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00:01We all want simple ways to feel better.
00:04Maybe you want to know how to kickstart your day.
00:07Or perhaps you're having trouble remembering things.
00:10Maybe you want something to lift your mood.
00:15Following in the footsteps of Dr. Michael Mosley in his hit podcast, Just One Thing,
00:21we're travelling across the country.
00:23Ta-da!
00:24This is going to be good for you.
00:26I'm really excited for this.
00:27And asking people to make one small change for big benefits.
00:32Any idea what it is?
00:33I haven't got a clue.
00:35I haven't done gardening before, but it's the first time for everything.
00:38Sharing the quick and easy ways, we can all improve our lives.
00:43All right up!
00:45By doing just one thing.
00:47I feel so happy that we're doing this.
00:49I can't believe how much it has changed my life.
00:58This time, I'm in Brighton in East Sussex, a city by the sea and my hometown as it happens.
01:05And I've got a quick health fix that could benefit your heart, bones, mood and even your sleep.
01:14I'll let you into a little secret.
01:16Today's Just One Thing is one of the main reasons that I live here in beautiful Brighton.
01:22Too much of this is said to be very bad for us.
01:25And I must confess, I probably overdid it in my younger years.
01:29I know I'm not talking about alcohol.
01:31Today's Just One Thing is getting some sun.
01:34It's not always that reliable with the British weather.
01:39I'm here to persuade retired woodworker Neville that if he spent just a little more time outdoors,
01:45it could make a real difference to his mood and his health.
01:52Hi!
01:53How are you?
01:54Is it Neville?
01:55Yes.
01:56Hi, I'm so nice to meet you, darling.
01:58Are we going, driver?
01:59Shall we go?
02:00Yeah.
02:00Yeah?
02:01So, Neville, tell me a bit about yourself and why you want to make a few healthy changes in your
02:08life.
02:08Well, I'm not very healthy.
02:10OK.
02:10How bad is it, Neville?
02:12You name it, I've had it.
02:14Oh, I've got it.
02:16Neville has been trying to find ways to regain his health after suffering a series of heart attacks and developing
02:23diabetes.
02:24I get tired quickly.
02:28Basically, fatigue is the main problem.
02:31It's a struggle, but I keep going.
02:34I don't let it beat me.
02:38I think, Nev, there is a small change that could make a real big difference to your life.
02:46This just one thing could improve those energy levels, help you get better sleep, and even help your heart health.
02:57I want to see this.
02:58You want to see this.
02:59I know, you're like, well, you tell me that, but can this really happen?
03:02Can you have a little guess at what you think your just one thing might be?
03:07I've got no idea.
03:09OK.
03:10Unless you're going to throw me out of an aeroplane.
03:12Definitely not going to throw you out of an aeroplane.
03:14Are you ready to find out, Nev?
03:16Yeah.
03:16OK.
03:17You need to follow me upstairs.
03:18Follow me, Nev.
03:19I'm going up top.
03:26Oh.
03:27OK, Nev.
03:28I can tell you that your just one thing is get some sun.
03:35And it's here.
03:38Two big studies found that those who spent more time in sunlight lived longer.
03:46Neville's just one thing sounds almost too good to be true, but for him, there could be a catch.
03:53Are you a sun worshiper, Nev?
03:56No, not really.
03:57No, OK.
03:58I'll go on holiday.
03:58I'll go to the bar in the shade.
04:01Why does that not surprise me, Nev?
04:03That doesn't surprise me.
04:05I went to Greece once and they had a heat wave and I end up with blisters on my back.
04:10So, I stay out of the sun now.
04:13We're not asking Nev to bake in the sun, just to get out into it a little more than he
04:18does at the moment.
04:20I do, I spend more indoors than I should do.
04:24I mean, patch cables for the computer.
04:26I've got a CB radio.
04:27I've put that up.
04:28Set up a Facebook site.
04:30That's basically how I fill up my day with awesome ends like that, plus a bit of cooking here and
04:35there.
04:36The more time you spend indoors, the more likely you are to be one of almost 50% of us
04:42who have low levels of vitamin D, which is linked to fatigue and low mood.
