It’s our energetic life force, what turns night into day and feels so incredibly good on our faces. Sunlight is essential and exposure to it has numerous health benefits, so why does a day (or even a couple of hours in the sun) make us feel so exhausted?
Well, for one, it’s the fact that summers all over the globe are becoming more intense with scorching temperatures, resulting in increased natural calamities, like fires and droughts spreading at an alarming rate. And as we are all innately connected to our environments, both man-made and natural, our bodies automatically react to these changes, including the extra heat.
Anja Rubik by Lachlan Bailey
1. Your Body At Work.
Much like in winter months, in especially hot temperatures the body is extra hard at work, keeping its homeostasis and all organs functioning optimally. Regulating your internal core temperature while the sun’s rays beat down on you at 35C causes additional strain to the body (not to mention the exertion via the two glasses of Rose, which initially seemed like a refreshing idea).
Thermoregulation is one of our bodies’ essential functions, and balancing it with the outdoor scorcher takes up extra effort. The increased heart rate, skin reddening, more sweating - disposing of that extra body heat, the hotter it is. While heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the more severe manifestations of thermoregulation out of balance, remember that by "just being" in the sun your body is already being put through its paces. Even if lounging by a lake sounds like a simple and relaxing enough activity. Add any sport or movement, even if you do so indoors, after sun exposure you may feel more tired than usual. And let’s not even go into overdoing it with caffeine or alcohol.
2. Just Drink Water, right?
Perhaps not that simple. While it is true that staying hydrated is crucial for our bodies to function well, and that even mild dehydration may be a cause for fatigue, water, or rather plain water might not always be the best bet.
If you ever feel like you’re drinking glass after glass, but the thirst doesn’t seem quenched and your energy is fairly low, it might be because you’re over-hydrating (yes, there is such a thing.) Simply put, your electrolyte balance becomes out of sync, and you're actually flushing all the salts and essential minerals out of your system with every new glass. If you’re planning a day in the sun, a physical activity while it’s hot out or feeling plain sluggish, it’s a good idea to consider adding an electrolyte powder supplement to your water pitcher. Look for products containing magnesium, potassium and salt at the very minimum, but be careful here. The market is abundant with synthetically-based hydration packets - laden with added sugars, thickeners and flavourings, which can have a counterproductive effect in terms of overall health. It’s best to stick with a simple ingredient (mineral) list and natural sweeteners, like stevia leaf, for example, here, here or here.
3. The Skin You’re In.
We all need to get our vitamin D in and sun exposure is the main, natural source to do so. But not if it comes accompanied by a sunburn. The body will be making up for the damage to the skin, redirecting fluid to the surface, resulting in you feeling further dehydrated and fatigued. So make sure you’re armed with good, clean sunscreen (free of endocrine disruptors and dangerous chemicals, which could be absorbed into your blood via your skin.)
And if you are a particularly outdoorsy type or reside somewhere with extensive sun exposure, supplementing with Astaxanthin, considered nature’s powerhouse anti-oxidant might be useful. It’s a member of the carotenoid family (think lutein and Beta-carotene), and what gives plants and organisms (like salmon and flamingos) their vibrant colours, protecting the said organisms from damage by light or oxygen. It has been shown to help with photo-ageing and quelling internal inflammatory processes in humans, acting like a UV shield when it comes to sun exposure. In fact, a 2007 study illustrated Astaxanthin to be a 110 times more potent antioxidant than vitamin E, 560 times than green tea catechins, 800 times than Co-Q 10, 3000 times than resveratrol and 6000 times than vitamin C.
In short, we’re all for “letting the sunshine in” as the song goes, but doing it smart, if we can help it!
Written by BECYCLE & BEYOND marketing manager & integrative health coach, Katia Varfolomeeva