Summer has been a long time coming but, now the sunshine is finally here, it is important not to get overly excited and stay in it all day long, as too much sun exposure could put your health at risk.
Whether you are enjoying the recent British heatwave or braving the extreme temperatures that Europe has experienced over the last few weeks, you should follow these tips to protect yourself.
Stay indoors
If you’ve longed for sunshine over the past few months and need a Vitamin D and serotonin boost, it can be hard to peel yourself away from the sunshine. However, it is much safer to stay indoors when the sun is at its hottest, which is between 1100 and 1500.
If you do go outside, make sure to stay in the shade whenever possible, wear a peaked sun hat to offer protection to your face, and consider carrying an umbrella if you’re out and about.
H20
Water is your best friend during heat waves, so make sure you have enough, including both drinking and cooling yourself down with it.
Drink water regularly throughout the day, making sure to have more if you have been active.
This advice from the Royal Voluntary Service includes always having a drink close by, whether it’s water or fruit juices, herbal teas or sodas. Don’t forget that fruits, soups and stews also have a high water content, so will help to keep you hydrated.
It is important to remember not to wait until you are thirsty, and to pay attention to the colour of your urine to determine if you need to drink more. Always have a water bottle with you, make drinks look and taste more exciting, and always refill an empty glass, as this will make it easier to keep on top of your water intake and prevent dehydration.
Splashing or spraying water on yourself, having cool showers or taking a dip in the paddling pool will also keep your temperature down.
Keep your environment cool
Britain isn’t very well equipped to deal with hot temperatures, which is why houses can feel like furnaces after a couple of days of heat. That is why it is important to take measures to keep it as cool as possible.
This includes closing blinds or curtains and windows during the day to keep the sun and heat out, and having them open from the late afternoon to the early morning to allow the cooler air to enter.
Use electric fans or air conditioning units in the rooms that are used the most, such as bedrooms and the lounge. It can be very difficult to sleep when the temperature is high, so this will help you settle at night.
When you do go out, it is a good idea to visit places that will be air conditioned such as shopping centres, public libraries, or some restaurants.
You should also wear light, loose-fitting clothing that doesn’t cling to the skin; use cotton bed sheets rather than non-breathable materials; drape a damp towel around your neck; and swap your duvet for a sheet at night.
Despite these efforts, you might still get heat exhaustion, with symptoms including tiredness, dizziness, headaches, sickness, heat rash, excessive sweating, cramps, a high temperature, extreme thirst, weakness, and fast breathing.
In this case, you need to cool down, remove unnecessary clothing, drink plenty of water, and seek advice from your local pharmacy.
If symptoms do not improve and you have shortness of breath, confusion, a loss of consciousness or a seizure, you may have heat stroke, in which case emergency medical attention is needed.