The best time of day to get sunlight in winter to combat vitamin D deficiency

11 November 2023 , 09:31

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Getting any sunlight you can is very important as things turn cold (Image: Getty Images)

Doctors are forever telling us how important vitamin D is, and how sunlight is essential when it comes to producing it.

But in the often bleak and seemingly never-ending winters, helping generate the important nutrient for bone health which also helps keep diseases at bay gets harder and harder. Scientists believe vitamin D ­deficiency is a key factor in a huge range of health problems from heart disease and cancer, to diabetes and dementia.

Everyone in the UK is in danger of ­that for at least three months during winter as the night draw in before you know it. Those most at risk are the over-65s, pregnant and breast-feeding women, children under five, people with darker skin and anyone who wears clothing that covers their skin or spends a lot of time indoors — as most of us now do at this time of the year as the chill sets it.

It's vital to make sure we have the right vitamins and nutrients over the winter months (Getty Images/Vetta)

In the months of December, January and February, only 10 per cent of the body is exposed - but only two hours of sun exposure at noon is needed to produce a sufficient amount of vitamin D. The 'sunshine nutrient' helps the body absorb and use calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones and teeth, as well as supporting the heart.

Getting exposure in the morning is advised, with a number of medics also saying midday is the the best time of day to get sunlight in the winter months. Vitamin D is also important for blood clotting, boosting the immune system and muscle growth. Experts recommend everyone should take a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement as the nutrient can't usually be obtained from food in sufficient amounts - with Brits often not getting the necessary sunlight to maintain blood levels.

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The NHS urges everyone to take vitamin D supplements over the winter as it helps support bones, teeth and muscles. Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor at the British Heart Foundation told the Daily Record: "It's recommended that everyone take a supplement containing 10 micrograms (10 μg, equivalent to 400 IU) of vitamin D daily in autumn and winter. More than this is not necessary, and is likely to be more expensive, but you can safely take up to 25 micrograms if that’s the size you can find."

Dr Oliver Gillie, founder of the Health Research Forum, says recent weather patterns mean many of us will be ­dangerously low on this vitamin. He said: “Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem because of our climate and because this past summer was so bad for sunshine, there was little chance to build up reserves to last us through this winter. Sunbathing can increase a person’s gain in vitamin D substantially during the ­summer putting him or her in the best condition to avoid chronic disease, but that has been impossible.”

An international authority on vitamin D deficiency, Dr Robert Moy, agrees: “An awful summer increases the risk of deficiency, which is reckoned to contribute to a whole range of conditions such as cancer, heart disease and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. What is not really known is at what sort of level these risks increase but we probably ought to be supplementing our intake for six months of the year, from October to March.”

Sam Elliott-Gibbs