No one’s going to tell you that being outdoors on a sunny day is a bad thing, as there’s nothing quite like blue skies to lift the spirit. It’s one of the great things about active sports, as you get to compete while enjoying the great weather, however, without being sun safe and using a good sport sunscreen spray, you’re going to get sun damage sooner or later.
The basic facts of the matter are that the longer you stay out in the sun, the more UV rays you’re subjected to. This can cause sunburn at least and skin cancer at worst. However, there’s a complicating factor in that sports people sweat. This is why a specialized, water-resistant sunscreen is needed.
That said, it’s not all about sport sunscreen spray, as there are a number of other things you can do to protect your skin when you’re out in the sun for a good portion of the day.
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Train During the Cooler Hours of the Day
During the hours of 10 am and 4 pm each, the sun’s rays are at their most intense, so a great way to keep your skin safe is to avoid them. Earlier or later in the day is much more suitable for exercising, particularly if you’re in the shade.
You can’t really stop yourself from exercising in daylight hours, but just try to be sensible when they are. Exercise in the midday sun and you’re asking for trouble.
Don’t Get Complacent When It’s Cloudy
One common misconception that some people believe is that you’re good to go if it’s cloudy. You don’t need sunscreen if it’s not sunny, right? Wrong! Actually, you’re almost as susceptible to UV damage as UVB rays are able to permeate clouds and impact your skin.
In fact, when it’s cloudy, these UVB rays are scattered more widely, meaning they’re more abundant. It’s what’s known as ‘broken cloud enhancement’.
This is also magnified by sweat, meaning that you should be applying your sport sunscreen spray even more frequently than every 2 hours. It’s a principle that applies however your skin gets wet too, so be sure to do the same if your preferred sport is a water-based one.
Keep yourself covered up as much as you can with clothing too – if your sport has downtime during competition. A tightly-woven training top and a wide-brimmed hat is going to afford your more protection still and the longer you’re out of the sun, the better it will be.
Sport Sunscreen Spray Is Not Just For Sports
Getting adequate protection while out in the sun is essential for sports people, but it’s far from being something that is exclusive to the sporting world.
Sunscreen is something that you should be wearing every day anyway, so you shouldn’t stop thinking about it during your normal daily life. It’s just that there are other considerations that need to be made: that’s all.
This should mean that you’re protected anyway when you’re engaging in whatever sporting pursuits you’re involved with. If not, just make sure that when you do go out, you’re properly covered. Otherwise, any sporting achievements you enjoy may come at a cost.
Application only takes a couple of minutes, but sun damage is something that can not only last a lifetime but cost you your life. Stay safe and stay protected. Your skin will thank you for it.
