long enough, it can feel miserable. Sunlight can give you a great tan and help your body metabolize vitamin D, but it’s not solely a good thing. Too much sun can burn your skin. Over time, lots of sun exposure can significantly increase your risk of skin cancer.

That’s why it’s so important to protect your skin, explain the experts at LUMASOL, a company that specializes in SPF cream and offers convenient subscription delivery options. Experts agree that you should be wearing SPF cream every day, all year long. Sunscreen isn’t just for summer months, and it’s certainly not just for sunny days and visits to the park or the beach. The sun’s ultraviolet light is shining right through the clouds (as well as through some fabrics and weak creams and makeup), even though you can’t see it. So make sure that you put some SPF protection on your skin every single day, all year long.

The Sun and Your Sleep

The sun hasn’t just made life on Earth possible; it also still regulates the daily and seasonal schedules of most living things. While some strange animals have evolved to live in dark caves or the deep ocean, where the sun’s impact is felt only indirectly, most others live in a world where the sun rises and sets—even if those things may happen months apart, as is the case in some extreme northern and southern locations on the globe. For most animals, the rising and setting of the sun dictate when it’s time to eat, sleep, and perform other basic functions.

We’re no exception. Our circadian rhythms are tied to the sun, which means that a healthy sleep cycle is tied to the rising and setting of the sun. That’s why we should strive to respect the sun’s schedule and rest when it’s dark. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is a smart way to respond to our natural programming and get the most out of our healthy sleep each night. And if you have to get up before the sun does, consider using a wake-up light, which will help you emulate the natural rising process.

The Sun and Your Home

We human beings have evolved to live in ways that our ancestors could only have dreamed of, but locking ourselves up in our homes doesn’t mean escaping the influence of the sun. Your home life should take the sun into account!

That can mean designing rooms and homes such that light pours in through windows during the day. It can mean harnessing the sun’s power, too, point out experts who offer solar panels in Arizona: The sun is a source of clean energy, and using solar panels can save homeowners money in the long run. The sun is also an essential concern for landscapers and gardeners, of course. Living in harmony with the sun means a healthier, happier life and a more beautiful and functional home.