Manish awasthi, a 26-year-old BPO executive, leaves for office at 7p.m. and gets back around 5.30 in the morning. “It’s dark when I leave for work and still not light when I’m back. I get little time to bask in the sun because I’m catching up on my sleep in the day,” he says. After seven years of graveyard shifts, Awasthi suffers from high blood pressure—an effect, the doctor says, of underexposure to the sun and the resultant vitamin D deficiency.

Sunshine on your shoulders not only makes you happy but keeps you healthy as well. The sun is the most important source of vitamin D, which, recent research shows, is vital for fitness. Research shows that blood pressure levels go up during winter and one of the reasons is the lack of sun. In one study, when patients were treated with ultraviolet light three times a week for six weeks, vitamin D levels increased and blood pressure fell significantly. A five-year study, published in the journal Circulation, says vitamin D may offer protection against serious illnesses such as strokes and heart failure, as well as support bone strength. A deficiency in the vitamin can lead to depression, chronic pain, tuberculosis, cancer or schizophrenia. “Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the maintenance of organs and regulates the calcium and phosphorous levels in the blood. It is essential in calcium metabolism and promotes bone formation. It also affects the immune system and prevents tumours and cancerous growths,” says Dr Rajeev K. Erry, Internal Medicine, Paras Hospitals.

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