Fact: it’s healthy to get active outdoors. Hiking, biking, paddling and a host of other muscle-powered pastimes are good for body, mind and spirit. You get away from work, TV and computer, get some exercise, have some fun, feel good about yourself and what you are doing.
But there’s another now-indisputable fact: too much sun exposure is bad for you. Forget the short-tem painful sunburn or even long-term cosmetic skin damage that can leave you looking old before your time. Those are pretty minor compared to deadly skin cancer, potentially-fatal heat stroke, or blindness-causing cataracts caused by excess exposure to the Ultra-Violet (UV) rays in sunlight. Yup, too much sun is really, really bad for you.
According to the American College of Preventive Medicine, cases of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer are increasing faster than any other form of cancer except lung cancer. Check out the National Institutes of Health site for more info.
So how do you strike a balance and get the fun without the risk? It’s easier than you might think: just avoid and armor. Here are some simple ideas for enjoying summer safely.
Timing can help. A great rule of thumb is to avoid sun exposure whenever your shadow is shorter than you are (roughly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) That’s a rule even kids can remember. When the sun is lower in the sky, light has to pass through more atmosphere, which filters out at least some harmful UVB.
My own favorite strategy is to get up early in the morning and get out before the sun gets strong. You get the benefit of the cool morning air which makes exercise more pleasant, and the low sun angle, which helps reduce sun exposure. Evenings are also good, though you won’t get much temperature reduction until after the sun sets.
Picking your pastimes and your places can help avoid excess sun exposure. For example, I like to save high-exposure sports like road biking, beach-walking, or paddling a canoe or kayak for early summer mornings or days with heavy overcast (light cloud cover provides very little protection from sun exposure, especially when the sun is high at mid-day).
On sunny days, consider activities with shade potential, like riding a mountain bike or hiking on a woodland trail. The deep woods can be beautiful on a summer day.
Sometimes however, you just can’t avoid sun exposure. Sailboarding, surfing, paddling kayaks or canoes on ponds or salt water, road biking, hiking mountain summits; sun is a given. So that means protecting yourself against potential damage.
Anytime you are outdoors, even in the morning, even in the shade, it makes sense to wear sunscreen and sunglasses. If you are going to be out in the sun at mid-day, sun-protective clothing becomes essential. The single most important piece of protective clothing is a hat—preferably with a wide, floppy brim all the way around, or a big bill with a neck drape to keep the sun off your face and neck.
Light, loose and long are the key to sun protective clothing. Any fabric between you and the sun is good, but the new high-SPF (Sun Protection Factor) fabrics are cooler, lighter and offer more protection.
In a very real sense, the summer sun is no different than winter’s cold wind. If you dress right, and take sensible precautions, you can go outdoors and enjoy doing the things you love to do with minimal discomfort and almost no risk. Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!
Avoiding Sunstroke
The technical term is “Hyperthermia,” elevated body temperature. And it can kill you just as dead as hypothermia. Fortunately, sun stroke is pretty easy to avoid—especially in New England.
Staying fully hydrated is particularly important if you are going to be exercising in the sun and want to avoid heat exhaustion or sun stroke. But the best protection is to take it a little bit easier in the heat of the day.
Serious Sun Protection
Sunscreen is a two-edged sword. The best advice I’ve been able to find says wear lots of it, with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher, and reapply it often. Bbut don’t rely on it. In fact, using sunscreen may actually increase your risk for malignant melanoma by increasing your sense of confidence and your willingness to expose yourself to the sun. It’s like feeling that it’s OK to drive your motorcycle recklessly because you’re wearing a helmet . . .
Sunglasses: Check the labels before you buy, get ones which block 99-100% of both UVA and UVB and which either wrap around your face or have side-shields. I prefer sunglasses which are also polarized to reduce glare. There are lots of good sunglasses on the market—but the best ones aren’t cheap. I don’t hesitate to recommend Panoptyx and Costa Del Mar for full on sun performance. Use them as a point of comparison. For active sports like biking, we’ve also extensively tested glasses from Revision and Ryders and recommend them.
Sun Armor: Lightweight, light colored, long-sleeve, high SPF clothing and big, floppy hats offer the most protection. Forget mesh baseball caps, choose something with U-V blocking material and at least a 4-inch brim all around or a cap with a brim and neck shield.
My sweetheart Marilyn, who has a family history of sun-related skin problems (which makes her extra cautious), swears by the big, floppy hats with 5 and 7-inch brims from Solumbra, and Coolibar. She wears their clothing, too. And she has even custom-made face masks from the fabric in Coolibar’s sun scarf—this lets her go out without fear on even the sunniest days.
I do a lot of fishing (another sun-intensive sport) and have had great luck using ventilated, technical fishing clothing from L.L. Bean, Orvis, Ex Officio, and Hook & Tackle for regular outdoor sports, too.