Ball games, music festivals, afternoons anchored near a sandbar—as summer kicks into high gear and you find yourself with a calendar full of social activities, it's wise to exercise caution while cocktailing, above and beyond just designating a driver.
1. You're more likely to get dehydrated.
When it's hot, you sweat more. Couple that with the diuretic effect of alcohol on the body, and you may be losing more water than you're absorbing.
2. You're more prone to heat exhaustion.
Alcohol puts you at greater risk for heat exhaustion, because once it's been absorbed into your bloodstream, it causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Alcohol also inhibits your body's ability to regulate its temperate. If you drink alcohol when you're hot, you'll just get hotter—and not in a good way!
3. You're at a higher risk for sunburn.
Time flies when you're having fun. A few cocktails can make it a lot harder to remember to reapply sunscreen every couple of hours.
If you're spending the day in the sun, be sure to pack enough water that you can alternate your cocktails with H2O, find some shade from time to time to cool off, and set a timer on your phone to remind you when it's time to refresh your sunscreen. Your body will thank you!
Photo courtesy of Jeff Greenberg.
