Low-Stress Sun Guide

Summer sun comes around every year, and many of us have been trapped in the same cycle. You come out of the winter pale and/or unadapted, you slather on sunscreen, and head out. By the end of the day, you’re lobster red and tender to the touch. You’re peeling like crazy for a week and then repeat that cycle three to four times. This high stress approach taxes the nervous system, hurts, and can eventually make trips to the skin doctor a real bummer. No bueno!

There is a better way!

We begin by thinking of the sun and your body's relationship to it in the exact same way that we would drive progressive overload in the gym- driving the adaptation in a gentle, manageable, low-stress way. In the process, you avoid the burn, the peel, and the toxic chemicals layered in most sunscreens.

Before we get to the plan, there are three factors we consider when it comes to the sun management:

  1. The time of exposure

  2. The intensity (time of day and season)

  3. Your level of adaptation

We have two main tools:

  • Moisturization

  • Clothing

The more moisturized we are, the longer it takes before the sun starts cooking us. (Just like a piece of meat;) ). There's a myriad of moisturizers you can choose. My preference is coconut oil. It's affordable (food grade is totally fine from the grocery) and has a mild protective effect at 4 SPF. An aside: chasing higher SPF is usually a losing game. If you exceed the three factors then you still end up burnt.

Once we run out of our ability to withstand the sun without burning, we cover up. Sun-shirts, hats, and umbrellas are keys in this department. The secret is to stress less in the beginning and then build time consistently.

How does this look in practice?

Start gently, 20-30 minutes max in the beginning. Avoid the middle of the day (the highest intensity time), aiming for early morning or late afternoon. You moisturize, go out, get a little bit of sun, and then, once you start seeing your skin get a little pink or feel that hot, tight skin feeling, you know, "alright, that's enough." Seek shade or toss on a light shirt, and then repeat that process daily for a few weeks.

In the evenings reapply your moisturizer. Coconut oil is also fine here, but for a less greasy option check out shea butter. If you did go a bit too far, aloe really rocks here for recovery. Bonus points if you grab an aloe plant and go straight from the stalk.

If you start this process as soon as the days warm in early Spring, by the time midsummer rolls around, you’re ready for those long days at the pool with a nice base tan. Then, continue with your moisturizer of choice, slathering up every time and reapplying when you start feeling warm and that little bit of crinkly heat.

The sun gives life, but it can also take it away. With a little bit of respect and tempering, we can get ourselves adapted to long days in the sun and avoid getting cooked to a crisp in the process.