Summer Sun, (Safe) Summer Fun!

Officially, summer starts on June 20. But with pools opening across the country on Memorial Day weekend and school finished for most, summer fun is typically well underway before the northern hemisphere experiences the summer solstice.

For kids, that means more time spent riding bikes, stampeding around playgrounds, or climbing trees. For adults, it also means more outdoor activities, from walks to jogs to pickleball. And for hospitals like Andalusia Health, it often means an uptick in emergency room visits.

Here’s a summer blockbuster for you – we’d much rather see you for things like routine checkups, immunizations, and screenings. We prefer that you be in good health and stay that way, hence the regularly scheduled visits for preventive care.

With that in mind, please take heed of a few important tips to help you and yours safely enjoy this summer.

Stay hydrated.

Higher temperatures and higher humidity mean a higher risk for heat exhaustion and stroke. Always think of “hydration” (drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids) when pursuing outdoor work or fun in the sun. And perhaps save the more strenuous stuff for early morning or early evening.

Stay afloat.

For many of us, warmer weather welcomes water – as in sojourns to oceans, lakes, rivers, and swimming pools. Whether you are boating, jet skiing, surfing, or swimming, follow all safety guidelines. And please, don’t ever leave an infant or small child unattended in a bathtub or hot tub, or near any body of water (including pools).

Stay in the shade.

As much as we love the sun, it can be harmful to your skin and eyes. Let’s start with your skin, the largest organ in your body. Five or more sunburns double your risk of skin cancer. Another not-so-fun fact: more people are diagnosed with skin cancer (melanoma) each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. So, apply sunscreen whenever you are out in the sun or wear clothing that provides protection, from long-sleeved shirts to wide-brimmed hats.

A second organ also vulnerable to the sun’s rays is your eyes. The sun’s UV rays can damage the cornea and lens and raise the risks of eye cancers, cataracts, and even a disease called macular degeneration (the major, incurable cause of blindness in adults over 55). The optimal solution is to spend less time in the sun. The more realistic solution is wearing UV-protective sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats and limiting your time in the sun.

Now the good part. Aside from making our planet habitable, the sun offers several benefits to our health.

• Sunlight enables our skin to create Vitamin D, which in turn helps create stronger bones and teeth and improves our body’s ability to fight infection.
• Sunlight is proven to help your mood and sleep.
• Sunlight even prevents some cancers, such as breast, colorectal, and prostate (related to the skin’s creation and absorption of Vitamin D).
• And, sunlight is a natural disinfectant, as those UV rays kill bacteria.

The summertime sun also encourages more physical activity, which can significantly benefit our bodies and our health.

This summer, remember to protect your skin and eyes and stay hydrated. Abide by the rules at pools or on the water and be especially protective of small children who are at the highest risk of accidental drowning. Fun in the sun is recommended, but like just about everything else, in moderation.