The Worst Thing to Do in Sun – A Dangerous, Common Habit

There is a dangerous, common daytime habit that can ruin health. This is the worst thing you can do in the sun, and everyone, including myself, has done it.

Keep reading to find out exactly what this habit is and how detrimental to health it is. Record high temperatures already make daytime a fight for hydration and shade. This daytime habit may seem fun, but it is the worst, lowering overall wellness exponentially.

Sun Effects on Skin Health

The sun can be a double-edged sword. It is important to take in some sunlight to boost the production of vitamin D and support the regulation of your internal clock, but too much can be dangerous, even life-threatening. 

The sun’s UV rays hitting your skin in high amounts cause DNA damage, loss of collagen, damage to the elastin fibers in the skin, and dehydration of the skin and body. This DNA damage can lead to cancer and other skin conditions.

So you would think, the worst thing you can do in the sun is not apply SPF right? Well, yes. However, sunscreen is a common habit. You know if you skip SPF, you are in danger of tanning, burning, and ruining your skin health. This daytime habit is one you don’t expect. It is (one of the) worst things you can do in the sun, and you don’t even realize the detrimental effects.

The Worst Thing You Can Do in the Sun

Without further ado, here is the worst thing you can do in the sun – combine alcohol and sun exposure. This is a common habit; maybe you’re on a picnic, or maybe it’s a beach day or BBQ season. For whatever reason, this combo is common and absolutely destroys skin health and overall wellness. Drinking and sun exposure can cause the skin to burn faster and increase the risk of melanoma. 

Research has shown that just over 1 standard drink can increase your risk of melanoma, and skin cancer, by over 15%. It should be noted that individual factors were not taken into account, such as if the person was wearing SPF, protective clothing, etc.

Maybe alcohol can even make you forget to put your hat on or reapply sunscreen. However, alcohol doe have a physical effect on the body

Alcohol Effects on Skin

Alcohol reduces antioxidants in the skin, increasing the likelihood of the sun causing DNA damage. Drinking also causes more sensitivity to light, which can lead to tanning and burning at even faster rates.

Your liver breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde which has negative effects on the body. It creates free radicals that can damage cells and creates inflammation. This makes you more likely to experience DNA damage when paired with the sun as alcohol reduces antioxidants while the sun increases free radicals in the body even more.

Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it makes you go more. This can have a dehydrating effect on the body, which can lead to reduced hydration in the skin.

Quick Sunny Habits So You’re Safe

The sun is important, but too much is dangerous. Here are some healthy sunny habits to stay safe during this hot summer.

• Wear protective clothing – nothing is better than a physical barrier between the sun and your skin. Make sure you’re wearing hats, sunglasses, etc., to protect yourself from the sun.
• Apply SPF – sunscreen will absolutely be a great help in boosting protection from the sun. Make sure you are wearing it often.
• Reapply – don’t forget to reapply sunscreen! Reapply as directed on the bottle, which is about every 90 minutes. Reapply more often if you are in intense sun, sweating, or in the water.
• Hydrate – make sure you are drinking water as sun and alcohol can both dehydrate you greatly.
• Skip the Afternoon Sun – the sun from noon to around 3 is at its most intense. Make sure to avoid the sun during this time. If you want to take in the sun safely, check out this complete guide. Vitamin D is vital to health but is needed in safe ways from the sun.

The Takeaway

Never mix alcohol and sun exposure. The sun can be very damaging, increasing your chances of DNA damage, creating free radicals, and even eventually leading to skin cancer. Drinking alcohol depletes antioxidants and makes you at risk for damage from the sun. This combination can lead to inflammation, reduction of collagen, and even cancers. Try to take care of yourself if you are in the sun and drinking. This includes protecting yourself with clothing, applying and reapplying spf, and hydrating properly.

Health comes from within, so eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and care for your mental health. Daily habits become building blocks for wellbeing and health. Remember to take care of microbiota health. Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.