How Much Sun is Too Much? Wellness Tips for Enjoying the Sunshine

The summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family since the hot, sunny days and higher temperatures have arrived—finally! But with summer days comes summer sun, and unfortunately, the sun doesn’t always have your best interests at heart.

Too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can be extremely dangerous. Overexposure, especially when unprotected, can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or cause damage to the eyes. Plus, at this point it is well known that chronic exposure to UV radiation present in sunlight is responsible for the induction of most nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in humans.

Still, for many of us, the only consequence of being in the sun that we’ve experienced is the occasional sunburn (and maybe even a glorious tan!) There’s nothing wrong with a little sun when you’re protecting yourself by wearing coverage, such as sunscreen or a hat. After all, there are positive effects of the sun as well, such as relieving stress, enhancing your mood, improving sleep, and providing Vitamin D.

There is a way to enjoy the sun safely and in moderation so that you can reap the benefits of healthy sun exposure. Here are our top wellness tips for enjoying the summer sun.

Avoid The Sun At Noon

The sun at noon is like the inferno. It is recommended by experts to stay in the shade and protect yourself properly with adequate coverage during the hours of 12 to 2 in the afternoon. This is when the solar radiation is strongest, which is the worst scenario for your health. 

Choose A Mineral-Based Sunscreen

Sunscreen typically protects skin from sun damage through ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate. These chemicals are endocrine disruptors, estrogenic, and may interfere with thyroid and other hormone processes in the body. Natural sunscreens have a mineral base rather than a chemical base, which contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These minerals protect the skin by creating a barrier rather than penetrating the skin, which is a much healthier option for sun protection.

Repeat Your Sunscreen Application

If you’re going to be out in the sun in any capacity (yes, even when you are driving in your car), you should always wear sunscreen. Applying sunscreen 20 minutes before going out in the sun and reapplying it every two hours after sweating or swimming is crucial. Keep in mind: most of the damage to our skin and wellness that’s caused by sun exposure is preventable. Do what you can to protect all parts of your body, including the face, lips, eyes, and scalp.

Treat Your Skin Afterwards With Key Nutrients

After spending a long day in the sunshine, your first priority is staying hydrated. Secondly, you can apply certain vitamins and nutrients to your skin to treat the effects of your sun exposure. Applying a natural, organic form of Vitamin E can help to rejuvenate your skin’s plasticity, which is important in battling lines and wrinkles that the sun exposes. Soothing your skin with aloe vera is perfect if you’ve spent too much time in the sun or if you simply want to relieve any skin irritation or redness.

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By being proactive about the amount of sun you’re exposed to during the summer, you can develop healthy habits that allow you to enjoy the sun guilt-free.