Tips To Exercise Safely In The Sun

May 24, 2010 By Mark

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2598635095_0bbf482df2 Now that we got some hot weather here in the UK , which can be a rarity at times, we’ll be wanting to make the best of the weather now we have some.

However, if you are intending to do some exercise outdoors, here are some tips below as a gentle reminder of what you need to do in order to stay safe if you are intending to do some outdoor activity/exercise

Hydrate, Drink as much water as is feasibly possible, when it is hot your body tends to work overtime trying to keep itself cool. All your bodily systems are working harder your lungs your heart, etc.

When you perspire your whole body is frantically trying to keep you cool if you aren’t hydrated enough you may start to feel sick or unwell. Buy a jogging bottle if needed.

Time of day, The hottest times during the day in summer tend to be between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. this is when the sun is at its highest. So avoid any strenuous workouts during these times. Alternatively, if needs be find some shaded area where it does feel cool under a tree say, for instance.

When to stop, Know the warning signs of when to stop if you start to feel unwell, dizzy or sick or start having a rapid heart beat then you really need to stop immediately, find somewhere to sit still in a shaded area until you feel normal again. Otherwise you may need to go and see a healthcare professional at a walk in centre.

Sunscreen, Get some decent quality sunscreen and put it on all the exposed parts of your body the higher the sun protection factor the better, also wear a hat with a peak or one that has a trim around it. Getting sun burnt is not a pleasant experience.

Alcohol, Avoid drinking alcohol prior to doing any exercise the reason for this is alcohol acts as a diuretic which means you will urinate more than you would do normally. This will cause you to become dehydrated, which isn’t what you want.

Caffeine, There is a bit of a myth that goes around that if you drink drinks like coffee or tea in warm weather then they will keep you cool. However, the problem is they to act as diuretics making you urinate more, and if you are.

Drinking a hot drink it will make you sweat more. This also applies to drinking diet drinks, which may have caffeine in them as they will also make you urinate a lot normally than you would do.

Indoors, If you want to, you might be better off exercising in doors out of the sun but this is a matter of personal choice, some people may prefer to be outside exercising with greenery around them please see my post Is Going Green the Best Form of Exercise. Which ever suits you best.

Warm up, As with any exercise routine make sure you warm up properly and take your time; there is no need to rush especially with the weather being so hot as it may be.

Clothes, The better loose fitting clothes you have will serve you well, your body will need as much ventilation in order to keep cool.

Weather index, Keep a close eye on the weather forecast if there are high weather indexes then you really need to be aware of this. If they recommend staying indoors at certain times then you must follow their advice it is most important.

Avoid extremes of temperature e.g. cold hot, Make sure that you’re not going from one extreme temperature to another as this will put a lot of stress on your body, if you do decide to do your routine outside. Then gradually allow your body to become used to it. It might not be a good idea to dive in headfirst.

Swimming, If you are swimming out of doors in order to get some exercise being in the water and in the sun can be a bit deceptive because although you feel cool. You may not be aware of the fact that the suns’ rays can still penetrate through the water and also bounce from the sand to your body.

So you may be at risk of getting sunburn make sure that you top up with sunscreen regularly while swimming in order to be safe long-term

No pain no gain, Let go of the ideology that if what I’m doing isn’t causing me pain then it isn’t working. Just enjoy your exercise in the outdoors you maybe even want to take it a bit easier otherwise you may feel worn out and start to feel unwell.

Eat plenty, When it is hot there is a tendency to drink more rather than eat you can tend to feel more thirsty than hungry.

And may eat less however it is still important to eat when it is hot your body still needs nutrition even in warm weather. There is nothing wrong with eating four to five small meals when it’s hot salads are a perfect meal when it’s so hot.

Enjoy yourself, And be safe and be happy whilst exercising in the sun.