Go outside and play! Do you remember your mother saying this to you when you were a kid? You can thank her because sending you outdoors to spend time in the sun had powerful restorative, protective, and healing effects from bone and immune health to depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), according to Verywell Mind. With all those health benefits, it confirms the old phrase “mothers know best!” And with the pandemic taking a toll on the mental health of many, it’s time to awaken your inner child and go outside and play because getting outside may change your brain in a good way!

Here are four ways to better enjoy the outdoors!

Stay Hydrated

It’s hot outside so it is even more important to stay hydrated. “As soon as I awake, I have 3-4 large glasses of water before I allow myself a coffee or tea,” says Dian Griesel, Ph.D., author of TurboCharged: The Silver Disobedience Edition. “I also turn to fruits and vegetables to hydrate as there have been studies that prove they could hydrate our bodies twice as effectively as a glass of water.” Dian enjoys eating watermelon, which is 92% water, and celery, which is 9% water!

Wear Sunscreen

If you’re applying sunscreen when you are already outside, you are too late. The best practice is to apply it 15-30 minutes before you go in the sun. What about SPF? Jonathan Leventhal, MD, a Yale Medicine onco-dermatologist, told Yale Medicine, “We usually recommend a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above, but once you get to a certain level, there isn’t much added benefit to going to an SPF 60 or 100.”

Bug Out

Don’t let bugs ruin your fun. Are you in an area with a lot of flies? RESCUE! Disposable Fly Trap can help. The trap is easy to use, requires no clean-up (just throw it away) and catches up to 20,000 flies. Or are you hesitant to go outside because you will get eaten up by bugs? Then you must remember to use bug spray and one that works! Conde Nast Traveler gives six expert-recommended bug sprays that are worth your investment!

Snag Sunglasses

Are your eyes sensitive to sunlight? If they are, make sure to wear sunglasses. If they aren’t, make sure to wear sunglasses! Why? According to TIME, UV damage from the sun can increase the risk for macular degeneration. Sun exposure is also linked to eye cancer and photokeratitis. Sounds scary but can easily be prevented by wearing sunglasses. According to Dr. Rebecca Taylor, when looking for a pair of sunglasses it doesn’t matter how dark the lenses are but the most important thing is that the sunglasses block 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

There’s no better time than now to enjoy the great outdoors and reap all the health benefits. Just don’t forget your water, sunscreen, bug spray, and sunglasses!

© 2021 Silver Disobedience Inc.