It’s finally summer, which means that most of us are eager to spend more time outdoors soaking up the sun! While it’s important to enjoy these summer months and indulge in outdoor adventures, it’s also important to do so safely. The sun is very strong and harmful UV rays can be extremely damaging if we don’t protect ourselves from them. Here are some easy tips and tricks on how to enjoy the sun and outdoors safely this summer season.
Wear Sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen is absolutely vital to enjoying the sun and outdoors safely. Sunscreen helps to prevent skin cancer, sun burns and sun poisoning. You should apply a high-quality sunscreen with a high SPF (sun protection factor) every single day of the year, even on cloudy days.
Drink Water
It is very easy to become dehydrated during the summer, especially when you are indulging in the sun and great outdoors. Make sure to keep a refillable water bottle with you at all times whether you are in your backyard or away from home. There are several wonderful options to choose from including insulated bottles that will keep your drink ice cold and refreshing all day long!
Stay in the Shade
A beautiful summer tan looks great, but healthy skin is way more important. One of the best ways to protect yourself from UV rays is to stay in the shade. UV radiation is typically the highest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., so try to avoid going outdoors during this time. Whenever you spend time outdoors make sure to seek shade under an umbrella or canopy, look for a large tree where you can sit and cool off for a bit and organize your day so that you can spend some time indoors during the middle of the day.
Wear a Hat
Did you know that some of the more common areas for skin cancer include the neck, forehead, face, nose and ears? These areas are almost always exposed and receive way more UV rays than any other part of the body. In order to protect this vulnerable area an easy fix is to protect yourself with a hat! It’s important that you choose a hat you like so that you will actually wear it. For the best protection look for hats with a wide brim and double up your protection by remembering to wear sunscreen on your face, neck and ears.
Layer Loose Clothing
While it may seem counterproductive to layer clothing during the hot summer months, this is an excellent way to protect yourself from the sun. During summer if you’re trying to enjoy the sun and outdoors safely look for clothing that is lightweight and available in darker colors. Select fabrics that will give you more protection with a tighter weave – if you can see sunlight directly through the fabric that means UV rays can get through as well. Long sleeves, long pants and long skirts or dresses will give you great protection.
Protect Your Eyes
Just like we need to protect our skin from the sun, we also need to protect our eyes from being damaged by dangerous UV rays. Damage from the sun is not something that you can see or feel, but it is something that will build over time and can cause major issues later on in life. Over-exposure to sunlight can cause sunburn of your cornea, which can result in blindness. If you continue to expose your eyes to UV rays without protection, over time you can experience serious damage such as cataracts, cancer of the eye, skin cancer on your eyelids or area around the eyes and much more. When you choose sunglasses, apart from looking for something that is fitting of your face and attractive, make sure to look for the following:
- 100% UV protection
- UV 400 label
If you wear corrective glasses or contacts, you can ask your optician for special prescription sunglasses. It’s also important to protect children’s eyes by encouraging them to wear sunglasses that meet the standards mentioned above.
The best way to stay protected and safely enjoy the sun and great outdoors this summer is to utilize multiple methods of protection. This means that you should always wear sunscreen, always bring your sunglasses and water bottle along, keep a hat with you at all times, dress smart and seek out shade as often as possible. Our team and clinic are committed to helping our clients lead a healthy lifestyle so they can be the best version of themselves. For more tips on healthy living and engaging articles please follow our blog.
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