You might have an idea about the damaging effects of human activity on our planet. The most troubling case of human interference in the natural environment is the depletion of the ozone layer. An ozone layer is a kind of protective shield around our atmosphere that minimizes the harmful effects of sun rays.
Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays and those are damaging not only our skin but are also the precursor of several dangerous diseases like skin cancer and few others of its kind. The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that over the years the risk of people dying because of sunburn has increased. Since more people are now inclined towards sunbathing, the protection of your skin from the harmful effects of sun rays becomes inevitable.
People treat sunbathing as a summer activity and are eager to spend their days lounging on beaches. Therefore, it is challenging to make them understand the repercussions of their harmless fun.
What should we do then?
An alternative course of action should be to ask people to protect their bodies whenever they go out in the sun or sunbathing. Sunlight is our major source of light and helps our planet perform several of its natural processes. Hence, we cannot avoid it entirely, but we can try to minimize its harmful effects on our skin by using traditional ways to protect ourselves.
Following are some tips that can easily help you survive in the burning sun:
Apply Sunscreen
Sunscreen should be the first thing that comes to your mind whenever someone talks about protection against the ultraviolet rays. It can be your first line of defense against the scorching heat of sunlight. Not many people use sunscreen on their bodies whenever they go out, some don’t even apply it on their face where it is needed the most.
If you want healthy and glowing skin, then you must use sunscreen religiously every day no matter what the season is. Furthermore, using a general sunscreen won’t work for everyone so you must understand the intensity of sunlight in your country to decide on an effective protection level of SPF. Usually, SPF 30 is the most recommended and commonly used around the world.
Many people use their sunscreen scarcely so that one tube can last for months. Note that your sunscreen protection will only be effective if you apply a thick layer on your skin and let your skin absorb it for at least 20 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun.
Walk in the Shade
This might sound tiring, but it will reduce your sunlight exposure drastically. Find shade around sidewalks, shops, and bus stops, etc. to walk and rest when you are out in the sun. You might think of it as a challenging task but in summer, you’ll see commercial shade sails in markets and around road-side shops. These shade sails provide plenty of shade for your body and shouldn’t be taken for granted.
This tip doesn’t cost you anything except for your mindfulness and vigilance.
Protect your Whole Body
Sunscreen is the first line of defense against sunlight but it is not effective unless you cover your whole body with it. You can find body lotions that contain SPF in the market and lather every inch of your exposed skin with it. Moreover, there are lip balms with SPF that guarantee to protect the fragile skin of your lips against sun rash. You should try to use SPF related products in your daily routine when you go out in the sun.
Many people only take care of their face, neck, and hands and pay little mind to their arms and feet. The rest of their body is deprived of attention unless they take a bath and give it a good scrub.
Taking care of your whole body might seem like a burden but it is compulsory, not optional when your health is at risk.
Keep yourself Hydrated
An average person needs around eight glasses of water every day to function properly. In summer, your body’s water consumption can exceed due to profuse sweating. If you don’t drink enough water to compensate for what you’ve lost in sweating then you’ll have to deal with several health problems.
Make sure to drink your daily water quota religiously, but not in one go as this will lead to bloating. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it whenever you are thirsty. Some people get lost in their work or at a task that they not only forget to drink water but to eat as well. For such forgetful individuals, some apps can remind them to drink water according to their body requirements.
Be Mindful of What you Eat
Some foods and medicines make your skin more sensitive to the effects of scorching sunlight. These medicines raise the temperature of your body internally making your body react more violently to the ultraviolet rays. This is because of chemical and hormonal imbalances in your body that lead to severe consequences for otherwise mundane heat exposure.
You must keep track of your diet and check the chemical composition of medicines you take often if not regularly.
Some Home Remedies Might Help
Picking up the old approach towards life, one must try their best to prevent the damages of any sunlight related diseases in their body. Don’t hesitate to use some of the home remedies to protect your body.
- Use Neem: Neem not only has antibacterial properties but it also has a calming effect on people who use it. Research shows that the neem shade is much cooler than the ordinary shade.
- Utilize Aloe Vera Gel: It isn’t possible to ignore the healing properties of aloe vera gel. It has always been used as something that can replace a sunscreen as an effective and cheap alternative.
Use Clothes as Protection
You might be tempted to wear a breezy dress or some shorts during summer to bask in the sunlight, but this can harm your body. Wear clothes that are heat resistant, for example, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses that can absorb up to 90% of UV rays to reduce the harmful effects of UV rays efficiently.
Conclusion
It isn’t surprising to dress according to occasion or season, similarly, when you are going out in the sun you need to dress accordingly. Half of your health-related problems will disappear if you cover up nicely while using enough sunscreen on the exposed skin of your body then you’ll enjoy summers without any harmful effects of the sun.
