When you consider all of the hazards that are brought on by winter weather conditions, there’s one far-reaching winter danger that rarely gets the press it deserves. That’s the sun!
And that’s unfortunate, because exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays can actually increase in wintertime, and it’s very easy to forget to protect yourself after the weather gets colder.
Always remember that snow reflects the sun’s rays exceedingly well, so you should take extra precautions while you’re enjoying outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, hiking, shoveling, snowball fighting, ice fishing, building igloos, etc.
If you live in an area that generates a lot of cloud cover during the winter months, don’t be fooled by the lack of sunlight! Clouds are actually quite poor at blocking out the harmful rays from the sun. Exercise caution on cloudy days as well.
For some great information about how to protect yourself from the sun, watch Dr. Mark Moyad’s Sunshine Safety Series (Part 1). And to see more videos from Dr. Moyad on this topic, pay a visit to the SpryPub YouTube Channel.
