Avoid heat- and sun-related dangers while you’re having fun in the sun.
Stay cool.
Overheating is a real danger, especially when you’re working or exercising outdoors. Children, the elderly and people on certain medications have an even higher risk.
- Make sure you have a cool area to take breaks. Air conditioning is the best protection from heat exhaustion or heat stroke, but even a shady spot can help.
- Wear loose, light clothing. You need to be able to sweat.
- Slow your pace during the hottest part of the day. If you need to work during those hours, take precautions to keep yourself as cool as possible.
- Don’t leave anyone — or any pets — in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked. The temperature can rise to deadly levels very quickly.
Stay hydrated.
Keep plenty of water on hand. Sweat is your body’s way of helping you stay cool, and you need water to produce sweat. When it’s hot out, don’t wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink of water. If you’re working outside, try to drink some water every 15 minutes.
While almost any liquid will help you stay hydrated, some should be avoided. Alcohol and sugary drinks can cause you to lose more fluids, and very cold drinks can cause stomach cramps.
Stay covered.
Too much exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer and premature wrinkles. So, keep your skin safe.
- Wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible, and top your outfit off with a wide-brimmed hat.
- Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. The broad-spectrum label means the sunscreen protects you from sunburn and the rays that can cause skin cancer. Lower SPFs do not filter as much of the sun’s harmful rays.
- Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours or more often if you’re sweating or swimming. Even if your sunscreen is labeled water resistant, you still have to reapply. Plus, if you towel off, you’ll rub off your sunscreen too.
