Published on: 24-Apr-2023
Outdoor workouts create an excellent exercise environment and come with many health benefits. Exercising outside gives you a perfect setting and scenery to enjoy while working out. While outdoor workouts have numerous benefits, excessive sun rays could be unhealthy for your skin.
Read on for ways to protect your skin from the sun while working out.
Risk Factors
Outdoor workouts come with a few challenges. The most prominent setback is skin exposure to the sun. Working out in direct sunlight could cause sunburns and other related effects. Besides, when the temperatures are too high, you can experience dehydration, exhaustion, and similar weather-related conditions. Tough conditions outdoors can affect your skin’s hydration. You will sweat too much during workouts which might negatively impact your sessions. This is why protecting your skin during an outdoor workout is important.
How to Protect Your Skin
Knowing the risk factors associated with outdoor workouts helps protect your skin. Here are reliable ways to do that.
Keep Track of Time and UV Index
Sun intensity varies depending on the time of the day. For instance, its intensity is lower in the morning than at midday or in the afternoon. This is why keeping track of time helps protect your skin during outdoor workouts. Plan your workouts and other outdoor activities like swimming and biking with the sun in mind.
The UV index is another crucial factor to consider. Generally, the sun’s UV rays are strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Therefore, you should ensure that your workout sessions are outside this time frame to prevent direct exposure. Remember that UV exposure is significantly higher closer to the equator and in mountainous areas. This is why you should keep track of time and work out when the risk is significantly low.
Wear Protective Clothing
It is crucial to wear protective clothing when working out outside. While the outdoors might be beautiful to look at, they pose a risk to your skin and overall well-being. Exposure to UV rays could be risky for your skin, so you need to invest in reliable protective clothes. Some of the protective gear you can get for your outdoor workout session include a hat, breathable shirts, jackets, and shoes. Ensure the shirts and jackets are made from high-quality fabric for efficient protection.
When getting UV protective clothing, you should check its ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The ultraviolet protection factor shields your skin from exposure to harmful UV rays. UPF is a measure used to determine how much radiation fabric can let through. For instance, UPF 50 fabric blocks up to 98 percent of UV rays. This ensures your skin is protected from harmful rays when working out outdoors.
Apart from getting protective clothing that keeps your skin safe, you should invest in workout gear suited to the terrain you are working out. Whether it is ideal hiking sneakers or proper running shoes, you must protect your skin and body when working out.
Protect Your Eyes
You should also protect your eyes when working out outdoors. Look for sunglasses giving UVA/UVB protection when working out outdoors. These sunglasses protect your eyes and reduce exposure to sun rays. Besides, harmful rays can reflect off sand, pavement, and snow, exposing your eyes to sunlight. You need sunglasses equipped with UVA/UVB protection to prevent such effects.
Without sufficient eye protection, you risk having poor vision during your workout. If you run in hilly areas, any wrong step could send you tumbling downhill. Sunglasses ensure you see clearly even when facing the direction of the sun. Therefore, don’t forget your sunglasses when working out outdoors!
Use The Right Sunscreen
Sunscreen is vital for your skin when working out outdoors. Even when you don’t see the sun out, applying sunscreen is crucial. It doesn’t have to be a sunny day for UV rays to reach your skin, as they can peek through clouds. Even on a cloudy day, they can penetrate your skin and cause damage.
How you apply sunscreen determines its effectiveness. You should be generous in your application and develop a habit of reapplying every two to three hours. This should be done before exercising to ensure the best protection. If you are not prone to sun rays, wearing the right sunscreen can protect your skin from premature aging and skin cancer. When shopping for sunscreen, ensure you get the right product! Some of the products can be extremely harmful to your body and skin. If you have to buy commercial sunscreen, check its ingredients to ensure it is reliable.
Go for a sunscreen with healthy ingredients that protect against UV rays.
Final Thoughts
Outdoor workout sessions come with numerous benefits. However, you must protect your skin during these sessions to prevent exposure to sun rays. Some ways to protect your skin include keeping track of time and UV index, using the right sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and getting the right sunglasses. These measures will keep your skin healthy as you enjoy your outdoor workouts. Plan adequately for your workouts for healthier outcomes.
