Those hazy, lazy days of summer. A day off from work, a cool drink, and a chaise lounge. It doesn’t matter if you’re in or out of the pool – you are not working or navigating traffic on your commute to work. You are backyard-bound with a book or blasting your music. There is nothing like a day by the pool where you can take in some rays and bask in the glow of the beautiful sunshine.

Protecting your skin from potential damage is a given. When you are proactive about its care, you have no need to fear the sun or hide from it.

Best practice for anyone’s overall skin health is to schedule an annual visit with a reputable dermatologist. Even if you live in Seattle where there are fewer days of full sun than there are in Tampa, having your skin professionally examined is extremely important. Skin cancers can be sneakily invasive, but they are also the most easily removed when caught early.

If you are on certain medications, like those to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients, you will need to be particularly careful when spending time in the sun. Consult with your nephrologist to determine how often you should have a skin screening. The exam takes 20 minutes, and it is worth every minute. You should also ask what types of sunscreen suit your skin type. No matter your shade of skin, deflecting the harmful rays is a must for everyone.

Here Comes the Sun

Just like an exercise regime that you increase over time, your exposure to the sun should also be built up slowly. Your skin can burn without you even feeling that it is happening, so use good sense, and you will not have to deal with the unique pain of a sunburn or cause your skin unnecessary heartache.

Despite these caveats concerning over-exposure, the sun is a natural (and free!) source of wellness.

The Top Eight Benefits of Sun Exposure

MindBodyGreen is a wellness blog that celebrates a comprehensive approach to all aspects of the human body and experience.

While none of these suggestions should be considered an alternative treatment for anything without consulting your physician to discuss your unique needs, one of the movement’s writers shared some interesting (and not such well known facts!) that will make you consider the holistic benefits of your poolside time:

• Sunlight has a beneficial effect on skin disorders, such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and fungal infections of the skin.
• Sunlight lowers cholesterol. The sun converts high cholesterol in the blood into steroid hormones and the sex hormones we need for reproduction. In the absence of sunlight, the opposite happens; substances convert to cholesterol.
• The sun’s rays lower blood pressure. Even a single exposure significantly lowers blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. On the other hand, pharmaceutical drugs such as Statins have side effects, such as robbing the body of Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is essential for cellular and heart energy.
• Sunlight penetrates deep into the skin to cleanse the blood and blood vessels. Medical literature published in Europe showed that people with atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) improved with sun exposure.
• Sunlight increases oxygen content in human blood. And, it also enhances the body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to the tissues; this is very similar to the effects of exercise. The sun has a great effect on stamina, fitness and muscular development.
• Sunlight builds the immune system. The white blood cells, which increase with sun exposure, are called lymphocytes, and these play a major role in defending the body against infections.
• Regular sunlight exposure increases the growth and height of children, especially babies. Many cultures throughout history have recognized this fact. Studies have shown the amount of sun exposure in the first few months has an effect on how tall the person grows.
• Sunlight can cure depression. The noon sunshine can deliver 100,000 lux. When we sit in offices for the best part of the day, out of the sun, under neon and artificial lights (150-600 lux), we are depriving ourselves of the illumination of nature. Sunlight deprivation can cause a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression. It is more common in winter months, but also common in people who work long hours in office buildings.

Sunshine Style

There is no end to the types of ways to keep your skin from being overexposed. Besides the appropriate sunscreen, you can top it all off with sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays. Your eyes are more sensitive than you think.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation:

Although designed to protect the eye, the eyelid’s skin is thin and contains many fragile tissues vulnerable to UV light. Inside the eye, the lens and cornea, both transparent, filter UV rays, but years of UV absorption can damage them.

• Make certain your eyewear’s lenses are polarized and have the ability to absorb and block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. Ideally, they should also guard against HEV light.
• Besides the wonderful lines of sun-protective clothing, hats are a must to shield your face and scalp if you are planning a full poolside day. And who doesn’t want to do that?

With a few handy articles to keep you safe, you can blissfully drink in those beautiful beams of sunshine.

Making the Summer Last!

Depending of course on where you live, your sunshine season may be a little shorter than you’d like.

You might therefore want to consider investing in a solar cover for your pool. These covers float directly on top of the water to prevent heat loss and evaporation. They will also save you having to replenish water loss which is a cost savings. Just place the cover on the pool each night or if you don’t plan on swimming for a few days.

Consult with your pool professional about the right size for your pool shape, and for safety’s sake, be careful to remove the cover completely from your pool’s surface before anyone takes a dive in.

We love the difference we can make for your family by providing something that puts years of memories within reach. Call 877-754-5966 for more information.