04:48Hopefully, it's going to help those energy levels because you've been struggling with your energy.
04:52So, I'm going to be solar powered.
04:53Yeah, you are going to be solar powered.
04:58But the key is to soak up the sunshine little and often.
05:02Most vitamin D is actually made in the early part of being outside.
05:07And the longer you stay out in the sun, the greater your risk of skin cancer.
05:13Obviously, we know that, you know, too much sun can be bad for us.
05:18And there is always the concern about skin cancer if we get too much sun.
05:21I was terrible.
05:22I used to use sunbeds when I was younger.
05:24This is different.
05:25So, I want you to get your skin out.
05:28Expose yourself to the sun 10 minutes every day.
05:31That's all you need, 10 minutes every day.
05:35When we let our skin bask in the sun, it can generate 90% of the vitamin D we need.
05:41Low levels are linked to poor bone and muscle health, two things that are increasingly important as we age.
05:48I'm 69 at the moment.
05:51I've got grandchildren that have actually gone and made me a great granddad.
05:55But I do want my fitness to get better.
05:58And, of course, there's another beloved member of the family he'd like to spend more quality time with.
06:04My little baby, without a doubt.
06:09So, I've got to take it for a service.
06:11I've got a feeling of going in with about 200 miles on the clock.
06:15The mileage is so low because I just haven't been able to get out on it recently.
06:24My hobby of photography, it's not like going out with your phone.
06:28I take a big old camera out with a few lenses.
06:32I'm into it big time.
06:33But it's carrying the stuff around.
06:35It tends to get to me.
06:38It sort of makes me feel a bit frustrated because all my life I've walked, I've managed to walk everywhere.
06:47Now it's like a few paces at a time.
06:50I walk like an old person now.
06:54Right, well, sit back and relax now.
06:57Get your arms out a little bit, get your face up there and enjoy.
07:01Oh, look at that.
07:05Paradise.
07:07So, what do you think about this Just One Thing challenge?
07:10Yeah, I'm up for it.
07:11I'll have a go with it.
07:13That's what we like to hear, Nev.
07:17I don't know, to be honest, but at least there's one thing.
07:21It will get me out, a bit of fresh air.
07:22I mean, ten minutes outside, a bit of fresh air.
07:25I mean, it ain't going to kill me, is it?
07:29He's a great character, Nev, isn't he?
07:31And you know what?
07:32I think he's going to embrace this challenge.
07:35He clearly wants to make some positive changes.
07:38I think he's going to grab a bull by the horns and go for it.
07:44And I say, go, Nev.
07:45Fingers crossed.
07:48If he does manage to catch a few more rays, the latest science is revealing some surprising ways that sunlight
07:54could improve Nev's health.
07:58Let's start with his heart.
08:00A large study found that people who spent more time in the sun were around 20% less likely to
08:06die from heart disease.
08:09And the sun can also lift your mood.
08:12A study of over 400,000 people found that each additional hour spent in sunlight was linked to a lower
08:19risk of depression.
08:22And it could even help his bone and muscle health by boosting low levels of vitamin D.
08:28A recent study found that supplementing with vitamin D reduced risks of fractures by 13%.
08:39But it's even easier to enjoy the sunshine when you've got friends and family with you.
08:44So, Nev's invited some of his nearest and dearest to meet us at the seafront so they can all reap
08:50the benefits.
08:52Hello, Nev, and welcome, Liz, Nev's wife, and Christina, Nev's daughter.
08:58He's quite a card, isn't he?
09:00Yeah, definitely.
09:00You're Nev.
09:01Ace of space, mate.
09:03Very good.
09:03See?
09:04He brings all the gags.
09:06Welcome to the sunny seaside.
09:08I say sunny with, obviously, slight tongue-in-cheek.
09:12Have you any idea what just one thing we have given to Nev?
09:18Not a clue.
09:19Not a clue?
09:20No, he's been very secretive.
09:21Here is the big reveal.
09:23The just one thing we've asked Nev to take on as a challenge is, it's a good one, I think.
09:30It is simply to get some sunshine.
