Vitamin D is among the most crucial macronutrients for your body—it is needed for proper functioning. According to experts, apart from strengthening your bones and mental health, vitamin D also takes care of your heart. And so, it is important to get it regularly—most importantly through natural resources like the sun.

Doctors say spending just a few minutes in the sun can help your body produce enough vitamin D. However, sun exposure also carries a risk of skin cancer. And so, you must know how much you should be sitting in sunlight.

Experts say if you are using sunscreen and plan to sit in the sun, even a brief exposure can help with the production of this vitamin. Studies say around 10 minutes of midday sun with 25 per cent of the body exposed, like arms and legs, can meet daily vitamin D needs during spring and summer. While sunscreen blocks ultraviolet rays which are responsible for vitamin D production, you must wear sunscreen to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Even with sunscreen, your body can still produce some vitamin D.

Midday, especially during summer, is the best time to get sunlight. At noon, the sun is at its highest point, and its UVB rays are most intense. That means you need less time in the sun to make sufficient vitamin D. Studies also show that the body is most efficient at making vitamin D at noon.

Vitamin D is measured in international units (IU), and the daily recommended intake for ages 1 to 70 years is 600 IU and 800 for those 71 and older. Doctors say as you age, your skin becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D, which may increase your need for supplements or vitamin D–rich foods.

A few symptoms of low vitamin D include:

• Fatigue and tiredness
• Bone pain
• Muscle weakness
• Depression
• Frequent infections
• Hair loss
• Reduced appetite
• Slower wound healing

Dangers of getting too much sunlight

While sunlight is great for vitamin D production, too much can be dangerous. A few consequences of too much sunlight include:

The most common harmful effect of too much sunlight. Symptoms of sunburn include redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, and blisters.

Long-term exposure to UV light can damage the retina, leading to eye diseases like cataracts.

Spending too long in the sun can cause your skin to age faster

Freckles, moles, and other skin changes can be a side effect of excess sunlight exposure.

It is a condition in which your body’s core temperature may rise due to too much heat or sun exposure.

Too much UV light is a major cause of skin cancers.

It is best to apply sunscreen after 10–30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure to avoid the harmful consequences of excess sunlight. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.