# Is an older person more likely to suffer from "too much sun" effects? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 24, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116 "2022-09-24T04:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/1 "2022-09-24T04:31:39Z")
I was working outdoors today starting at 9:00 am, and contrary to it’s reputation, the weather in San Francisco was hot and sunny – the temperature was not high, maybe around 70 or so, but the sun was relentless and felt intense. I was working with four other people, three of them in their 20s and one about 55. I was wearing a baseball cap, large sunglasses, and a medical mask (because Covid). After a couple of hours I got kind of trembly and felt I had to stop for a while, so I sat in the car and drank some water. That helped a little, but not much, and after a while of trying to work again I had to bag it and go home. I had not been sweating very much. No-one else was wearing more protective gear than I was, but none of them suffered any ill effects. They might have drunk more water than I did, I didn’t especially notice anyone drinking at all. When I got home and for the rest of the day, I had a headache and felt like all I wanted to do was sleep. My brain felt woolly. I did sleep some, and drank a lot, and ate lunch. My husband said my face was very red, and it still feels (now almost 9:30 pm) sort of swollen and hot (but it doesn’t feel like sunburn), and I still have a headache. The unprotected parts of my body (arms, back of neck, ears, etc.) are not sunburned either. So what happened, and why only to me? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/2 "2022-09-24T04:52:29Z")
What were you doing? Could be pollen, chemical exposure, dehydration, constipation, or at least 100 other things. Why do you think anyone else would share your symptoms? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/3 "2022-09-24T04:55:17Z")
Most likely you were just dehydrated, but, > **[Aging and Thermoregulatory Control: The Clinical Implications of Exercising...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098859/)** > > Climate change is predicted to bring about a greater variability in weather patterns with an increase in extreme weather events such as sustained heat waves. This change may have a direct impact on population health since heat waves can exceed the... “Elderly individuals, particularly those who are over the age of 60 years, are one of the most vulnerable populations during environmental heat exposure, experiencing significantly greater adverse heat-related health outcomes than any other age cohort. Indeed, there is now evidence showing that older individuals have impaired thermoregulatory control and that the risk of heat-related illness in these individuals is elevated, particularly when performing physical activity in the heat.” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/4 "2022-09-24T04:58:33Z")
Same thing (only more extreme) happened to my 70-yr-old SF sister during the heat wave a couple weeks ago. The older we get, the harder a time it seems our bodies have with heat regulation. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/5 "2022-09-24T15:50:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > What were you doing? I was pruning small street trees. Not an aerobic activity. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Could be pollen, chemical exposure, dehydration, constipation, or at least 100 other things. Really, 100? > [@TriPolar](#): > > Why do you think anyone else would share your symptoms? Because in my life I have occasionally suffered from too much sun and had these exact symptoms, which I have not had from other causes. Therefore I assumed it was, as before, too much sun. What I found puzzling was that I was not unprotected, and that the exposure was not especially long. Now, my question for you: if you found my question so stupid, why did you bother to respond to it? @crowmanyclouds, thank you for finding that reference. Apparently I’m going to have to work a little harder to protect myself from sun exposure during our 3-hour tree care sessions when it is a sunny day. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/6 "2022-09-24T16:00:47Z")
Happens to me too. Never did before. I have to be careful. Plus, a new fun thing this year, rosacea, which is an auto-immune facial skin reaction to … sun, heat, wind, caffeine, alcohol, stress or just because. Sunscreen and big hats. I think it is another piece of waning resilience as we age. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/7 "2022-09-24T16:08:00Z")
Aside from advancing age, there are other factors that make people more vulnerable to heat stress, including hypertension. With the usual caveat about not making diagnoses over the Internet, the described symptoms overlap with those of heat exhaustion. Might be worth a checkup with your M.D. if the extent of the problem is something new. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/8 "2022-09-24T16:31:03Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > With the usual caveat about not making diagnoses over the Internet, the described symptoms overlap with those of heat exhaustion. Yeah, sounds like heat exhaustion to me, heat stroke being much more dangerous and debilitating. The other fun thing about growing older is the sun damage spots that magically appear on your face and other normally exposed skin, along with parchment paper on the back of your hands. Fun! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/9 "2022-09-24T17:04:44Z")
Knock on wood, I don’t have those yet (sun damage spots, papery skin on my hand). I wonder if any of that is due to the amount I have to moisturize every day, especially my hands, due to having dry skin. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/10 "2022-09-24T17:58:19Z")
Sorry if it sounded that way. I thought you would have explanations for the details. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/11 "2022-09-24T18:04:29Z")
Also, you mentioned having a problem when you were younger. I had a friend who suffered heat stroke when she was in her 20s and was told she’d have to be especially careful in the sun for the rest of her life. Perhaps your previous incident made you more susceptible than your companions? ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-older-person-more-likely-to-suffer-from-too-much-sun-effects/972116/12 "2022-09-24T18:32:49Z")
I wouldn’t expect heat exhaustion from minimal exercise and a temp of 70 f, but some people are more sensitive than others (and age is a factor). Drinking water is good. But, in addition to hydration, I’d also replenish electrolytes, in the form of a sports drink or similar electrolyte-rich drink. Electrolyte depletion often accompanies dehydration. > **[Symptoms of Low Electrolytes: Spotting Them Early](https://drlivingood.com/symptoms-of-low-electrolytes/)** > > If you feel excessively tired after an intense physical activity or struggle to rehydrate, these could be symptoms of low electrolytes! I don’t know your medical history, or if you are (pre) diabetic, but hypoglycemia is something else to rule out. If that’s the cause, drinking fruit juice would be good to elevate your glucose level quickly. > **[Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)](https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/hypoglycemia-overview)** > > Sometimes your blood sugar levels can get too low, even if you don't have diabetes. Hypoglycemia can have several causes and often happens when you haven't eaten in a while. Learn more about the signs of hypoglycemia and what to do next.