09:34Okay?
09:35Ten minutes of sunshine every day to get his face out, get his arms out in the sunshine, maybe take
09:42a walk,
09:43because that could really make a difference to his health.
09:47I'm going to trust you as a family, and hopefully it'll make a difference for all of you as a
09:51family as well.
09:52Oh, definitely.
09:53I nag a bit.
09:55I think you have to, though, Liz.
09:57I was expecting, yeah, something a bit more active, I think, but that's actually quite simple, really.
10:04To get us started, I'm going to suggest a bit of fun in the sun.
10:11Adventure golf, guys.
10:13I mean, this is the perfect way for everybody to get ten minutes in this.
10:16I can see how exciting you are there, Christina.
10:19I'm going to play with you.
10:20There's one for you, Christina.
10:22One for you, Liz.
10:23Do you know what your handicap is when it comes to golf?
10:26I can't hit the ball.
10:27You can't hit the ball.
10:28Brilliant.
10:28Yeah, I have that problem as well.
10:29It's in my name.
10:30It doesn't mean I'm any good at anything involving them.
10:33You can use it that way.
10:34Yeah.
10:35Nev, I knew we'd have a laugh with you today.
10:38So, we've got our ten minutes.
10:40Oh, you need to get your sleeves rolled up, get a bit on your skin, on your face.
10:45I'll burn.
10:46Yeah, you'll burn.
10:47Ten minutes is all right, Nev.
10:48We've had this chat.
10:49So, let's see who can get the most points in the ten minutes of good sunshine all needed as part
10:56of our challenge.
10:57Right, who's up first?
10:58I'll go.
10:59You're going to go first.
11:00Where's the hole?
11:01Where's the hole?
11:01It's around the corner.
11:04Good start.
11:06Oh, is it going in?
11:07No.
11:13I think running around after kids, I think I could do with the energy just to keep up with the
11:19kids, really.
11:20They're always on the go.
11:22Barely seem to sleep themselves.
11:24So, I mean, as much sleep as I can get would be great.
11:28Experts say that the amount of time you should spend in the sun depends on your skin type.
11:34Hey!
11:35Hey!
11:36No way!
11:37Did she do it?
11:40If you have fair skin like Nev, Liz and Kristina, it's ten minutes.
11:44Anything more and you need to cover up or get out the sun cream.
11:49OK, our ten minutes is up.
11:51And because the sun gives off UVA and UVB radiation, it's really important that we use sun creams to protect
11:59our skin from skin cancer.
12:01So, I feel like mum now on a day out.
12:05But I have our sun creams.
12:07It's really important you use a factor above 30.
12:11So, let's put some on now.
12:13Oh, my God, I've got too much.
12:15Oh, share some with me.
12:16I'll have a bit.
12:17There you go.
12:17I'll have a bit of that.
12:18Great.
12:19Here we go.
12:20Smear that on.
12:22Scientists recommend that people with darker skin types need longer in the sun to get enough vitamin D before they
12:29risk burning.
12:30This is because they have more of a natural pigmentation in their skin called melanin, which absorbs harmful UV rays,
12:38but also slows down vitamin D production.
12:42South Asian or olive skin tones need 25 minutes of sunlight and black skin tones need up to 40 minutes.
12:51I know you laugh about the clouds up there, Nev, but the radiation still comes through the clouds, so it
12:57is really important, even on a cloudy day, to use SPF.
13:02Overcast days still produce some UV rays, but it takes longer for your skin to make that precious vitamin D.
13:09Rainy days produce hardly any vitamin D at all.
13:12And in the winter months, when sunlight is scarce and you show less skin, it's best to take a vitamin
13:18D supplement to ensure you're getting enough.
13:22Christina, are you good with your sun cream?
13:24Yeah, I put some on every day.
13:25You do?
13:25On my face, mostly.
13:27How about yourself, Liz?
13:28Oh, yes, I would put it on every day.
13:30OK, good.
13:31We need to teach Nev.
13:32We are giving you mixed messages here.
13:34You're 10 minutes out in the sun, exposure, soak in that vitamin D, but then after the 10 minutes, it's
13:40ideal to get your SPF on.
