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Vitamin D is among the most important nutrients your body needs but is never enough. According to experts, more than 40 per cent of people across the world suffer from vitamin D deficiency, which leads to various serious health issues, including high blood pressure, cholesterol, fatigue, anemia, and even mental health issues. And so, you must know when and how much you can supplement it through natural sources like sunlight.

Vitamin D – made from cholesterol in your skin when it gets exposed to the sun – is also known as sunshine vitamin. Experts say when your skin gets sun rays on it - vitamin D is made from cholesterol. The sun’s ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur.

It then helps the cells in your gut to absorb calcium and phosphorus, two minerals essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones. However, experts say even too much sunlight can become detrimental to your health.

According to experts, midday - especially during summer, is the best time to get sunlight. Doctors say around noon – the sun is at its highest point – but the UV rays are also the most powerful. And so, you need less time in the sun to make sufficient vitamin D.

Apart from getting the nutrients around midday more efficiently – it is also safer than getting sun later in the day – as sun exposure at that time can significantly increase the risk of dangerous and deadly skin cancers.

So, sit directly in the sun – facing your back, and wear a tank top for at least 20-30 minutes thrice a week during the summertime and 5-6 times during winter—especially for those with lighter skin. Doctors say if you have darker skin, you may need a bit longer than this.

However, make sure that you do not burn yourself by staying in the sun for too long. Instead, try going without sunscreen for just the first 15-20 minutes, depending on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight, and apply sunscreen before you start burning. Also, it is perfectly fine to wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your face and eyes while exposing other parts of your body. Since the head is a small part of the body, it will only produce a small amount of vitamin D.

Staying in the sun for way longer than just 30 minutes can lead to the following dangers:

Sunburns happen when you have redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, and blisters on your skin due to too much sun exposure.

Sitting in the sun for a longer time exposes you to the deadly ultraviolet rays which damage your retina – increasing the risk of eye diseases like cataracts.

Too much sun exposure leads to sunstroke - a condition in which your body’s core temperature can rise due to too much heat.

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