Summer safety important

Summer is coming up and many people are excited to be outside and spend time in the sun.  However, there are some risks that people may face if they are outside for a prolonged period of time.  

People can get sunburned by UVA and UVB radiation from the sun.  Repeated sunburns will damage the skin permanently, which can lead to an increased risk in skin cancer along with increased wrinkling of the skin.  

According to “Summer Safety Tips” by the Pediatric Care Center, people should use broad spectrum sunscreen to protect themselves from both UVA and UVB rays with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to protect themselves from UV radiation. 

Wearing tightly knit clothing will also block out UV rays. People should put sunscreen on 15-30 minutes before going outside because it needs time to be absorbed by the skin properly. One should apply 1 oz of sunscreen per sitting for an average adult, and those who venture into the sun should reapply every two hours when sweating, swimming or drying off with a towel.  

Some people believe that if it is cloudy outside there is no need to put on sunscreen, but that is false. Even if it is cloudy outside, one should still put on sunscreen as UV rays will not be completely blocked by clouds. 

One should be especially careful around water and sand as they can reflect UV rays resulting in skin damage more quickly.  

People should also drink plenty of water during the summer to prevent dehydration and heatstroke.  Many coaches will recommend people to drink half of their body weight in ounces if they are not doing any rigorous work and their body weight in water if they are.  

Some people believe that one must drink sports drinks to stay hydrated properly. According to “Water vs Sports Drinks: What’s Best for Our Bodies” published by UnityPoint Health clinic, “There’s a very limited group of people who should be drinking them. The recommendation is adults and children should only have sports drinks during extended and heavy exercise that lasts longer than an hour.” 

The article suggests that water is usually the best option for hydration, and sports drinks are not necessary.