Or at least, it has been. London saw its highest temperature of the year so far this week (33.3C) while Cambridge took the record for the hottest day across the whole UK, reaching a whopping 34.8C.
Many of us may spend the winter and spring months focusing on building our ‘summer bodies’. However, when the summer months do finally arrive, they can pose a number of challenges for those looking to stay on top of their fitness goals.
Going on holiday?
Having a BBQ or meeting friends in the beer garden?
Rushing around entertaining your children and transporting them between holiday activities?
Fancy a relaxing evening sunbathing with a book?
Perhaps you feel that it simply is ‘just too hot’?
There are lots of distractions that could get in the way from the fitness routines we tend to stick to when the weather is cooler. For those with allergies, the high pollen counts which present during the summer months can make outdoor exercise especially challenging, or perhaps impossible.
However, we should really try and adapt, rather than stop. In this article, we’ll share a few top tips to help you to stay active in summer, safely.
Do take the opportunity to boost your Vitamin D levels
Vitamin D is an important nutrient which is involved in bone health, muscle function, mental health and our immune systems. As many as 57% of UK adults have low levels of Vitamin D, mainly because we experience low levels of sunlight across the year, in comparison to other countries.
Sunlight helps increase our Vitamin D levels as it helps convert certain types of cholesterol into Vitamin D. It’s therefore very important to get out in the sun, when we can, and taking our exercise regimes outdoors during the summer can be a great means of achieving this.
Timing is key
Longer daylight hours in the summer give us the opportunity to stay active outdoors across a wider timeframe than in the cooler months. However, it can be best to avoid exercise during the early afternoon when the sun is at its highest (and hottest).
Morning and early evening workouts can be a great alternative. The sky remains bright, but the air temperature cool(er). Exercising earlier in the day is also best for those with certain allergies, as this helps avoid the peak levels of certain types of pollen that tend to occur later in the day.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
When we exercise, we can lose up to 1-2 litres of sweat, per hour. This level can rise quite significantly in higher temperatures. It is therefore even more crucial to make sure that we carry enough water with us, and also consider refreshing with sports drinks. The latter also contain some of the important electrolytes (such as sodium and chloride) which we lose when we sweat.
Wear the correct clothing
When we think of popular summer sports such as Tennis and Cricket, participants have always traditionally worn white clothing. This is no coincidence! Light colours help to reflect sunlight, enabling us to stay cooler when exercising while the weather is hot.
Wearing a sunhat, sunglasses and using suncream is also advisable, to minimise the risk of sunburn, while also helping to keep the body cool. Top tip: keep your suncream in the fridge if you want to stay extra cool on a hot day!
Consider using the gym
While there are benefits to exercising in the sun, for those who do prefer to stay cool, choosing a shaded gym can be a great alternative. Many modern venues are also air conditioned, enabling you to keep up with those high intensity workouts, without getting uncomfortably hot.
Air conditioning units also help filter out certain pollen particles from the air, making this an option worth considering for those with allergies, too. You’ll also of course avoid sunburn if this is a particular concern for you. Perhaps you could warm up outside or walk to the gym, to get a nice balance between enjoying the sun and staying cool.
Why not go for a swim?
Jumping in a pool can feel like one of the most appealing ways to stay cool when the weather is hot. Swimming can be one of the best forms of exercise at any time of year, as it is great for elevating our heart rate, but reduces the impact on our joints and muscles which generally comes with cardiovascular activity. Swimming also builds endurance and strengthens our muscles, helping us to maintain a healthy weight, heart and lungs.
As pool temperatures are kept significantly below our body temperatures, we actually sweat less in comparison to other high-intensity activities. Find an outdoor pool and you’ll have the best of both worlds (there are some great Lidos on the Hussle network!).
Listen to your body
When exercising, we need to let our bodies gradually adjust to the warmer temperatures, and we may not be able to achieve as much as we normally do. If the weather changes quite suddenly (not too unusual in the UK) then you should gradually build up your intensity and endurance within the warmer temperature. This is also worth bearing in mind if you like to keep active while on holiday.
Watch out for the symptoms of dehydration and heat exhaustion
As earlier mentioned, we tend to lost more fluids through sweat when exercising in the heat. If we don’t stay on top of our hydration levels, we run the risk of being dehydrated, which can, in turn, lead to heat exhaustion.
Common symptoms of these conditions include a headache, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, a dry mouth/ skin, and rapid breathing/ heart rate. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop exercising immediately, rehydrate and find somewhere cool and shaded to help your body to recover.
Enjoy the summer, but stay active too
Do enjoy the warmer weather. Take up your friends on those social invitations. Spend time with your families. Relax in the sun. But resist the temptation to put your fitness goals on hold.
Beyond the tips that we’ve shared, the warmer weather can be a great opportunity to try some new activities, too. Have you considered paddleboarding? Beach volleyball? Cricket? Golf? There are plenty of options to keep you busy.
The benefits of fitness remain as profound at all times of year. Keep active during the summer months to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing, and bring energy, confidence and success to your working lives, and beyond!
Stay cool. Stay active.
