{"id":26115,"date":"2024-05-09T09:41:39","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T13:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?p=26115"},"modified":"2024-05-09T09:41:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T13:41:39","slug":"sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><em>From GrassrootsHealth<\/em><\/h4>\n<h4>Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death<\/h4>\n<div>\n<h3>Key Points<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity<\/li>\n<li>There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D [vitamin D] or for sun exposure<\/li>\n<li>340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"buttonss small blue round\" href=\"https:\/\/daction.grassrootshealth.net\/product\/custom-test-kit-builder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!<\/a>\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-9434 size-medium lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-300x194.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-1024x663.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-260x168.jpg 260w\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-1024x663.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-260x168.jpg 260w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/boy-and-grandparents-in-sunshine-300x194.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/fight-sunshine-misinformation-learn-truth-sunshine-exposure-health\/\">sensible sunshine exposure<\/a>\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"buttonss small blue round\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/fight-sunshine-misinformation-learn-truth-sunshine-exposure-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn More Here<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer<\/h3>\n<p>In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/15\/12\/2794\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hoel and De Gruijl<\/a>, who conclude that\u00a0<strong>moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ar.iiarjournals.org\/content\/42\/4\/1671.long\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lindqvist et al.<\/a>, who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0<strong>the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>According to their findings,\u00a0<strong>low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4989 lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.png\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.png 2145w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-1024x582.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-260x148.png 260w\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.png 2145w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-1024x582.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts-260x148.png 260w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.png\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/UV-Mortality-Charts.pdf\">Click to Enlarge &amp; Print<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease<\/li>\n<li>A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure<\/li>\n<li>A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively<\/li>\n<li>Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure<\/li>\n<li>Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0<strong>life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They conclude,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c\u2026<strong>low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking<\/strong>. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0<strong>had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><em>How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality?<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions<\/h3>\n<p>In a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ar.iiarjournals.org\/content\/42\/10\/5027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2022 review<\/a>, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure<\/li>\n<li>nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation<\/li>\n<li>UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D [vitamin D] or for sun exposure.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/blog\/aim-natural-vitamin-d-levels\/\">living traditional lifestyles<\/a>\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D.<\/p>\n<p>A 2022 review by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/14\/12\/2519\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grant and Boucher<\/a>\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0<strong>Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine [with avoidance of sunburn] would also contribute to improving the public health.<\/strong>\u201c<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases<\/h3>\n<p>A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/17\/14\/5014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alfredsson et al.<\/a>\u00a0indicated that\u00a0<strong>340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others.<\/p>\n<p>Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/blog\/diseases-associated-sunshine-deficiency\/\">here<\/a>.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7226 lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.jpg 3168w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-260x201.jpg 260w\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"464\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.jpg 3168w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD-260x201.jpg 260w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/handout-2-sun-vs-dark_revD.pdf\">Click to Download, Print &amp; Share<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D<\/h3>\n<p>As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0<strong>low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity<\/strong>. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassrootshealth.net\/blog\/vitamin-d-sunlight-public-health\/\">efficient and cost-effective<\/a>\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year.<\/p>\n<p><em>What are we waiting for?<\/em>\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>\u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death Key Points Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death  Key Points   Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity  There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure  340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L)  Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase.      There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices.  Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such.  One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure.  According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits.    Click to Enlarge &amp; Print  Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include   Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease  A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure  A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively  Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure  Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years  They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms:   warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure  nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation  UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above  \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D.  A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others.  Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D.    Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year.  What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)!  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.  \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death  Key Points   Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity  There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure  340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L)  Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase.      There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices.  Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such.  One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure.  According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits.    