Spending time in the sun might do more than help to boost your Vitamin D levels. It could also shrink fat cells located below your skin, according to researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada.

The team said that the lack of sunlight might be part of the problem with those trying to keep off winter weight. Results appear in the journal Scientific Reports.

The research suggests that blue light waves, or those you see with the naked eye, shrink lipid droplets that are then released out of the fat cell. The team specifically targeted subcutaneous white adipose (ADD-e-pose) tissue, the most common type of fat in the body. This type of tissue also plays a role in regulating whole-body metabolism.

The findings are especially significant for those who live in northern climates, where shorter winter days and longer winter nights are common.

Scientists made the discovery while they were researching methods to bioengineer fat cells that could produce insulin in response to light, specifically for people with Type 1 diabetes. The team identified a molecular pathway that activated when a person was exposed to blue light waves from sunlight.

Research has already shown that blue light emitted from digital devices can disrupt sleep. The team surmises that the same pathway might “also act in a sensory manner, setting the amount of fat humans burn, depending on the season.”

The researchers say further research is necessary to determine how long and how intense sunlight must be to jumpstart the process.

They hope the findings might one day lead to drug- or light-based treatments for obesity and related conditions like diabetes.