In a dejected world, barely a ‘wouldya-wouldya’ away from another world war, people more than ever are entitled to seek out the pleasures of the planet. Few things on earth give a greater simple pleasure than basking in the sun. This week we shall dwell for a few moments on the sun; marvel at its blessed benefits, but also cast our beady eye on its dangers.
Writing about the sun at this time of year – far removed from the planning of summer holidays; might give readers a cooler head in considering the damage of over-exposure to the sun in say July and August. But before that, let us look at the pleasures, the benefits, and the health-giving elements we derive from the glorious sun.
Sunshine makes people feel more alive and in a better mood. It has been proven that a lack of sun can trigger depression – so conversely, we understand that sun brings with it a feel-good factor. Getting out in the sun relieves stress; improves sleep pattern and provides us with our greatest source of vital Vitamin D.
But like most good things in life; moderation is the key word here when it comes to exposure to the sun. Something which sustains all of life and is such a part of good health and longevity can also be a killer. According to WHO, 60,000 people die from sun exposure every year. Two people die every hour in the United States from sun-related causes. Most of them are fair skinned folks like us.
This week’s offering comes from the fact that I recently had a health scare attributed to sun damage. Thank God, this one is OK, but some years ago it took 32 stitches in my forehead to cover the removal of skin cancer.
I spend a lot of time in the sun through necessity, but whether at home or abroad, I plaster on the Factor 50, wear a cap and don’t shed any more clothes than I have to! That’s enough about me, but I need to let you know I am familiar with both the upside and the downside of sunshine. You cannot be too careful.
You don’t have to go abroad to fall victim to sun damage; and with climate change now with us, we may experience hotter days than ever before. Back in the day many of us got burned on the bog or in the hayfield of the long ago. But then, nobody knew of the damage or the long-term effects of sunburn. My mother used to skim the cream from the crock of churn milk to sooth our soreness and I can still remember it’s cooling, calming sequel to our suffering.
Overexposure to the sun’s UVR, not only causes sunburn, but carries with it the risk of the aforementioned skin cancer. Obviously the more exposure, the greater is the risk. Wrinkles, dehydration and heat rash are also related to the dark side of the sun. We associate the old wrinkly face as a consequence of aging, but being out in the sun is a significant factor in the development of said same wrinkles and how early they appear.
UV light damages collagen and elastic tissue in the skin, so it becomes ‘saggy’ and does not spring back into shape. Some of us will get white cysts or blackheads; or dark spots on the skin due to damaged surface cells on the skin.
Another few negatives while we’re at it. The eyes and lips can be easily damaged from unprotected exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, because obviously sun cream doesn’t work as well here. The retina at the back of the eye can be affected and the risk of cataracts is increased.
Don’t underestimate the harm that heat exhaustion can cause. The symptoms include; headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, heavy sweating and elevated body temperature. At this point you stand danger of the heat exhaustion leading to heat stroke. Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness and can be life-threatening.
Symptoms include confusion and slurred speech. Medical attention should be sought at this stage, because if left untreated, heat stroke can cause permanent disability or even death.
I hope that we have not spoiled your sun holiday with this reminder that the sun can be your enemy as well as your friend. As the police sergeant in ‘Hill Street Blues’ used conclude his summary with; ‘be careful out there!’ And as we said at the beginning, this is the best time of year to be thinking about it and adjust your mindset. Worship and be wary of the sun in equal measure …
Don’t Forget
Common sense is something you want the other fellow to show by accepting your ideas and conclusions.
