July 3 is “Stay out of the Sun Day”. National Stay out of the Sun Day is not a day for those who want a tan and love the sun beaming down on them. It is a day for those who want to stay out of the heat and the damage the sun does to our skin. It may have originated as a reminder to people of the link between skin cancer and the sun. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. And it doesn’t take a lifetime of sunburns and summers to occur. Skin cancer is the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults (ages 15-29).
This time of year is the middle of summer, when the temperatures are the hottest and the sun is the brightest and directly overhead, requiring extra protection to fend off harmful UV rays. It is easy to get dehydrated, sunburnt or worse.
So if you need to be outdoors make sure you do the following:
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Reapply at least every 2 hours as well as after swimming or sweating. Choosing the right sunscreen can be found at the American Cancer Society
- Wear a hat that has a 2 to 3 inch brim all the way around to protect the top of your ears and your neck, areas where skin cancer frequently occurs.
- Cover up – Cover as much skin as possible and choose clothes made of tightly woven fabric. Sheer or lightly woven fabric provides very little protection.
- Seek shade
Beat the heat by spending the day indoors or find a shady spot to kick back and relax, or hit the gym.
Here are some “Sun” themed activities you can do indoors. You may find some of these titles at the library :
Watch a movie: Tears of the Sun, Empire of the Sun, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Miss Sunshine, and A Place in the Sun.
Watch a TV show; 3rd Rock from the Sun, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (not for younger viewers), Sunshine, Sunset Beach, Shahs of Sunset.
Read a book or play: The Sun Also Rises, A Raisin in the Sun, Duel in the Sun, Under the Tuscan Sun, Evil Under the Sun (may also be in a movie format).
Go outside, find a porch or a hammock in a cool shady place and listen to some of this music: KC and the Sunshine Band, Silversun Pickups, Island in the Sun by Weezer, Blister in the Sun by Violent Femmes, and House of the Rising Sun by The Animals.
Remember, too much sun is harmful. It can cause skin cancer and depress your immune system.
Resources:
National Stay Out of the Sun day – July 3, 2020 https://nationaltoday.com/national-stay-sun-day/
Days of the year https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/stay-out-of-the-sun-day/
Days of the year https://balance.hcr-manorcare.com/blog-posts/national-stay-out-of-the-sun-day/
How to remain sunny on stay out of the sun day https://www.dermatologistoncall.com/blog/how-to-remain-sunny-on-stay-out-of-the-sun-day/
Spend Time Outside and Stay Sun-safe https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/stay-sun-safe-this-summer.html