Remember, sun safety is important for everyone, regardless of skin color or type. By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of sun damage and heat stroke.
Sun Protection Tips
Hydration Tips
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Dehydration can happen quickly in hot weather, leading to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Beat the Heat
Here are sun protection tips to beat the Heat:
Avoid the sun between 11 AM and 3 PM. This is when the sun is its strongest and can cause the most damage to your skin.
Wear a hat. A wide brimmed hat or cap can provide much needed protection to your face and neck against the direct sunlight.
Use sunglasses. Protect your eyes from UV damage by wearing sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. This helps prevent cataracts and other eye issues.
Summer Skin Protection
Apply sunscreen. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Apply it generously to all exposed skin and reapply every two hours, or more if you are sweating. Avoid direct sunlight. Whenever possible, work in the shade or on the shady side of a house. This will help you stay cooler and reduce sun and heat related risks. Follow these tips to enjoy the summer while staying safe in the sun.
Heat Tips for the Home
Keep temperatures cooler by closing the shades when the sun is out, keep windows and doors closed during the hottest part of the day, plant trees on the south side of your house to absorb the sun’s rays before they hit your house, use dishwashers and washing machines earlier or later in the day, turn off the lights in rooms you aren’t using, take out trash regularly as it stinks up a home when the temperature gets above 70 degrees.
Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion?
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are two serious heat-related illnesses that can occur when the body overheats. They differ in their severity and symptoms. Even when it’s sweltering outside, there are ways to stay safe:
Dehydration increases the risk of heat-related illness, so drink plenty of water as the temperature increases. Most heat exhaustion and heat stroke cases occur when people are exercising or working outside in hot conditions. If possible, avoid intense exercise and long stretches of activity on hot days. Pay attention to the weather. If it’s hot, sunny or humid, be extra careful and take frequent breaks.
If you notice signs of heat exhaustion, get to a cool area immediately. Ideally, get into an air conditioned space, but at least into the shade. It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on around you. People don’t always recognize the signs of heat illness in themselves. So, if you notice symptoms in others, help them get to a cool, shady place. If symptoms get worse, seek medical attention.
Heatstroke is preventable, as long as you recognize what’s going on and take timely measures to protect yourself.