Click to Enlarge &amp; Print  Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include   Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease  A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure  A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively  Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure  Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years  They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms:   warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure  nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation  UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above  \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D.  A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others.  Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D.    Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year.  What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)!  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.  \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1360\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1180\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"smarttannews\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"smarttannews\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"smarttannews\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819\"},\"headline\":\"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\"},\"wordCount\":1449,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\",\"name\":\"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00\",\"description\":\"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death Key Points Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure 340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase. There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices. Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such. One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure. According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits. Click to Enlarge &amp; Print Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms: warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D. A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others. Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D. Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year. What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)! &nbsp; &nbsp; SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg\",\"width\":1360,\"height\":1180,\"caption\":\"Family, holding hands and grandparents with boy in park, nature or outdoors. Love, support and happy man and woman lift child, kid and having fun time, care or bonding with smile together in sunshine\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\",\"name\":\"Smart Tan News\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Smart Tan\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":164,\"caption\":\"Smart Tan\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/SmartTan\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819\",\"name\":\"smarttannews\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"smarttannews\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/author\/smarttannews\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News","description":"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death  Key Points   Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity  There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure  340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L)  Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase.      There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices.  Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such.  One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure.  According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits.    Click to Enlarge &amp; Print  Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include   Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease  A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure  A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively  Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure  Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years  They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms:   warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure  nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation  UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above  \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D.  A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others.  Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D.    Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year.  What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)!  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.  \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News","og_description":"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death  Key Points   Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity  There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure  340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L)  Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase.      There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices.  Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such.  One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure.  According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits.    Click to Enlarge &amp; Print  Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include   Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease  A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure  A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively  Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure  Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years  They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms:   warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure  nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation  UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above  \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D.  A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others.  Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D.    Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year.  What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)!  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.  \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.","og_url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/","og_site_name":"Smart Tan News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan","article_published_time":"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1360,"height":1180,"url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"smarttannews","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@SmartTan","twitter_site":"@SmartTan","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"smarttannews","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/"},"author":{"name":"smarttannews","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819"},"headline":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live","datePublished":"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/"},"wordCount":1449,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/","name":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live - Smart Tan News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg","datePublished":"2024-05-09T13:41:39+00:00","description":"From GrassrootsHealth Research shows that more sunshine in your life can help you live healthier, longer, and that avoiding sunshine could be the 4th major lifestyle factor leading to early death Key Points Researchers discovered the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure, with an intermediate mortality rate in those with moderate sun exposure; those same researchers have determined that low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity There are consistent epidemiological data showing that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure 340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency, and the United States\u00a0could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year if everyone were to reach a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Check Now!