SUNBATHING could improve the health of pasty Brits, a study suggests.
Experts from Edinburgh University reckon the benefits of extra UV rays for the sun-starved among us outweigh the risks of getting sunburn.
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They said people in the “lower light environments” of Scotland and the North are especially in need.
Sunlight is known to improve health by replenishing vitamin D, reducing stress and lowering blood pressure.
Data from 395,000 people in the UK found beach bums in Cornwall had 19 per cent lower rates of heart disease and 12 per cent less cancer than city dwellers in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
The study, in the journal Health and Place, suggests southerners get a health boost from greater exposure to UV light.
It even found that using sunbeds – which can cause skin cancer, according to Cancer Research UK and the World Health Organization – appeared to reduce the risk of an early death.
Professor Richard Weller said: “Dermatologists have traditionally only considered possible harm to the skin caused by sunlight.
“When the UV index is very high, protecting skin is important.
“However, this research shows that in the UK, the balance of benefit and risk from sunlight exposure is probably very different from that in sunnier countries.”
Daylight hours are longer as you go further south and the Met Office says the weather tends to be warmer and drier.
Figures show Manchester has one of the gloomiest climates in Europe, with just 1,265 hours of sunshine per year.
Southampton gets an average of 1,706 hours compared to 1,427 in Edinburgh.
Limassol on Cyprus clocks up the most in Europe, with 3,415 hours, followed by cities in Spain, Portugal and Greece.
Citizens of other northern countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark could benefit from more time in the sun, the study said.
The research found sun-lovers’ risk of melanoma skin cancer was higher but their relative risk of dying from it was not.
Prof Chris Dibben added: “The increased risk of skin cancer appears to be outweighed by a larger reduction in the risk of death from cancer and heart disease.”
Experts cautioned Brits should not go out and toast themselves in the name of health.
Prof Kevin McConway, stats expert at the Open University, was not part of the study but said: “This research doesn’t go as far as claiming that more exposure to UV radiation causes people to live longer.
“People who live in different parts of the country differ in many other ways than the amount of UV radiation they get from the sun.”
Risks of the sun
While Brits are tempted to throw themselves into the sunshine at any possible moments, when exposed to high UV rays the sun can cause irreversible and even fatal damage
Skin Damage
The most widely mentioned risk of sun exposure in skin damage caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV rays).
Care should be taken, especially those with pale, white or light brown skin when being in direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Skin damage can lead to sunburn, including blistering and peeling, and skin cancer.
There are three main types of cancers: Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (both non-melanoma skin cancers), and melanoma.
Melanoma is much less common but is the most deadly.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that occurs when you are exposed to high temperatures and your body is unable to regulate it.
If left untreated it can develop into heat stroke or sun stroke.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion are:
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nasuea
- Thirst
- Irritability (in children)
Eye Damage
Without eye protection strong sunlight can cause a burn similar to sunburn on your eyes.
Staring directly into the sun can damage your retina, known as solar retinopathy, which can cause temporary blindness or permanent damage.
Looking at the sun puts your vision at risk immediately which is why it’s important when wearing sunglasses, even when watching an eclipse.