Getting your daily dose of sunshine fuels your body with vitamin D, but a new study found it may also help lower your blood pressure, too.

Studies in the past have shown that people with mild hypertension tend to have lower blood pressure in the summer than in the winter. Until now, researchers weren’t certain why.

In the recent study, participants were exposed to ultraviolet A radiation for 30 minutes … that’s about the same intensity of sunlight at noon on a sunny day in Southern Europe.

This bit of sunshine exposure revealed a small — but significant — drop in blood pressure compared to those who weren’t exposed to UVA.

Blood tests showed that the UVA exposure caused a release of nitric oxide from the skin into the bloodstream. Researchers believe this nitric oxide caused the arteries to dilate and, thus, lower the blood pressure.

Researchers said that even though the drop was small, a decrease in blood pressure, no matter what the amount, can have vast health benefits.

The amount of direct sunlight you should get per day to achieve your recommended daily dose of vitamin D depends on your skin tone. Experts suggest anywhere from about 15 minutes to a couple hours.

However, excessive UVA exposure can have health consequences beyond skin wrinkling and freckles. So, if you know you’ll be in direct sunlight for a while, lather on sunscreen to protect your skin, and your body. Also … don’t forget to reapply it often.

And if you have high blood pressure, don’t depend on sunlight to lower your blood pressure levels significantly. Researchers advise you control your blood pressure with help from a doctor and a nutritional diet, rather than just soaking in the sun.