We all like the sun, good weather, more hours of daylight and so on. Which is not the same as heat, so many people don't like this anymore. But like everything in life, there is a positive side and a negative side, and the Sun was not going to be an exception.
Most of us know some of the benefits of sunbathing and the importance of getting vitamin D, but there are negative consequences as well. Throughout this article we are going to tell you about all the good and bad things that we get when we get under the Sun throughout the year.
Advantages
With the arrival of spring and the time change, the days start to get longer and there are more hours of daylight. This favors outdoor plans, meetings with friends, walks in the countryside, the mountains or the beach, going out more times with our dogs, etc.
However, we make these plans because with the arrival of good weather we feel happier and more active, and we do not realize how beneficial it is to expose ourselves slightly to the Sun.
Spending some time in the sun improves:
- The muscle response.
- The appearance of the skin.
- Reduce acne.
- Stimulates the defenses.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Promotes quality sleep.
- Promotes sexual life.
- Increase our good mood.
- Reduces cholesterol in the blood.
- Decreases the incidence of respiratory conditions.
- Increases hemoglobin levels in the blood.
- Stimulates nerve endings.
- Improves cardiovascular health.
- Reduces psoriasis.
- Promotes the synthesis of vitamin D (prevents cancer and multiple sclerosis).
Drawbacks
Everything in excess is bad, even the Sun considering the amount of benefits it brings to our lives. Before deciding to lie under the sun like lizards in the desert, we have to know that we are facing a series of unpleasant consequences.
Exposing ourselves to the sun for a long time causes:
- Skin aging.
- Stains
- Burns.
- Sunstroke (heat stroke).
- eye damage.
- Skin cancer.
- Weakening of the immune system.
- Dehydration
- Redness of the skin.
- Peaks.
- tight skin
- skinning
- Body pain from burns.
What is better, natural sun or a UVA Ray cabin?
As we have seen previously, direct sunlight and prolonged exposure are not a good idea, but neither is using a UV tanning bed due to the precancerous consequences and lesions it produces.
UVA ray machines are supposed to eliminate type B ultraviolet radiation and only let type A radiation through, which is what accelerates tanning. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of experts every year warn of the dangers contained, and never better said, UVA ray booths.
Photo of Healthy Skin Foundation
The WHO classifies these booths as carcinogenic, and according to a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, if a person uses this type of booth before the age of 30, they have a 75% higher chance of developing melanoma during their lifetime.
This type of machine is not recommended, but if we still want to use it, it is not recommended for people with fair skin, with a tendency to spots, with cases of cancer in their family, with many freckles and moles, pregnant women, with delicate treatments and medication. , if we burned easily when we were little and it is also prohibited for minors.
According to the Healthy Skin Foundation , the use of these machines is undoubtedly one of the causes of skin cancer. They also explain on their website that the amount of radiation in a tanning bed is much higher than that from sunlight.
Recommendations when sunbathing
Having all the previous information clear, now we are going to review a series of recommendations when sunbathing. Some may seem very obvious and logical, but they are all equally important.
Best and worst hours for our skin
Many studies conclude that the best times to sunbathe are before noon and after 4 p.m. However, the worst time is between noon and 4 p.m., as the sun's rays are strongest and sunburn, heatstroke, and other negative consequences are more likely.
Always use protective cream
It's time to stop making excuses and go to a pharmacy or a specialty store and buy sunscreen. At a minimum, it should have an SPF of 15 and protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
We must also think about the after, that is, a body cream that hydrates the skin after sunbathing. In this case, we recommend using very natural and refreshing creams, such as Aloe Vera, for example.
don't fall asleep
We absolutely must do this, because the consequences upon waking are a mix of heatstroke, dehydration, dizziness, sunburn , etc. Nothing good. If we want to rest, it's best to stay in the shade.
If we are prone to falling asleep after eating, it is best to set some kind of alarm or ask someone to notify us when a few minutes pass and they see that we have fallen asleep.
Always cover your face and head
Our face and head should always be covered, and if we can wet our heads from time to time, even better. Prolonged sun exposure on these areas can lead to sunstroke, skin blemishes, scalp burns, dehydration, and other problems.
We can cover our face with a hat or scarf while lying down, in addition to wearing sunglasses with good protection. We can cover our head with a cap, hat, scarf, etc.
Drink much liquid
Hydration is key every day of the year, especially when we're consciously exposing our bodies to high temperatures and solar radiation. Drinking plenty of fluids encourages us to change position and stay active.
If we feel bad, we leave
This is where survival instinct and common sense come into play. If we feel dizzy, have body aches, food has upset our stomach , we're very hot, have a dry mouth, and so on, the best thing to do is pack up and go home.
It is not recommended to rest for a few minutes, compose yourself and return to the Sun.
Do not stay still for more than 15 minutes
The key is to keep moving ; this way, your body doesn't get tired, you don't get bored, and you reduce the risk of sunburn. Another option is to lie down for 15 minutes, then swim for a while or return to the shade, and repeat this process several times until you leave the beach or pool.
Take shelter in the shade every few minutes
Every 15 or 20 minutes we go into the shade, stay there for a few minutes, and can drink water, eat, chat, change our swimsuits, apply more sunscreen, etc. This way our bodies don't weaken as much as when we force them to stay in the sun for an hour. (The latter is strongly discouraged.)
If we feel that we are burning, better cover that part
Sometimes we feel like our legs are burning, but our stomach isn't. In those cases, we can cover our legs to give our skin a break and avoid sunburn , especially during the first few days of intense sun exposure.
If our skin begins to itch and is hot, it is our body's response to exposure to the sun. We can cover ourselves, change our posture, go into the shade, bathe (it is a very good option to cool the skin), etc.