13:41I might have to entrust the girls to keep an eye on you, I feel.
13:46Yeah?
13:46Yeah, because I don't use cream.
13:48He hates putting cream on himself.
13:49You don't want to end up with sun damage, Nev.
13:53To protect the skin from burning and ageing, choose an SPF of 30 or higher, with at least a four
14:01-star UVA protection.
14:04And there's no need to splash out on posh sun cream.
14:07It doesn't necessarily mean it's any better.
14:10And a recent study found that when the price is higher, people use less, which lowers their protection.
14:19Well, I've left the family to it at the golf.
14:22Are they going to complete this challenge?
14:24Nev can be a little bit naughty at times, but I think with Liz and Christina's encouragement, he can definitely
14:30make this work.
14:31And hopefully, if he starts to feel the benefits of those 10 minutes of sunshine every day, this may be
14:38something he'll stick to.
14:39I think he can get outside a bit more while doing this, get away from his desk and in the
14:43dark.
14:44He might be slow to start, but I hope he'll get the hang of it.
14:55Brighton has long been a hotspot for sun seekers like me.
14:59Back in the 18th century, it went from being a sleepy fishing village to a bustling seaside resort.
15:06Even then, people knew that being here was good for their health.
15:10Although they were perhaps more partial to taking the waters than soaking up the vitamin D from the sunshine.
15:18One doctor even prescribed drinking the seawater as a treatment.
15:23Not something I'd recommend today.
15:27Brighton became the ultimate fashionable holiday destination when King George IV chose it as his favourite leisure spot.
15:35Constructing the Grand Royal Pavilion as a pleasure palace.
15:40And we Brits still head to Brighton for fun in the sun.
15:43It gets 11 million visitors a year.
15:49Neville and his family are throwing themselves into the Sunshine Challenge.
15:54Wife Liz is brightening up her day with a walk in the sun.
15:58I enjoyed myself on the sea front, on the beach.
16:04Quite pleasant, the weather.
16:06It's on and off, you know.
16:07I'm at Memorial Garden, doing the fresh air.
16:13Hello.
16:13Hello.
16:15So we're out getting our ten minutes of sunshine right now, aren't we?
16:19I'm walking to karate.
16:22Eric, do you like being outside?
16:24Yes, no.
16:31I do find it is a struggle to get out of bed.
16:36I'll tell you what, when you get old, putting shoes on becomes a problem.
16:40At the moment I've got what I call broken sleep.
16:43I normally wake up about 3 o'clock in the morning, then I struggle to go back to sleep after
16:49that.
16:50This impacts Neville's energy later in the day.
16:54By 3 o'clock, I want to go and have a lie down and go to sleep for about an
17:00hour or so.
17:01It's just fatigue catches up with me.
17:03You just get tired.
17:05You just, the body feels drained.
17:07At least this afternoon, Nev's taking a rest out in the sun.
17:14Which may boost his vitamin D and help him recharge.
17:20But sunlight is not only good for vitamin D, it also plays a key role in helping us get a
17:26better night's sleep, which Neville could really benefit from.
17:30So I've asked the gang to make an early start.
17:37It's 6.30.
17:40And I've got to get to the beach.
17:43To boost their sunshine with a bit of volunteering.
17:47It's like school detention all over again.
17:49Hello.
17:49I think you're a little picking.
17:51You might have already guessed that you are going to be doing some beach cleaning with us today.
17:54You guys, if you want to grab gloves, we'll get you kitted up with a board and a bag and
17:59some gloves as well, just for safety.
18:07I thought this was about sunshine, not litter picking.
18:09Well, we have got a bit of sunshine.
18:10Yeah, that's true.
18:12Joining them at this sunrise tidy-up is Dr Dan van der Veen, body clock expert from the University of
18:18Surrey.
18:20The trouble is, I tend not to sleep rather well.
18:23Yes.
18:24I end up going to bed about well gone, well, midnight or gone, just to get to sleep.
18:29Well, you can trick your body and you can make that better.
18:32So it's not about in the evening that when you go to bed that you're not tired.
