Every season has positive and negative impacts on your health and lifestyle. With the changing weather, you need to make changes in your routine. As summer sets in, your body needs to adjust to the warm weather. Summer is about going back to all those outdoor activities that winter restricted you from enjoying. But excessive exposure to heat can create health issues such as dehydration and heat exhaustion, and even medical emergencies like heat stroke.
Here are some tips that can you prepare for the summer season.
Tips to Stay Healthy in Summer
Drink plenty of water
Your body loses many fluids when you sweat. So it is important to stay hydrated in the hot weather.
Watch out for symptoms of dehydration:
- Minimal or no urination
- Constipation
- Dry lips and mouth
- Headache
- Light-headedness
- Muscle cramps
As dehydration can lead to serious health diseases like kidney damage or failure and more, you must drink enough water. Best practice is to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. Here are some tips to help you make this a habit:
- Add flavor to the water
- Eat fruits and vegetables with high water content
- Make a routine and track it
- Challenge your friends
Eat seasonal fruits
Seasonal fruits help reduce tiredness and fatigue. They keep your body cool and hydrated. Best fruits to eat in summer include strawberries, watermelon, plums, apples, apricots, avocados, grapes, litchi and mangoes.
Use sunscreen
Sunlight is a great source of Vitamin D which you need it to stay healthy. However, over-exposure to the sun’s UV rays can be disastrous. It will damage the skin, connective tissues and blood vessels by penetrating deep into your skin. It can also cause sunburn and damages your skin. Overexposure to the sunlight can even cause skin cancer. The solution is to take protective measure when you step out. Use sunscreen with a sufficient amount of SPF. The SPF number shows the time taken to burn your skin when you are exposed to sunlight. So SPF 30 means it would take you 30 times longer to burn than if you were not using sunscreen.
Take steps to prevent heat exhaustion
Do not let your body overheat. The symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating and a rapid pulse. If you feel exhausted when exercising or engaging in some other activity, stop and rest. If the condition persists, then move to a cool place and drink lots of water.
Watch out for insects and bugs
When you engage in outdoor activities like games, workouts, trekking, etc, you would be exposed to insects and bugs. Insect stings are a common problem in summer. Here are some tips to keep insects and bugs at bay:
- Remove waste and garbage at the proper time
- Keep windows and doors closed
- Wear clothes and footwear that cover your body properly
- To avoid bugs, wear light colored clothes and don’t use too much perfume
Stay fire aware
Enjoyable as they are, barbecues, marshmallow feasts and fire-related activities pose hazards. Know how to prepare your fire pit, build the fire, and extinguish the fire. Stay fire aware to prevent accidents.
As you go back to your outdoor physical activities, workouts and leisure, pay attention to your health and lifestyle to enjoy the season and stay safe.
