We need the sun! A new Swedish scientific study finds that women who avoid the sun have twice the mortality rate of those who do. Being a science nerd myself, I read the full article in the Journal of Internal Medicine and not just the newspaper notices. Here are the results in brief!
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Large study
Over 29500 Swedish women were followed over a 20-year period. Detailed information on sun habits was collected at baseline by questionnaire, along with information on other risk factors.
Inverse relationship between mortality and sun
Over 2500 of the women died during the period, and there was an inverse relationship between mortality and sun exposure. Mortality was twice as high among those who avoided the sun compared to those who were most exposed to the sun. The participants were mainly women with Scandinavian skin types, and it is thought that the risks of sun avoidance may be even greater for women of other origins.
Vitamin D protects
Possible explanations could be that vitamin D protects against disease or that exposure activates the body's melatonin system, which may also be protective. The researchers discuss that the Swedish sunbathing guidelines, which are based on Australian/British guidelines, may be suitable for countries with a high UV index, such as northern Australia.
Too much sun is harmful
However, they argue that the guidelines may not be appropriate in a country like Sweden. The study indicates that we need the sun, but too much sun exposure is of course still associated with the risk of skin cancer. On the Swedish Radio website Dr Pelle Lindqvist says that those who sunbathe and burn themselves have an increased risk of melanoma, but that it is best to sunbathe for a short time each day.
Enjoy the sun!
So take the opportunity to enjoy the sun today! The sun is already shining this morning, and hopefully we will have a nice day. We will try to catch some rays during the day. Tonight, however, there will be a cinema with a preview of the Australian film Tracks. We will return with a review of course.
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Lennart says:
The sun is good in moderation!
We used to fry the pork but now we are a bit more moderate!
I haven't had a cold since early autumn. First winter in my life without a cold!
Guess why - the Mediterranean sun, I say!
10 April 2014 - 8:54
Steve says:
The mere presence of bright sunshine gives me a sense of well-being. Like this morning.
I myself live by the motto "Enjoy - and feel better". I have no particular scientific support for this, but no one can take my own experience away from me. There are of course limits to enjoyment, as with everything else.
10 April 2014 - 9:23
Ulla & Torgny says:
Moderation is best, we don't fry ourselves like we used to. But it's nice to have sun and heat.
Hugs!
10 April 2014 - 10:06
Alexandra says:
Exciting to read! I am convinced that people who live by the sea in warm places are happier people! (based on self-collected observation-based empiricism haha)
10 April 2014 - 10:32
Britt says:
It feels good to read that research. I like the sun and having a little tan skin. As brown as I can get ... is very light in skin but has always tanned. Hope it turns out in longevity 🙂
10 April 2014 - 21:50
Ditte says:
Exciting and interesting reading that I have followed for a while. But ... We who sunbathed and burned ourselves as children and got malignant melanoma due to the fact that in 1950-1960 and perhaps a bit into the 70s did not know much about this are in trouble. Now the sun can trigger new melanomas in me caused by burning myself as a child, and back then there was not even this knowledge that exists today. The Chinese and Japanese live very long and there are few malignant melanomas and they do not want to expose themselves at all to become "brown".
Moderation is probably always best and if I had known what I know today, I would never have pressed in the sun as a young person. But done is short and I have to live with that. Also the discomfort and difficult treatments and operations.
But I do like the sun....
10 April 2014 - 22:12
Rolle o Carina says:
Just enough is probably best, but we are both heat lovers!
Let's hope it comes to us soon now.
Take care/Kram
10 April 2014 - 22:37
admin says:
Lennart, a bit of Mediterranean sun in the winter months is probably good for both body and soul!
Steve, I don't think that statement needs any scientific support.
😉
Alexandra, self-collected empirical data is great to go on many times!
🙂
Britt, we hope so! I'm also fair, but if I sunbathe slowly and carefully, I get some colour in the af.
Ditte, of course I know about this. And I'm sure there was probably too much pressure in the past, and people didn't realise the risks. But if I understand it all correctly, the sun is important for other reasons. As you say, just the right amount is best...
10 April 2014 - 22:40
Anna i Qatar says:
Great! I will be about 200 years old!
For my fellow women in abaya and burka, vitamin D deficiency is common.
15 April 2014 - 7:03
admin says:
Anna in Qatar, great! You're definitely not sun-deficient! Women in abayas and burqas here in the Nordic countries will be even more vitamin D deficient...
15 April 2014 - 7:48