How much sun is healthy per day? What happens if you are in the sun too long? This article answers these questions.

Dosing the sun right

Thanks to public relations work, it is already known that overdosing the sun (more often sunburn) can lead to skin cancer. However, sun can also help with skin cancer, as two studies have shown independently.

A Swedish study at the Karolinska Institute has shown that UV light from the sun and corresponding lamps reduces the risk of cancer by 30 to 40%.  Researchers at University of New Mexico were able to show that skin cancer patients died less frequently from their suffering when they spent more time in the sun.

It is not yet clear why this is the case. It is discussed that skin cells damaged by the sun die and thus reduce the risk of cancer. It is also conceivable that the increased production of vitamin D reduces the risk of cancer. Experts at Cancer Research UK also believe that patients already suffering from melanoma might have less aggressive tumours if they were exposed to the sun a lot.

How much sun is healthy per day?

International recommendations assume that three times a week ten to 15 minutes of sun exposure is a favourable dose. However, it is better to go into the sun every day for a shorter time. Of course, the skin type must be taken into account so that the skin is not damaged.

And those who are already tanned should stay in the sun a little longer. Because the tan protects the skin from UV radiation, and if less penetrates the skin, it also produces correspondingly less vitamin D. It is enough if face, hands and forearms are exposed to the sun. That is about three to five percent of the body surface.

By the way, do not apply any sunscreen before this “medical” sunbathing and only then care for the skin accordingly.

You should not go into the blazing sun between noon and 3 pm. And when the sky is overcast – UV rays also pass through the clouds, but not in large quantities. A longer walk will also replenish the vitamin D stores.