Summertime is finally here, and with the start of this new season comes more opportunities to have some fun in the sun! The sunshine offers many benefits including boosting your mood. However, there are risks to sun exposure. Excessive sun exposure can cause skin complications, can lead to dehydration, and more health complications. It is important to implement skin safety practices into your routine to be able to enjoy the sun without the risk of reaping the negative effects. Let’s break down some of the ways to protect your skin while still taking advantage of the beauty the summertime has to offer!
How to Protect Your Skin This Summer Season
Soaking up the sun rays is one of the best parts of the summer season, but it can come with a price. Overexposure to the sun can cause skin damage, sunburn, premature skin aging, and can even raise your chances of developing skin cancer. So, what is causing these issues to occur? Ultraviolet radiation, or what is commonly known as UV rays, are what cause the sun to become dangerous. Excessive exposure to UV rays is what causes your skin to become sunburnt. These rays can penetrate all types of weather, so even if it is gloomy outside, it is important to protect your skin.
Luckily, there are ways to do just that! Sunscreen helps to protect your skin from sun damage. There are different types of sunscreen out there ranging from low protection to high protection. It is recommended to use sunscreen that has an SPF range of 30 or higher and to use one that is considered broad spectrum. Broad spectrum sunscreens means that it will protect from both UVA and UVB rays. Be sure to check the ingredients list for your sunscreen and to test out your sunscreen on a patch of skin to ensure your skin takes a liking to it.
In addition to wearing sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses might be just the thing you need this summer! A hat with a wide brim will keep the sun rays from hitting your face for a prolonged period of time. In a similar fashion, sunglasses will help to protect not only the skin around your eyes but your eyes in specific.
There is no reason to keep away from the fun in the sun as long as you are taking the right measures to avoid the damage from the sun. These are just some of the many ways to responsibly spend time in the sun this summer.
Lifestyle Changes to Make In The Summer
- Avoid Consuming Excessive Alcohol - While excessive drinking is never a good idea, it can be especially dangerous during the summer months. Alcohol has diuretic properties that make it so you become dehydrated quicker. This can also cause complications that even bloating supplements and gut health enzymes might struggle to reverse. Drinking in hot weather can increase your chances of dealing with heat illness, because your body struggles with properly regulating your internal temperature.
- Consume Seasonal Produce - Eating foods that are in-season is the best way to get the most nutrients from the foods you are consuming. The summer season in specific brings an abundance of fresh fruit, which can be a great refreshing snack during extremely hot days.
- Embrace the Options for Exercise - Exercising is important regardless of the season, but summer offers a unique chance to broaden your exercise horizons. Hiking, biking, and swimming are all examples of exercise that summer offers.
- Get a Good Night’s Sleep - Spending the day in the sun can cause you to feel even more fatigued after a long day. Make sure that you are getting enough rest at night so that you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
- Increase Your Water Intake - Due to the hotter weather, you are more likely to sweat more during the summer. It is important to drink more water to compensate for the loss of moisture from sweating. Infusing your water with fruit can be a great way to spice up your water and make it easier to drink in larger amounts.
Above all, the summer months bring great opportunities for more social activity, and by prioritizing your health habits, you can ensure that you are balancing out the potential negatives from the summer heat.
Summer Activities in the Sun That Will Help Boost Your Mood
Sunlight helps to trigger the release of serotonin in your brain, meaning that spending time outside this summer can actually help boost your mood! Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is known to help boost your mood and improve your mental health. Low levels of serotonin are often associated with anxiety and sadness.
However, this reaction to sunlight is not the only benefit of summer activities! Here are some summer activities to boost your mood this season:
- Gardening - Gardening is a life-long hobby that requires hard work, but the benefits you might reap are unlimited. Gardening offers you a chance to spend some time outdoors and the ingredients one gets from gardening are both fresh and highly nutritious. It is a great way to become more in touch with your diet.
- Have a Picnic - A picnic is a great way to take advantage of the good weather while also bringing you together with your friends and family. With the hustle and bustle of daily life, it can be challenging to find ways to spend time with your loved ones. Hosting a picnic in your backyard or meeting your friends at your local park can be a great way to invest in your relationships this summer.
- Volunteer - After a long winter and quick spring season, what better time to get involved in the community than in the summer months? The summertime offers a great opportunity to invest time in new hobbies, and volunteering in your local community can help you to feel fulfilled.
We hope you have a safe and fun summer season! Be sure to protect your skin and embrace the heat!