Back in the day, our folks used to work in the sun all day and lived healthy lives until they were 90 or 100. Contrary to that, today we fear sun exposure. Of course, our external conditions are much harsher than they were earlier. We’ve all heard the warnings: stay out of the sun, slather on sunscreen, and hide under a hat because sunlight is dangerous. But what if we’ve been sold an only half-true story? What if the sun, far from being our enemy, is one of the most powerful tools to detox our bodies and reclaim our health?
No, its not just about Vitamin D, the benefits of basking in the sunlight go way beyond that single nutrient. Growing evidence shows that sunlight has health benefits through vitamin D, and independent pathways, such as photomobilization of nitric oxide from cutaneous stores with a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity. Here’s what happens when you soak up just 20 minutes of that golden glow each day.

Though UV radiation has deleterious effects on human health, it also has some beneficial effects. A 2014 study suggests that UVA decreases blood pressure and increases blood flow and heart rate in humans, which is beneficial to the cardiovascular system. This is likely mediated by UVA causing release of nitric oxide (NO) from skin stores.

Every single day, get outside and aim for 20 to 30 minutes, at least, of sunshine. More sunlight is going to lessen your chance of developing Vitamin D deficiency.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 20: People enjoy the sunshine in St James’s Park on March 20, 2025 in London, England. The astronomical spring season begins on the date of the spring equinox. This falls on 20 March in 2025, and will last until what’s known as the summer solstice on 21 June. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized epidemic among both children and adults in the United States. According to a 2004 study, Vitamin D deficiency not only causes rickets among children but also leads to osteoporosis among adults and causes the painful bone disease osteomalacia. The deficiency of Vitamin D has been associated with increased risks of deadly cancers, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

In a 2017 study, Spanish researchers suggested the estimated duration of solar radiation exposure required in order to obtain the recommended doses of vitamin D. They said that while in spring and summer 10 to 20 minutes in the sun are enough, in the winter months almost two hours would be needed. “In Spain, despite being a country with many hours of sunlight, several articles have reported a high percentage of vitamin D deficiency among various strata of the Spanish population,” María Antonia Serrano, a scientist at the UPV and main author of the study, explains.