The full brunt of winter lies ahead, and it’s more than a month before days start getting longer again. Besides the general gloominess that this brings, UVB light for natural vitamin D production is nonexistent or severely limited in most of the U.S during the winter months.
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However, there are still plenty of reasons to spend some time outside for UVA light this time of the year as well as using alternative sources, like sunbeds, for UVB, according to Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council (VDC).
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“So I still seek sun exposure in the wintertime, even without the UVB. While I continue to get UVA in the winter from sunshine, I keep a UVB light in my office for the winter as I think both moderate amounts of UVA and UVB light are important for health,” Cannell wrote in a recent blog post. “One option is to go to sun tanning parlors and ask for old-fashioned low-pressure UV sunbed. They approximate the wavelengths in sunlight.”
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UVA and UVB light are both important because the benefits of moderate sun exposure extend beyond those related to vitamin D, Cannell explains. Most recently, a study found that UV light in general, not increased vitamin D levels, improved quality of life indicators. Other benefits of UV exposure described by the VDC include enhanced mood and energy, treatment of skin diseases, relieved pain in fibromyalgia, skin barrier functions, protection against MS, and nitric oxide production.
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From: SmartTan.com
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Article based on information from The Vitamin D Council.