Being outside in the summertime makes people feel naturally good. Whether you’re playing outdoor sports, gardening, swimming, lounging by the pool or entertaining on the patio, fresh air and sunshine is certainly better for your health than being a coach potato. However, whenever you participate in any outdoor activity, you still need to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging effects while enjoying yourself outside.

Vitamin D

Many people have been taught that sunlight is needed for your body to make vitamin D for boosting the immune system because vitamin D is not found naturally in most foods. For most light skin, ten to fifteen minutes exposure on the face, forearms and hands is plenty of time to maintain vitamin D levels.

People with darker or heavily pigmented skins may benefit from more moderate sun exposure to ensure maintenance of adequate vitamin D levels. However, the thought that only sunlight can produce this vitamin must be revisited since many foods today are fortified with vitamin D during the manufacturing process. This process makes sun exposure less important for the body’s vitamin D supply.

The Dangers of Sun Exposure

The obvious, immediate danger of spending too much time in the sun is sunburn. If you were to look at sunburned skin under a microscope, you would see that the sun’s strong rays have caused the cells and blood vessels to become damaged. When you have repeated sun damage, the skin starts to look dry, wrinkled, discolored, leathery and weakened, causing it to bruise more easily. It contributes to premature aging of the skin and it is the major cause of skin cancer, which is now the most common type of all cancers. However, the dangers of sun exposure that leads to most skin cancers can be avoided by following a few simple steps that help to protect you.

Protection from Sun Damage

There are many options available for avoiding the harmful effects of the sun. The most common sense solution is to stay out of the sun. This is the best way to avoid sun damage, but most of us go outdoors regularly during the warm summer months. If simply staying out of the sun is not an option, then take these precautions.

• Always apply sunscreen on your skin before venturing out in the sun.
• Avoid being out in the sun at its highest point of the day because the ultraviolet rays that lead to sunburn are strongest during this time, which is from about 10 am to 3 pm.
• When you do go outdoors wear protective clothing that consist of long sleeves, slacks and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Purchase a pair of sunglass that filter UV light and wear them regularly outdoors in the sunshine.
• Wear sunglasses that filter UV light.

Awnings for Shade & Protection

Another option for keeping you in the shade and away from the sun’s harmful rays is to install a retractable awning over your patio area. Not only will an awning offer maximum protection from the sun, but it will enhance the look of your home with the beauty of its appearance.

Retractable awnings are a great investment for your home by contributing to your outdoor living space. Not only does a retractable awning add aesthetic appeal to your home, but it also provides lasting benefits for you to enjoy, such as allowing you to enjoy the sun or shade at any time. It allows you to personalize your deck or patio for optimal comfort and maximum protection from the blazing summer sun. A retractable awning provides a dramatic effect to the outside of your house while offering the benefits of additional privacy.

This summer season protect yourself from the harmful damage caused by sun exposure. Take a look at our Awning Products and see the beautiful selection of stylish awnings that can provide you with shade and protection during the sizzling hot summer patio season. We service Burlington, Ancaster, and Oakville.