Now, we know that having too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer so the question really is: how much sun is the sweet spot?

A study looking at the vitamin D requirements of white Brits found that 9–13 minutes of lunchtime exposure between March and September in ‘season-appropriate clothing’ was optimal. If you’ve got darker skin, you may want to spend slightly longer, but recent studies have actually concluded that melanin doesn’t have the massive inhibitory effect on vitamin D as previously thought. Researchers recommended a maximum of 30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure for all skin colours.

That’s roughly the same advice as a 2019 Swiss study that concluded that 15 minutes during the spring was enough. Their researchers recommended taking a ‘little and often’ approach to exposure to avoid sunburn but fill up on vitamin D.

They also concluded that it was impossible to reach the daily dose of vitamin D required during the autumn and winter in Switzerland – and the NHS here also recommends adults supplement the vitamin between September and March.

How to live longer: spending just 15 minutes a day outside might boost your lifespan, data suggests