Did you know sunlight can increase your healthy lifespan? Longevity expert Dr Vass explains how

Dr Vass shares three ways in which sunlight promotes longevity and shares a protocol for sunlight exposure to help those who primarily stay indoors.

Experiencing sunlight is not just good for the mood; according to Dr Vassily Eliopoulos, it is one of the most important elements in longevity medicine. Taking to Instagram on July 21, he shared three ways in which sunlight exposure can help to increase the healthy lifespan of an individual.

1. Sunlight benefits circadian mechanism

Cortisol peaks correctly, and melatonin is suppressed until the right time at night. The liver, pancreas, immune system, and every peripheral organ synchronise to that light signal.

When an individual skips the morning sunlight, going from a dark bedroom to a car or an office, their circadian system starts to drift, cautioned the physician. And circadian misalignment drives insulin insensitivity, elevated inflammatory markers, and disrupted hormonal pulses independent of diet and exercise.

“Night shift workers, who are the people who have the most severe circadian disruption, show significantly elevated rates of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers,” pointed out Dr Vass.

2. Sunlight opens up vitamin D pathway

Skin exposure to UVB light is the primary driver of vitamin D synthesis, pointed out Dr Vass.

“Vitamin D insufficiency is present in roughly 40 percent of adults and is associated with higher all-cause mortality, elevated cardiovascular risk, immune dysfunction, and accelerated cognitive decline,” he stated.

According to the physician, sun-derived vitamin D behaves differently in the body than the supplement form. It's produced in proportion to the actual UVB exposure, stored in fat tissue and released more gradually.

3. Sunlight opens up nitric oxide pathway

One of the least discussed effects of sunlight exposure, according to Dr Vass, “UVA light penetrating the skin triggers the release of nitric oxide that is stored in the dermis or the skin, and it releases it directly into the bloodstream. Nitric oxide dilates vessels, lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function. This is a direct supplement, an independent cardiovascular effect that occurs within minutes.”

Sunlight exposure protocol

For an individual who spends most of their time indoors at home or at work, Dr Vass shared the following protocol for sunlight exposure.

• 10 to 20 minutes of morning sunlight with 30 minutes of walking, eyes open, no sunglasses, outdoors.
• 10 to 30 minutes of midday UVB exposure, ideally to large skin areas when the UV index is above three.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Dr Vassily Eliopoulos, popularly known as Dr Vass on social media, is a longevity expert trained at Cornell University and co-founder and chief medical officer of Longevity Health.