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Writer's pictureLucy Edwards

The Best Ways to Stay Sun Safe in Cumbria



With Summer now in full swing, we’ve finally started to see a lot more of the warm weather that many of us have longed for.

Along with this change in weather, we’ve started to see the usual squashie memes pop up across social media, as bad sunburns across the UK become the norm.


While we must admit, bad sunburns can be funny and extreme heat can make you want to sunbathe all day every day, the reality is that both can be really dangerous.

Luckily, we’ve got some NHS-approved top tips to help you keep safe and make the most of the hot weather in Cumbria this year…



Stay hydrated

It goes without saying that drinking water is extremely important. Not only does it keep you alive (and help give you great skin) it is also imperative that you drink more than usual on hotter days and when exercising.


Each day, you should aim to drink 1.5 – 2 litres of water at regular intervals. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so make sure you always have a bottle with you.



Protect your Skin


While TV shows like Love Island seem to normalize having a tan during summer, health-wise there’s actually no such thing as a healthy tan.

It’s so important to own your natural skin tone and love your skin as it is, but if you’re really keen on getting a tan, spray tans and self-tanning products are a much better alternative.

Sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF and has a 4- or 5-star UVA rating are extremely important for protecting the parts of our skin we can’t cover or shade alone. It must be reapplied regularly and thickly throughout the day too.

But remember, sunscreen does not completely protect us from sun damage alone. No matter how high the factor.





Seek out Shade


Shade (not throwing it) is also one of the best ways to protect yourself in summer. In the UK, the sun is strongest from 11 am – 3 pm from March all the way to October.


Wearing a hat, sunglasses, and using suitable clothing to cover up can greatly reduce your risk of heatstroke and sunburn.


We understand sunscreen might be annoying to constantly reapply and having to take shade regularly might take time out of your planned activities.


However, heatstroke in extreme cases can kill and sunburn can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer, so it’s always better to take precautions when out in the sun in Cumbria this summer.




Do you have a bad experience of sunburn you want to share with us?


Let us know in the comments below!

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