Ahhh. Sunlight may lower your blood pressure: A little sunshine could be good for your heart, a small study suggests. Researchers tested the effects of 20 minutes of UVA exposure on 24 volunteers and found that “it lowered blood pressure by about five points, and the effects lasted half an hour.” Researchers think that light may stimulate skin to produce a compound called nitric oxide, which can cause dilation of blood vessels and lead to a decrease in blood pressure. However, the benefit of decreased blood pressure must be weighed against the increased risk of skin cancer that comes with increased UV ray exposure