Whilst summer is a great time to spend days outside and go on new adventures, the sun is very dangerous especially in large doses or if you are very exposed. In this post I will give some tips on how to stay as safe as you can in the sun without having to worry about the dangers too much.
1. The most important is sun cream! We will wear less clothing in the hot weather in order to stay cool and let our bodies breathe and even though it is recommended to get about 1 hour of sunlight a day for vitamin c, it is very dangerous to not be protected from it.
Depending on your skin type you will need to wear a certain sun cream. If you have fair skin, or skin that can easily burn, it is best to have a higher factor sun cream. If you don't burn that easily or can handle the sun well then a lower factor is suitable.
Another thing to remember is to cover every part of your body that is exposed to the sun, even your neck or the top of your ears if needed.
For a high factor I recommend this (even though it's for kids it is very good in many ways)
For a low factor I recommend this
2. Being in the sun is usually fine if you have thick hair to protect your head but after a while it can heat up and can cause headaches and general tiredness, which isn't what we need when we want to be outside having fun.
To help this either have a hat handy so you can give your head a break from the heat or, even better, sit under a tree or a shade for a bit. It is good to do this anyway to cool yourself down as getting hot generally can be uncomfortable.
Having thin, fine or light hair can be even worse as your head can heat up in a matter of minutes of being outside. Unfortunately the best thing to do is to constantly wear a hat.
People with fine hair can also get burnt easily in their scalp so it is best to protect yourself than to be uncomfortable for days afterwards. However, your head can get heated up by this as well so it's also best to take a break and take your hat off and sit under a tree or shade.
3. Drink plenty of water. The heat can dehydrate you so it is best to drink a bit more than you would do if you are going out in the sun or in the heat. Obviously don't drink loads of water as it can be harmful if you drink too much, but just enough to keep you hydrated whilst you are out in the sun.
4. If the weather is getting really hot it is best to help keep yourself cool by wearing thinner and/or shorter clothing (by shorter I mean shorts or short sleeved t-shirts). If you do get really hot and need a way to cool down then placing ice cubes or something cold on either your wrists, inside of your elbows or inside of your knees.
I hope these tips have been helpful
- Zin x
