You are My Sunshine!

As the summer dwindles and the nights start to draw in, our thoughts might be turning to autumn and then winter beyond. And with it long, dark nights and cold, rainy days without much sunshine. And while this summer has improved since its early days of rain and wind, it has still afforded us some glorious sunshine. Sunshine, which according to some of the latest research is one of the best things for our bodies.

Hang on, what about the threat of skin cancer? And that is a great question. However the science is now showing that far more people die each year from a lack of sunlight than from skin cancer. And here’s some medical research to back up that statement (and the crazy thing is that this isn’t all of the research, just some of it):

• Multiple studies from the past decade indicate that insufficient sun exposure is responsible for approximately 340,000 deaths in the US and 480,000 in Europe per year.

• A 2014 study reviewed the effect of insufficient sun exposure on all-cause mortality (death from any cause). From a sample size of 849,000 participants, they concluded that 12.8% and 9.4% of ALL US and European deaths, respectively, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure.

• Another study found that sun avoidance was just as big of a risk factor to death as smoking.

• Insufficient sun exposure is associated with a 400% increased risk of breast cancer. Even more remarkable, patients with breast cancer who receive sufficient sun exposure can reduce their risk of death by 79%.

• A meta-analysis on 5 studies on sun exposure and colon cancer revealed a 104% higher risk of developing the disease when sun exposure levels were insufficient.

• Sunlight exposure may lower blood pressure by releasing nitric oxide from the skin, dilating blood vessels with studies suggesting that UV exposure reduces blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality. Apparently, men in Scotland are far more likely to die of heart attacks in the winter than the summer, purely because of lack of sunlight!

• One study found minimal sun exposure is linked to a 64% higher risk of metabolic syndrome and a 35% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Sunlight exposure causes the release of nitric oxide, which helps reduce obesity and metabolic syndrome.

• Insufficient sun exposure increases the risk of all-cause dementia by 125%. Researchers found that vitamin D deficiency in rats increased brain oxidative stress, contributing to cognitive decline, supporting a link between vitamin D and brain health.

• Low sun exposure during pregnancy is linked to a 142% increased risk of autism in children.

• Rising rates of asthma have been associated with vitamin D deficiency, with studies showing that sufficient UV exposure during pregnancy can reduce the risk of respiratory issues and eczema in children.

• Lack of sun exposure during pregnancy or early infancy can increase the risk of type 1 diabetes by 67% in children.

• Sunlight affects your hormones too. It triggers the release of serotonin, the production of melatonin and the release of oxytocin. Serotonin is  a brain chemical that affects mood, appetite, and sleep. Low levels of serotonin can be linked to feelings of depression. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy and regulates sleep patterns. A balanced amount of melatonin in the brain can lead to better quality sleep. Oxytocin is a type of hormone in your body that promotes positive feelings. Sunlight has also been shown to increase important sex hormones in men and women.

Is it any wonder that the ancient civilisations across the world worshipped the sun as the ultimate source of life on earth? Things have changed a bit in recent times, with our work taking us indoors and now we are constantly bombarded by messages telling us how harmful the sun is for our skin, and that we should, in the words of that famous Australian skin-cancer ad from the early 1980s, “Slip. Slop, Slap” – slip on a shirt (preferably long sleeved), slop on the sunscreen, and slap on a hat. 

Which means that we are now not getting enough of the natural goodness that sunlight provides in the form of Vitamin D.

Can’t I just supplement instead?

You can, and it is important to supplement during the winter months, but interestingly, many of the studies mentioned above couldn’t find significant evidence that Vitamin D supplementation could “convincingly prevent” the above conditions. It had to be sun exposure that provided the protection. The most current research indicates that all you need is at least 15 minutes a day (without any sunscreen obviously) between the hours of 10am-3pm to reap the sun’s healing and protective benefits.

Of course, you need to listen to your body and be careful not to overdo it. When you feel yourself burning, find some shade and put on clothing.

So make the most of this free, wonderful healing and protective source before the summer ends, and our dark northern winter inhibits our ability to enjoy the sun’s benefits.

And while this week’s edition of this newsletter, wasn’t necessarily fitness or strength and conditioning related, here’s another fun fact for you: Vitamin D has been reported to positively influence protein synthesis, as well as increase the size of adult muscle cells and muscle mass (in animal and human studies), which could consequently result in increased muscle strength, and/or performance.

If you’d like a sensible chat about your health and fitness goals, and how you can go about working towards hitting them, click this link or the gold button below this paragraph to choose a date and time that work best for you.