5 Tips to Keep Your Family Safer in a Heatwave
Summer is well underway. And while it offers fun in the sun, there are also many real dangers. So, here are some simple ways to keep your family safe in a heatwave.
Little girl applying sunscreen at the beach – Image Courtesy of Pexels
Keep Your Home Cooler
A heatwave is when there is excessive heat from the sun for a specific period. And when a heatwave happens, many people love nothing more than to get outside and bask in the sun. But the sun is dangerous to you and your family. Therefore, it’s vital to take breaks and keep yourself cool. Popping inside your home now and then is a great way to break up the onslaught of UV rays and intense heat. But even your home can become very hot. So you can use air conditioning services for climate control. Or cool your home by opening windows and doors.
Always Use Sunscreen
The sun’s rays are harmful. Ultraviolet radiation essentially cooks your skin if you expose yourself long enough. It can be so damaging that experts recommend you stay in the sun no longer than 20 minutes at a time. But that isn’t always easy to do, such as taking your kids to the beach. But you can apply sunscreen to help protect your family. SPF 50 sunscreen is recommended for children, and no lower than 30 if higher isn’t available. Additionally, it’s a myth that darker-skinned families don’t need sunscreen, so always apply lotion liberally.
Keep Your Family Safer in a Heatwave with Shade
Because of the smaller size of their bodies, children are more susceptible to heat stroke. Heat stroke occurs when you are exposed to the sun for an extended period, and your body loses moisture as a result. Heatstroke is fatal and happens all over the world. In the United States alone, there are around 1,500 heat stroke deaths per year. Fortunately, you can easily avoid heatstroke by staying in the shade rather than lounging in the sun. Additionally, there are specific times you should avoid the sun. This is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., when it’s strongest.
Tasty Frozen Treats
Your core temperature can increase when you are outside in the summer. If it goes high, you risk heat stroke and dehydration. But it’s very easy to keep your temperature down. Frozen treats like ice cream and popsicles are affordable and effective. However, if you don’t want your children to eat sugary snacks, you can also try other things. For example, you can easily make frozen fruit juice ice lollies from molds. Or you can even cut up and freeze melons, apples, and bananas. These also provide additional water, so they help keep your family hydrated as well.
Water, Lots of Water
Of course, water is your best friend when the weather is excessively hot. Drinking 8 glasses of water per day is recommended to stay hydrated. But you can also use water effectively to avoid heat exhaustion and retain hydration. Of course, taking a dip in the sea when you’re at the beach is one of the most fun and simplest ways to do this. But you can also get paddling pools, water slides, and water guns for some family-friendly fun in the sun. Additionally, water parks and public swimming pools often have discounted options for families during the summer.
Summary
There are many ways to keep your family safer in a heatwave. You can ventilate with open doors or HVAC, stay in the shade when outside and have some family fun with water.
Kori
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