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Enjoying Time Outdoors? 5 Precautions For Sun Exposure For Seniors

Sunshine in West Los Angeles Is Good for You If You Take Precautions and Don’t Overdo It 

You may be thinking about getting out and enjoying the West Los Angeles sunshine. Pegasus senior care involves knowing how much exposure to the sun is safe. July 3 is National Stay Out Of The Sun Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be outside.

Part of sunlight is ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The UVR that reaches the Earth has two components: UVA and UVB. UVA and UVB rays can be your best friends or your worst enemies.

Vitamin D is essential for good health, especially when it comes to your bones. D also improves your immune system, enabling you to resist infections better. Your body makes Vitamin D as a reaction to UVB radiation on your skin.

A Little Bit Goes a Long Way

You don’t need to go out and bake yourself for hours in the sun to help your body make Vitamin D. The time required varies according to factors such as your skin type and the intensity of the sunshine. A few minutes two-three times a week is adequate for most individuals.

Exposure to sunlight helps reduce depression. It stimulates the release of serotonin, the hormone responsible for feeling upbeat. Take off your sunglasses briefly and let your eyes absorb the sunlight directly.

Scientists are researching other benefits of UVR exposure. So far, they have learned that sunshine potentially:

  • Decreases your appetite
  • Increases longevity
  • Potentially lowers blood pressure
  • Protects against some autoimmune diseases
  • Reduces the occurrence of certain cancers

They emphasize that the benefits are the result of moderate amounts of sunshine.

Although excessive sun exposure harms your skin, carefully monitored UVR has been prescribed for skin conditions such as:

  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Jaundice
  • Psoriasis

UVR light therapy should only be conducted by a dermatologist familiar with your condition.

If a Little Is Good, Is More Better?

Like anything else that’s good for you, too much of the West Los Angeles sunshine is harmful. Most of the UVR is in the form of UVA. It damages the cells of your skin and your DNA. UVB is the culprit in sunburn as well as causing additional DNA damage.

Forget that old myth that getting a good sunburn helps you tan. Tanning and burning are different processes, and one does not lead to the other. Both are the result of damaged skin.

Tanning occurs when the UVA rays penetrate below the surface of your skin. Your cells begin producing melanin, a darkening pigment, to protect your skin from further harm. A tan does not protect you from sunburn.

Sunburn is significant damage to the surface layer of skin from UVB radiation. Cell DNA is affected, which can result in one or more types of skin cancer.

If your skin is betraying your age, you can thank sunshine for those lines, wrinkles, and spots. UVR dries and dehydrates your skin and accelerates the aging process. There is no such thing as a healthy tan or sunburn.

How Much Is Enough?

So you want to preserve your skin from harm and protect your health. You want the benefits of sunshine. How long should you sunbathe?

There isn’t a hard and fast rule. If your skin is starting to turn pink, then cover up or go inside. Pink means too much sun exposure.

If you are taking certain medications, especially antibiotics, you will burn very quickly. Although it isn’t common, some individuals are allergic to sunshine. In either case, you may need to avoid all but minimal exposure to the sun.

It’s easy to think that using sunblock or sunscreen provides all the protection you might need. That’s not entirely the case. You have to apply lots of it and reapply frequently.

You are probably aware of SPF ratings on all sun protection products. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It measures the length of time your skin is protected.

Sunblocks and sunscreens initially provided protection only from UVB radiation. There were no products that offered protection from UVA radiation. SPF remains a measure applicable only to UVB radiation.

Some products now are labeled as “broad spectrum.” The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations governing labeling went into effect in 2012.

The FDA requires products labeled as broad spectrum to protect against both UVA and UVA radiation. SPF 15 is generally regarded as adequate for normal activity. SPF 15 protects against 93 percent of UVB rays.

Pegasus Home Health Care Is Here To Help

Pegasus senior care in West Los Angeles can help you follow sun exposure precautions. They know the best time to be outside is before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. They know which medications and medical conditions increase your risk of sunburn.

Our experts can help you choose the sunblock or sunscreen that’s best for you. If you have to be outside during the hours when the sun is most intense, they’ll help you make sure you’re adequately protected.

Our home health caregivers are devoted to helping you stay healthy. Assisting you in getting the benefit of enough sunshine without harming your skin is one of their goals. Whatever the level of your needs, we’re here for you.