\u00a0Use code\u00a0SUNMONTH24\u00a0for 10% off during May 2024, plus get the Sunshine eBook for FREE with your test kit purchase. There is a growing amount of published research showing how\u00a0sensible sunshine exposure\u00a0can have a positive impact on health, can protect against disease, and can help people live healthier and longer. Because of this research, several organizations are pushing for updated sun exposure guidelines and an individualized approach to sunshine practices. Learn More Here Lifetime Sunshine Exposure Can Help You Live Longer In fact, the known health risks associated with lack of sun exposure and resulting low vitamin D levels are summarized by many, including\u00a0Hoel and De Gruijl, who conclude that\u00a0moderate UV exposure from the sun, without burning, is a health benefit and should be recommended as such. One of the most impressive studies on sunshine exposure and health outcomes is by\u00a0Lindqvist et al., who followed a group of 29,518 Swedish women to find that all-cause mortality was inversely related to sun exposure. When comparing sunshine and indoor tanning habits to specific health outcomes, including skin cancer incidence and mortality rates, they found that\u00a0the mortality rate for women who avoided sun exposure was two times higher than those with the highest sun exposure. According to their findings,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity.\u00a0\u00a0The chart below illustrates the higher probability of death among each group of women, based on their sun exposure habits. Click to Enlarge &amp; Print Other key findings from publications by Lindqvist et al. include Women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease A 40% higher risk of cancer-related death was seen among women with low sun exposure vs the greatest sun exposure A 60% and 110% increased risk of non-cancer\/non-cardiovascular disease related death was seen among women with moderate and low sun exposure habits compared to those with the highest sun exposure habits, respectively Women who developed melanoma but had more life-time sun exposure were more likely to survive, with mortality rates of 36% among the low sun exposure group, 16% for moderate sun exposure, and 13% for those with the greatest sun exposure Compared to women with the highest sun exposure,\u00a0life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by 0.6 to 2.1 years They conclude, \u201c\u2026low sun exposure is a risk factor for death in the same magnitude as smoking. In addition, as compared to those with the greatest sun exposure, woman with age &gt; 55 and low sun exposure\u00a0had 1 month shorter life expectancy, per year.\u201d How could sunshine exposure have such a profound effect on health and mortality? \u201cSun exposure has additional effects apart from vitamin D production such as an effect on systemic inflammation, immunomodulation, melatonin system, nitric oxide, and calcium transport. In addition, low levels of sun exposure\/vitamin D might also be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle that precedes the diagnosis of T2DM.\u201d Sunshine\u2019s Effects are Due to Vitamin D and Other Important Exposure-Induced Reactions In a\u00a02022 review, Dr. Reinhold Vieth states \u201cIt is not plausible that human health can be optimal in the absence of exposure of skin to sunshine\u2026\u201d In the review, he discusses how sunshine exposure induces mechanisms within the body that reduce the risk of many diseases and mortality, including the production of vitamin D and other substances. For example, sunlight on the skin causes vasodilation in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure through at least three separate mechanisms: warmth causes vasodilation which lowers blood pressure nitric oxide is produced in the skin and released into circulation to cause vasodilation UVA leads to vasodilation, independent of the above \u201cThere are consistent epidemiological data that mortality is highest among those people classified into the lowest group for serum 25(OH)D or for sun exposure.\u201d Dr. Veith emphasizes the importance of getting enough vitamin D and its role in lowering disease risk and mortality. Levels seen on average among those\u00a0living traditional lifestyles\u00a0and obtaining their vitamin D through exposure to sunshine are around 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L) which can be viewed as an indicator of both optimal sunshine exposure and \u2018normal\u2019 physiological levels of vitamin D. A 2022 review by\u00a0Grant and Boucher\u00a0dives deep into the fluctuation of certain disease and mortality rates throughout the year. While UVA induced nitric oxide production and warmth from sunshine seem to play important roles, their research suggests that vitamin D levels resulting from sunshine exposure may be the primary driver of seasonal variations in disease incidence and mortality rates. The authors conclude, \u201cHopefully, additional research can provide more information on the role of solar UVA and UVB in reducing the risks of seasonally variable diseases and mortality, leading to improved public health and clinical practice guidelines.\u00a0Meanwhile, habitual increases in exposure to summer sunshine would also contribute to improving the public health.\u201c Sunshine Exposure Reduces the Risk of Many Diseases A 2020 review of studies on the health effects of sunshine by\u00a0Alfredsson et al.\u00a0indicated that\u00a0340,000 deaths per year in the United States and 480,000 deaths per year in Europe, as well as a rise in many diseases, could be attributed to insufficient sun exposure or \u201csunshine deficiency.\u201d\u00a0These diseases include cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer\u2019s disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and myopia, among others. Additional research linking several health conditions to \u201csunshine deficiency\u201d can be found\u00a0here.\u00a0 The infographic below also illustrates some of the different diseases affected by a lack of sunshine and vitamin D. Click to Download, Print &amp; Share The Cost of Avoiding Sunshine Exposure and Having Low Vitamin D As Lindqvist et al. concluded,\u00a0low amounts of sunshine exposure could be considered the 4th major lifestyle factor for health, after low exercise, smoking, and obesity. With vitamin D deficiency being the most obvious result of low sunshine exposure, raising serum vitamin D concentrations may be the most\u00a0efficient and cost-effective\u00a0way to reduce the chronic disease burden in the US and increase life expectancy caused by a lack of sun. Of the 30 leading causes of death in the US in 2010, 19 have been linked to low vitamin D status. If the US population were to increase their vitamin D levels to at least 40 ng\/ml (100 nmol\/L), we could expect to see a potential reduction of as much as 336,000 deaths per year and direct cost reductions upwards of $130 billion each year. What are we waiting for?\u00a0Help protect your overall health with sensible sun exposure and test to make sure your vitamin D level is in the recommended range of 40-60 ng\/ml (100-150 nmol\/L)! &nbsp; &nbsp; SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2024 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Grandparents-5-9-24.jpg","width":1360,"height":1180,"caption":"Family, holding hands and grandparents with boy in park, nature or outdoors. Love, support and happy man and woman lift child, kid and having fun time, care or bonding with smile together in sunshine"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/sunshine-exposure-can-affect-how-long-you-live\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Sunshine Exposure Can Affect How Long You Live"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/","name":"Smart Tan News","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization","name":"Smart Tan","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png","width":500,"height":164,"caption":"Smart Tan"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan","https:\/\/x.com\/SmartTan"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819","name":"smarttannews","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"smarttannews"},"url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/author\/smarttannews\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26115"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26117,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26115\/revisions\/26117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}