Exposure to sunlight also keeps bones healthy, researchers say

Sep 23, 2013 18:01 GMT  ·  By

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark now claim that sunbathing reduces a person's risk to suffer a heart attack. Besides, it promotes bone health and curbs premature death risk.

The scientists explain that, all things considered, their findings go against long-held assumptions that say people should limit their exposure to the sun.

“The overall data indirectly suggest that sun exposure for many individuals may have beneficial health effects and therefore question the widespread advice that sun exposure should be avoided,” they write in the International Journal of Epidemiology, as cited by Daily Mail.

Still, the fact remains that people who spend a tad too much time sunbathing risk developing various forms of skin cancer.

Although non-melanoma skin cancer patients appear to be 4% less likely to experience a heart attack, it hardly seems worthwhile to risk getting cancer just to try to keep your heart healthy and beating for longer.

“Overexposure to UV rays from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer. We all need some sun in our lives to make vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bones. But the key is to enjoy the sun safely and avoid sunburn,” stresses Dr. Claire Knight of Cancer Research UK.