Summer is just around the corner, which means more trips to beaches and parks, camping, and relaxing outdoors. These warm weather activities are all fun and games until someone gets a sunburn! Sunscreen can help prevent these negative consequences of sun exposure, but it also hinders our ability to synthesize the “sunshine vitamin”, vitamin D. Without the proper tools, it’s hard to know how much sun exposure is enough to prevent sunburn, while maintaining a healthy vitamin D status. This is where Sun Index comes in.
The Sun Index app tells you how much time you can spend outdoors before developing a sunburn. Every individual has a Safe Sun Time, or Time To Burn, which depends on the UV index in their environment, as well as their skin type and whether or not they have applied sunscreen. Sun Index alerts you when your Safe Sun Time is over, so that you know when to seek sun protection. If you’ve ever been sunburned while wearing sunscreen, you probably weren’t wearing enough. Sun Index accounts for your height, weight, and clothing choice to give you a personalized amount of sunscreen that you should apply to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Some readers may be surprised to find out that the exact same UV rays that cause sunburn are what our bodies need in order to synthesize vitamin D. Healthy blood levels of vitamin D have been associated with reduced incidences of cold and flu, and Alzheimer’s disease. What’s more, even short periods of sun exposure can add to vitamin D levels. The Sun Index app lets you know how much vitamin D you have produced from sun exposure, so that you can adjust your dietary intake accordingly.
