The sun is good for you, says science… finally

Soak up some guilt-free sun in Spain this summer

After years of health warnings, handwringing and skin cancer campaigns backed by the weightiest scientific evidence this side of the anti-smoking brigade, boffins at the University of Edinburgh are now saying that the benefits of sun exposure may outweigh the risks.

Good news, surely, but does it surprise you? If you’ve ever spent a memorable holiday in somewhere hot and sunny – Spain, for instance – you cannot fail to have noticed just how good you feel during your break and in the immediate warm glow afterwards…

Sure, the time off work helps to relax you, and the new surroundings bring a dash of effervescence in the form of exciting food, foreign customs and interesting history. But it’s the weather that really helps lift the mood.

Tanned skin. The feel of sand between your toes. Aching joints soothed by the warmth of the glistening glow. The irresistible urge to drink more water (and we’ll admit – alcohol), eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, to swim, stay outdoors, socialise late into the evening… all of these things are connected to the weather, and they all make you feel good.

Researchers at Edinburgh University have now published research that suggests that exposure to sunlight – particularly UV rays – helps to lower blood pressure and cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Couple these findings with the fact that Spaniards lead the healthiest and longest lives in the world and it all seems to make sense.

“We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer,” said Dr Richard Weller, Edinburgh University’s senior lecturer in dermatology. “The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight.

“We now plan to look at the relative risks of heart disease and skin cancer in people who have received different amounts of sun exposure. If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure.”

You can read more about the study here on the BBC.

For now, though, be sure to exercise the same sun caution as you always have – which means applying appropriate-strength sun lotion, staying hydrated and seeking shade during the hottest point of the day. But do so with a smug smile on your face as you relax safe in the knowledge that you’re doing yourself the world of good…