It is one of those situations where, after examining the facts, you almost feel like you are caught between a rock and a hard spot. Or perhaps better yet between the shade and the sun. For many years now the public has been cautioned against excess amounts of sun exposure. And clearly there is truth behind this. Skin cancer is a very real risk, and precautions such as sun block and long sleeved clothing should be taken when going out in the sun. Yet just as it is generally advised that you should not lay unprotected on the beach for hours at a time, summer after summer, it is steadily becoming more apparent that a lack of sunlight can have very negative, far-reaching consequences on your health as well. In recent years numerous well-respected studies, such as one carried out by the University of Maine, have shown that lack of sunlight may in fact be the cause of, or a large contributing factor behind, some people’s high blood pressure.

Probably the most well-known health problem that can stem from a severe lack of sunlight is vitamin D deficiency, often seen in the form of rickets. This condition occurs because the human body produces its vitamin D through sunlight expose (it can also be obtained through artificial ultra violet light, supplements and some foods). Much like trees and greenery, humans need vitamin D to thrive and develop properly. We have millions upon millions of red corpuscles that flow continually through the blood vessels in every part of our skin. Tucked away beneath these vessels are little oil glands that are called sterols. When sterols are exposed to sunlight a substance inside of them is changed and it turns into vitamin D. This vitamin D is in turn carried to every part of your body, including your heart, kidneys and blood.

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