REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA—A study from Sweden shows that people are frequently exposed to light sun on average have a longer life expectancy than people who avoid sun exposure.
Reported from the site The Guardian, Tuesday (3/10/2023), a researcher named Pelle Lindqvist published the results of a large study that monitored the health of around 30,000 women in 2014. From the study, it was found that on average, women spent more time under sunlight live one to two years longer than those who avoid sunlight.
The increase in life expectancy comes from lower rates of cardiovascular disease and other diseases not related to cancer, including type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases and chronic lung disease.
Other studies have also identified similar patterns. In research last July, Richard Weller of the University of Edinburgh and his colleagues monitored 376,729 people of white descent for an average of 13 years, they found that people who were more active in seeking sunlight were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause compared with those who avoid sunlight.
This means sun seekers had an average of about 50 additional days of survival compared to people away from sun exposure.
“A 50-day lifespan extension at a population level, that’s a huge number, the more sunlight a person gets, the longer they live,” Weller said.
Other mechanisms may also play a role. About 15 years ago, Weller discovered that large deposits of nitric oxide, a powerful substance that dilates blood vessels in human skin, were activated by UVA rays, resulting in a temporary, but significant, decrease in blood pressure.
Additionally, Vitamin D is produced in the body when UVB rays in sunlight react with a chemical in the skin called 7-dehydrocholesterol. Bone and muscle cells use vitamin D to regulate calcium and phosphorus levels, which are necessary to keep the body strong and healthy, while immune cells also use it to help fend off harmful microbes and promote wound repair.
Vitamin D receptors are also found in other body tissues including the heart and brain, and in recent years the list of diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency has grown to include cardiovascular disease, infections, and cancer.
One way to get the best out of the sun is to check the UV index, which tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays are and when you are most at risk of burns. If the number is 3 or more, a person needs to consider protecting their skin, especially if they have fair skin or many moles or freckles, or a personal or family history of skin cancer.
Protect skin with clothing, spend time in the shade when the UV index is high, usually between 11am and 3pm and use sunscreen. “Sunscreen definitely prevents skin aging, and prevents burning. It should be used because that’s what matters,” Weller said.
source: Between
2023-10-03 20:38:05
#Dont #afraid #exposed #sunlight #turns #live #longer #Republika #Online
