The South African Summer Sun- Friend and Foe

It is summer! KeDezemba, kom ons blom innie son! Grab your dop and time for a lekker tjil in the 35 degree heat. Only in SA… Every South African knows what comes with the last month of the year. It’s hot. It’s the height of summer and it’s time to kick back and relax because really, it’s too hot to do much else. Many of our industries shut down from the 16^th, the schools are on December break, the festivities are everywhere, in every shade imaginable, so it is incredibly easy to lose yourself in the relief that comes with letting go at the end of a long and hectic year.

While no one wants to try and rain on this well-deserved parade of parties and poolside performances, we must remind everyone that the sun has power beyond our imagining and our human bodies can only take so much heat before things start to go quite wrong.

The sun is our powerhouse. With a surface temperature of 5000°C, it would take blowing up 100 billion tons of dynamite every second to match the energy produced by the sun, according to NASA.

Imagine what that could do to you. Here’s a hint- it’s not great. Which is why we need to be careful about how much time we spend in the sun, and how protected we are during that time.

Dangers to watch out for during the December Heat

Sunburn

Sunburn is a problem for every human being regardless of the colour of your skin. While some may handle it better than others, the lasting damage from even a moderate sunburn can contribute to skin cancer later in life.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature: the body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

Prevention

Sunscreen

Our skin works to protect us from harmful ultraviolet radiation, which is why we should use sunscreen to protect us from damaging UV rays. Even on cloudy days, our skin is susceptible to the sun's rays which can lead to skin cancer, discoloration, and wrinkles over time.

Hats/UV protective clothing

Some sun hats protect better than others because of their functional design. It is recommended that you choose broad brim sun hats, bucket hats and legionnaire style hats as they all provide excellent sun protection. Caps are not recommended as they only provide protection to the scalp and forehead. UV protective clothing isn’t an option for everyone, as it can be expensive, but where you can- ensure that you protect your skin as much as possible.

Staying hydrated

Limiting alcohol consumption and ensuring you drink enough water are the best ways to manage your hydration levels during the summer heat. While it can be tempting to enjoy a cold beer in the sun, we cannot stress enough that you do so in moderation and ensure that you’re drinking extra water in between the beers! It will also help to minimize that hangover…

Cures

Ah, the South African summer! When we’ve spent too long in the sun, sunburn can be awful. It hurts, it looks bad and you know that keeping clean and getting to sleep are going to be rough!

After-Sun, cool fluids, and a painkiller are your best friends.

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