Benefits and Risks of Sun Exposure in the Elderly

Why are the Elderly at Higher Risk?

That’s a great question. The short answer is that the elderly population, in general does not protect themselves from the sun. Each year, more than 5 million people in the United States alone are treated for skin cancer. This costs the US roughly 8.1 billion dollars. You guessed it. Most of these skin cancer cases are found in individuals who are 65 years of age or older. 

Less than half of older adults protect their skin from the sun when outside for an hour or more on warm, sunny days like the month of July. Unfortunately, skin problems are not the only thing we need to worry about. Studies show that long-term exposure to bright sunlight may increase the risk of cataracts and growths on the eye, including cancer. So, protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays with 100% UV-blocking sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats.

Benefits of Sunlight

Hold on, don’t go running inside just yet! Did you know the right amount of sun can have lots of mood-lifting benefits? Sunlight can cause a release of signaling molecules in the brain called hormones. A hormone named serotonin is released by the brain in response to sunlight exposure. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, calmness, and happiness. This hormone impacts other parts of your body, by enabling brain cell communication, helping us sleep, eat, and digest. 

Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can drop. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of major depression with a seasonal pattern, called seasonal depression.

How to protect your skin

Now that we know spending time outside is a great way to not only be physically active but also boost your mood. Let’s discuss some ways to protect ourselves and our residents while we work and play outdoors. I have listed four ways to stay protected.

   1. Cover up and Find Shade

Whenever possible wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, or skirts while outside. In addition to covering up, find a nice, shaded area to stay under, such as a tree, umbrella, or other shelter. If this is not possible wear a t-shirt to cover up small items like swimsuits. Darker colors offer more protection than lighter colors.

   2. Wear a Hat

To provide more protection, wear a hat, preferably with a wide brim that will cover your face, ears, and back of the neck. When selecting your hat, opt for tightly woven fabrics such as canvas. Avoid hats made from straw. Straw hats have holes that will let sunlight in through your hat. Don’t forget that dark colors provide more protection. If you can’t find a wide brim hat, grab a baseball hat. Remember that you will need to provide extra protection to cover your ears and back of the neck when wearing a baseball hat.

   3. Wear Sunshades

Wear sunshades to protect your eyes. Sunshades that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunshades sold in the US already have this UV blocking protection.

   4. Wear Sunscreen

Put-on broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 15 or higher before you go outside. Put a thick layer on all exposed skin and get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. Remember that sunscreen wears off. Reapply a thick coat if you stay out in the sun for more than 2 hours, after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. Don’t forget to check the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than 3 years or less if exposed to extreme temperatures. 

References:

Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (October 2019). Many Older Adults Don’t Protect Their Skin from the Sun. Retrieved from

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/research/articles/older-adults-protect-skin-sun.htm on July 7, 2021

Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (April 28, 2021). Sun Safety. Retrieved from

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm on July 7, 2021

Healthline (April 1, 2019). What are the Benefits of Sunlight? Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight on July 7, 2021