18:37That's not where you fix it.
18:38You fix it by having this light early in the morning.
18:41And that bright light in the morning, within that first hour, will really tell the clock in your brain that
18:47it's morning and it will synchronise to that.
18:50What is the colour that you see in the sky?
18:52Blue.
18:53Blue, right?
18:54And it's this blue light that your eye is seeing and you've got a special receptor for that.
19:00So a special something in your eye that recognises blue light and shoots that straight into your biological clock to
19:07synchronise it.
19:09Scientists have discovered that sunlight in the morning triggers the body clock to release the sleep hormone melatonin later in
19:16the day.
19:17So if Neville gets up and into the sunshine early, he might stay more alert during the day and be
19:23better rested at night.
19:25For Christina, it's the mornings that are a problem.
19:28I'm definitely not a morning person.
19:30So you say you're not a morning person.
19:32So how do you know that?
19:33I'm generally grumpy when I wake up.
19:35Yeah, yeah.
19:36If I'm honest.
19:37So my family agrees with me, I think.
19:39So you're grumpy in the morning when you wake up.
19:42You know, if you see that sunlight, it actually drives the dopamine and it will actually make you a little
19:48bit less grumpy.
19:50So it's a better start of the day as well, more energetic and you'll feel that you're more active.
19:55So that's something that's really beneficial.
20:03I really enjoyed it, actually.
20:05The beach clean was really good, fun.
20:07I actually really got into it.
20:09So I think if I can get into the habit of getting up and outside, or at least in the
20:14sunshine, in the early mornings, I think that could help.
20:17What Dr Dan said, I might end up getting up regularly in the morning because I'm normally awake.
20:23It's just getting out of bed that's the problem.
20:26Daylight, first thing, isn't just good for sleep.
20:29It's also good for mood and motivation.
20:33Light exposure increases chemicals in your brain like dopamine and serotonin that are associated with feeling happy and being focused.
20:43So researchers think getting sunlight early in the morning could make your day even brighter.
20:50I've had the pleasure of waking up very early in the morning with many of you with my radio show
20:55over the years.
20:56But then I would be in the car, go straight into the studio, straight to work.
21:01These days, my routine has changed quite a bit.
21:04So if the sun's out, after I've done the school run, I'll grab myself a coffee, just come down here,
21:10soak up a bit of the rays.
21:14The problem is winter, when it can still be dark on the way to school.
21:18These shorter days with less exposure to sunlight can lead to low mood and even depression.
21:25One potential solution is the daylight therapy lamp.
21:29It emits bright or blue-toned light to simulate the brightness and colour temperature of daylight,
21:36tricking your brain into thinking you're getting more sunshine than you really are.
21:42I'm definitely someone who suffers with winter blues, so I'm going to be getting myself a daylight lamp just like
21:49this,
21:49which I can use during the drearier months to help boost my mood and also help my body clock ticking
21:55over.
21:56They're sometimes referred to as sad lamps.
21:59Seasonal affective disorder is what that stands for.
22:02And I'm going to make sure that I wrap up warm and get myself outside in the sun when it
22:07does come out.
22:11Time to check in with those little rays of sunshine to see if they've risen to the challenge.
22:17And Christina is giving the daylight lamp a go.
22:20So today I am working from home.
22:23So this is supposed to simulate daylight and boost my energy levels.
22:29And I'm still a little bit sceptical about that.
22:33So we will give it a go.
22:39Oh, blimey!
22:45Nev's up bright and early to catch more of the morning sunshine,
22:49hoping it will help his sleep and boost his vitamin D.
22:53It makes a change from a normal routine, and the sunlight is an added boost.
22:58But if you get up early enough, you can go out and get breakfast without the missus knowing what you're
23:02having.
23:03That's the great escape.
23:06I felt something when I got off the bike.
23:09Now it seems that Liz has been doing a dirty look what she's smuggled in.
23:15It's only sun cream lotion.
23:18A little goes a long way.
23:20I'm edging over to the benefits of the sun.
23:22But as for the sun tan lotion,
23:25ten minutes are up.
