6 hot weather health mistakes a doctor wants you to stop making

When the sunshine makes a rare appearance in our typically grey country, there's no better feeling than heading out into the heat to bask in the glorious weather.
But with parts of the UK set to enjoy a mini heatwave this week, with some regions reaching a toasty 29 degrees, it's never been more important to stay sun safe.
From applying your SPF haphazardly to going too hard with your training, there's a plethora of hot weather mistakes Brits commonly make in the summer months.
Keen to avoid them? Here's what a doctor wants you to know ahead of this weekend's mini heatwave.
When you've got plans to throw a towel down in the park, it's tempting to rush out of the house and apply your sunscreen once you've snagged a prime picnic spot.
But Doctify-rated dermatologist Dr Sweta Rai warns against this strategy. "The most common heatwave mistake I see people making is putting sunscreen on once they're out in the sun," she notes.
Sunburn can occur in less than 15 minutes when you're exposed to the sun's rays, but as the tell-tale red inflammation can take hours to develop, many people don't realise their skin is at risk.
"I always recommend applying suncream an hour before you leave the house and carrying a bottle in your bag so you can reapply regularly," Rai adds.
Speaking of re-application, Rai says that hot weather perspiration can quickly wash away a protective layer of suncream.
"If you can feel sweat forming in areas like the elbows and back, wipe the moisture away with a tissue or towel, and reapply your suncream immediately," she advises.
The same goes if you're planning to swim. "If you're in water, be mindful of the fact that your suncream will only last for around 40 minutes," she adds. "You could set a timer on your phone if you're heading into the pool for a swim, and reapply your cream once the alarm goes off."
If you're currently in the midst of a marathon training plan, you don't need to ditch your training sessions entirely. However, it's important to time them correctly.
"You want to avoid doing outdoor exercise between 11 to 3pm when the sun is at its hottest, and the UV is at its highest," stresses Rai. Not only will this keep you safe from a potentially nasty sunburn, but exercising in the blistering sun can increase your risk of heat exhaustion too.
"Most smart watches and phones have a feature that records the UV index," Rai continues. "If the meter is showing a moderate or high recording, you might want to consider taking your workout indoors, or at the very least, liberally applying a good layer of suncream."
When it comes to SPF, there are some seriously exposed spots on our bodies that we often tend to forget, like our ears, eyelids and hair parting.
"Many of these delicate areas project from the body, which means they're getting a lot of sun exposure when we're out and about," warns Rai."During the summer, I see lots of patients coming in with painful red burns on the tips of their ears and the backs of their necks, so it's always important to pay special attention to these areas when you're applying your suncream."
Regardless of whether you're planning to hit the gym this weekend, stocking the fridge with a few sports drinks can help you to avoid dehydration when the mercury rises - which can cause headaches and nausea.
These 'isotonic' drinks contain similar concentrations of salt and sugar as in the human body, helping you to replenish the electrolytes you lose in your sweat.
"If you're you're outdoors in the heat and sweating a lot, then rehydrating with something more than just water might be helpful," adds Rai.
Finally, it's a myth that you should be reaching for your lightest and breeziest clothing on hot days.
"Wearing loose clothing is always a good idea for air flow, but when it comes to fabrics, its best to opt for those that are a slightly thicker, as these don't let the UV light filter through," explains Rai.
"Denim is a surprisingly good fabric to wear in the sun as it has a thicker weave and darker colour which provides more protection from UV."
Rai's bonus heatwave tip? "If you hold your clothing up against the window and can see tiny holes with light filtering through the fabric, it's probably not going to give you decent protection from sun damage," she notes.
"If you want to be extra careful, some companies now produce UPF clothing that's specially designed to block out UV light.
"This can be especially useful if you know you're going to be spending long periods of time in the sun and don't want to put yourself at higher risk of summer health issues."
Read more about health:
Will the hot weather make hay fever worse? (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Four ways to stay hydrated in high temperatures, according to science (Yahoo News UK, 4-min read)
The 4 most important things to check on your sunscreen, according to a dermatologist (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

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