Summer 2025 is shaping up to be a scorcher, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Their latest seasonal outlook forecasts hotter-than-average temperatures across most of the U.S., with the highest risk of extreme heat targeting the East Coast, southern Plains, and West.
While NOAA’s prediction focuses on the three-month average—June through August—it doesn’t account for short-term swings. That means even if June feels typical, July and August could bring relentless heat, pushing the entire season into record-breaking territory.
With summer heat waves becoming more intense, staying safe is crucial. Simple steps, like staying hydrated, wearing sunscreen, and limiting sun exposure, can make all the difference. Let’s dive into how you can keep cool and protected during the hottest months ahead.
Why Do We Need Sunlight?
Heat waves are terrible, but we need the sunlight for many reasons. Besides the obvious reason we call life and existence, we need a moderate amount of sun exposure for vitamin D production, a balanced biological clock, and many other UVR-mediated pathways that help regulate various processes in the body, such as immune suppression, increased gene repair to protect you from melanoma, and increased levels of endorphins, which increase your sense of well-being. However, as the excess of everything is bad, too much sun exposure can’t be good as well.
How Much Sun Is Too Much?
It is hard to define too much, as it depends on the person and their skin type. Nonetheless, there are some basic parameters that apply to everyone. The sun is capable of emitting various types of radiation; such as UVA and UVB. UVA and UVB have different wavelengths; therefore, we experience them at different times of the day, according to the sun's position. We need to be exposed to some UVB in order to get vitamin D, and avoid being exposed to UVA as it is known to cause some cancer types.
The strongest UVB radiation is experienced when the sun is in its highest position in the sky, which is midday. It is suggested to sunbathe at noon for maximum efficiency, as it will take less time to get the vitamin D our bodies need. The time required to satisfy our vitamin D needs depends on the person, location, and time of the year. However, approximately, it is enough to sunbathe for 5-15 minutes, two to three times a week. Later in the afternoon, we experience UVA rather than UVB, which could cause certain types of cancer. It is hard to give an exact time when we should go out in the sun, as the angle of the sun rays that we are exposed to changes according to our location. Overall, it is important to minimize the time spent being exposed to sun in the afternoon.
Apart from UVA and UVB rays, the sun also emits infrared lights, which are absorbed by our bodies and turned into heat. With excess heat, our bodies can no longer control their optimum temperature and a heat stroke might occur. If you experience heat exhaustion or a heat stroke, you’ll definitely know it’s too much sun exposure...
What Happens When It’s Too Much?
Too much sun exposure usually results in heat exhaustion, which can turn into a heat stroke. There a few symptoms of too much sun that you can check for heat exhaustion;
- dehydration
- weakness
- nausea
- dizziness
- headache
- excessive sweating
- pale skin
- cramps
- fast breathing or heartbeat
- a high temperature
Even though too much sun can cause a fever, an excess fever and unconsciousness might indicate a heat stroke. Stay alert!
Besides the momentary effects of too much sun, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, your body is affected in a long-term manner as well. UVR is a known carcinogen, meaning, it has the ability to cause cancer. It is not as simple to say that sun causes cancer, as it actually helps some mechanisms in the body to prevent melanoma, sun still has the ability to cause cancer of the lip, basal cell, and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and cutaneous melanoma, particularly in fair skin populations. Too much sun exposure for long periods of time can also result in premature skin aging and eye problems.
A Few Tips On How to Protect Yourself From Sun Exposure
Knowing what too much sun exposure can cause to our health, what can we do to protect ourselves from it?
- Preferably, avoid going out in the afternoon. If there is nothing urgent, try to plan your day so that you can be home or indoors during these hours.
- Stay in the shade: If you must go out, try using transportation that minimizes your sun exposure and has air conditioning. If you must walk, try using an umbrella. Although, keep in mind that asphalt might reflect the sun too.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is the worst when combined with heat. You should also stay away from drinks that contain high amounts of sugar and alcohol; it increases dehydration. Replace salts and minerals. If you are bored of drinking gallons of water, here are some recipes to keep you hydrated during hot summer days.
- Wear appropriate clothes/gear: Light colored clothes might keep you cooler, but dark colored ones are better in protecting you against UVB radiation. Try wearing loose and long items. Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses!
- Wear sunscreen: Always wear sunscreen, even if it’s cloudy. Try using a broad spectrum one, or one that has UVA/UVB protection. The higher the SPF of the sunscreen, the more protection it provides. Ask a dermatologist what is more appropriate for your skin type, if you are unsure. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen after contact with water and a few hours, depending on the sunscreen.
In summary, it is important to balance your sun exposure for protection, as well as supporting your health. Sun exposure has its benefits, as well as detrimental effects in the long term. Getting sun exposure is most efficient at noon, for a short period of time, to produce the vitamin D our bodies need. However, one must not forget to protect themself from the sun too. Following a few tips will help you get the best of it. Stay safe and hydrated!
Sun exposure may cause dehydration, therefore, changes in the electrolyte balance of your body, which may cause unpleasant side effects like dizziness, tiredness, and low blood pressure. However, you can always keep track of your body with Vivoo! Vivoo is an at-home urine test that tracks your body’s wellness based on 8 wellness parameters to provide personalized nutritional and lifestyle advice. Plus, it’s quick and easy to use – you’ll get your results in just 90 seconds! That means you can finally take charge of your overall.