23:26I suppose I'd better gather up my things and get out on the bike again.
23:34I'm doing the ten minutes and I'm sleeping well now since I've been going out in it.
23:40I feel really refreshed and getting there.
23:49I'm actually managing to get around a little bit better than what I normally do.
23:54To test just how solar-powered he feels now, Nev's been out and about with his camera.
24:01I've got more energy than what I normally would have this time of day.
24:05I wouldn't be out otherwise.
24:08So, yeah, it makes a difference for me.
24:12I think it is helping.
24:14It's a good idea.
24:16I'd never thought of it myself.
24:18I'm just hoping I'm recharging while I'm walking around the park.
24:23Neville and his family seem to be feeling the benefits of all that time in the sun.
24:28So, how exactly does getting some sunshine give us such a health boost?
24:36Let's start with the brain.
24:38Science has shown that when sunlight hits the eye, it stimulates the release of serotonin.
24:43This typically gives us a feeling of well-being and relaxation, as well as relieving pain.
24:52When energy from the sun hits the skin, nitric oxide is produced, making the blood vessels expand and lowering our
25:01blood pressure,
25:01which could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
25:06Our sun-kissed skin also produces that clever molecule vitamin D, which works wonders all over the body.
25:14It maintains our calcium levels, keeps our bones healthy, and it activates receptors in muscle cells to improve growth and
25:23repair.
25:27Nev, Liz and Christina's Just One Thing is drawing to a close,
25:31so they're meeting up to compare notes on the results of their sunshine challenge.
25:37What have you enjoyed about the challenge?
25:40It's the little surprises I get.
25:43Yeah, the little surprises I get.
25:45When I go out for a ride on the bike and I find little presents in my jacket, like sun
25:51cream.
25:52Ha-ha-ha!
25:54Overall, it's been nice to get out a bit more than is usual for me.
25:58Yeah.
25:58It's nice to sort of, like, be out in the sun and enjoy yourself.
26:05Neve's been struggling for years to regain his health and fitness following a series of heart attacks.
26:11I hoped that ten minutes in the sunshine every day could raise his mood, improve his sleep and give him
26:18more energy.
26:20It's the day I was wandering around Tilgate Park and I got further around than I normally would have done.
26:26So there is slight improvements and I just hope they get more and more and better.
26:32He just seems a bit more happier than he has been.
26:36And I'd like to think that he's going to keep up with this and just see where it takes him.
26:41What, anyone want another burger?
26:43Yeah, go on.
26:44Or a sausage?
26:45Ha-ha!
26:46And what about Liz and Christina?
26:48Has it helped them too?
26:50When he goes to bed, he's all like, um, he sleeps a bit longer and I don't get woken up
26:56because when he's moving or groaning or whatever, you know.
27:00Yeah, I do seem to sleep better, so I'm a bit more rested, that's not too bad, that is a
27:05bonus.
27:06Well, I ended up buying one of those daylight lamps to try because I didn't get, not been able to
27:11get out much because of work, so I've had that on my desk.
27:14Yeah, I know, it makes me feel a bit happier.
27:16Yeah, having that on on my lamp or my face definitely wakes me up a little bit.
27:20That's brilliant.
27:21So is this just one thing, a keeper?
27:25I was a little bit sceptical because I thought, you know, what's sunlight going to do?
27:31But at the moment, I feel it somehow, well, just getting me out and everything else, it has helped my
27:38sleep being a bit deeper.
27:40So, yes, I'm going to go for it a few months longer anyway and give it a try.
27:47If Neville keeps up with his daily dose of sunshine, he can start seeing bigger improvements in his mood, energy
27:54and sleep and restore low levels of vitamin D within a couple of months.
28:00Well, I think we could all do with a bit of time in the sun and I'm really going to
28:05try that.
28:05Ten minutes of sunlight on my face and on my hands before I reach for the sun cream to hopefully
28:13help boost my mood and help with sleep and even blood pressure.
28:18I mean, it's a bit of heaven.
28:29Ten minutes of sunlight on my face, hello.
28:33Ten minutes of daylight.
28:33Ten minutes of light.
28:52You
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