Sunshine is vital for good health, say scientists in major U-turn

After years of warning us about the dangers of sunbathing, scientists now say we need to get more sunshine—especially if we live in a northern clime that gets less than its fair share.

The health benefits of the sun’s UV (ultraviolet) rays far outweigh any dangers, such as an increased risk of skin cancer, say scientists from the University of Edinburgh.

Getting more UV rays reduces the rate of deaths from heart disease and cancer, and could increase longevity levels, they say.

They analysed data from the UK Biobank to discover the UV exposure levels of around 395,000 people across the UK and the impact on their health.  Those living in areas that had higher UV levels, such as Cornwall, had lower rates of heart disease and cancer than places with lower UV levels, such as Edinburgh or Glasgow. Overall, higher UV exposure reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 19 percent and from cancer by 12 percent.

Sunbeds can be an alternative to sunshine, and those who regularly use them had a 23 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death, and a 14 percent reduced risk of cancer, compared to those who never used one.

It’s true that people with higher UV exposure had a slightly higher risk of developing melanoma, or skin cancer—but their risk of dying from the cancer didn’t increase, the researchers said.

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