Health Upp For everyone who enjoys warmer weather, the turning of the seasons from winter to spring and eventually to summer can be a truly invigorating time. It is an especially dramatic shift for those who spend months cooped up inside due to the cold temperatures. The chance to finally get outside without bundling up from head to toe is a welcome change.
The freedom to spend time outside in the warm sun feels wonderful at first, but there are plenty of drawbacks to the hotter weather. Dehydration can happen very quickly. The hot sun can beat down on you with its harmful UV rays and damage your skin. Humidity in some areas can make breathing a little more laborious than usual.
It is important to remember some of the health-related risks that come with the summer. Here are a few ways to ensure that you are maintaining your health during the hotter months.
Never Stop Drinking Water
If you plan to spend a lot of time outside, then hydration becomes extremely important. While you can get away with drinking less water during the winter and fall, the heat of summer causes much faster loss of water in the body through sweat, increasing the demand for consuming more fluids. If you are particularly active in warmer temperatures, it is even more critical to maintain high levels of water in your body. The damage that can be caused by dehydration can lead to headaches, lower blood pressure, and other negative side effects. On average, you should be drinking at least half of your weight in ounces of water every day, (if you weigh 150 lbs, you should drink 75+ ounces). This amount increases in hotter temperatures, and even more so for athletes. Stay hydrated to avoid hurting your physical health.
Limit your Sun Exposure
We all understand how satisfying it can be to bathe in the sun and add some more color to our skin. There are also health benefits that you can receive from being in direct sunlight such as vitamin d. But overexposure will do far more damage to your skin than the benefits are worth. UV rays can cause sunburn and even skin cancer in some cases down the road. Although sunscreen can help mitigate the effects of the sun’s harmful effects, taking breaks in the shade or inside are a more consistent way to protect yourself. You can always get those precious nutrients with a healthy diet and even a vitamin d supplement. Don’t spend too much of your time in direct sunlight if you want to keep your skin healthy as long as possible.
Exercise During Cooler Parts of the Day
As stated before, dehydration can be incredibly damaging to one’s personal health. Exercising in the middle of the day can be very dangerous during the summer with the increased heat making water loss happen much faster. If you plan to engage in a workout regularly outside, then you should try to do so in the mornings or evenings when it is slightly cooler. This will help you retain more of the water in your body and make for a more successful workout. Even if you have a pretty set routine of when you exercise and you prefer to stick to it, consider the health of your body first and be willing to shift your workout times to accommodate for the hot afternoon sun.
Stock up on Healthy Snacks
The warmer months can often sap your energy much faster, especially when spending time outside in the sun. Regaining that energy in a healthy way can work wonders for your wellness, and investing in some healthy snacks is a great way to do just that. Anything from fruits and vegetables to other healthy snacks like assorted nuts and yogurt are perfect for satisfying that hunger itch while still being good for you. They can give you the energy boost that you need and refresh your body as it deals with the rigors of the summer. Fill your refrigerator and pantry with healthy options so that you can focus on maintaining your health during the hot season.
Health needs change in every season
The health of your body is heavily influenced by the environment, so it makes sense that the weather would have an effect on your wellness. Summertime is no different and has unique circumstances that must be considered when trying to maintain health. Hydration becomes extremely important since water loss happens at a faster rate. The sun can do more harm than good with long exposure and your skin needs to be protected. The time of day that you usually workout may have to change to accommodate cooler temperatures, and the need for healthy snacks goes up as the sun saps our energy quicker. All of these changes are important to incorporate when facing warmer weather, so be sure to adopt them in order to stay healthy and make the most of the summer.