Why sunburns make you tired

Besides feeling super painful, your burn is likely exhausting you, too. One of the big symptoms is fatigue, says Dr. Your best bet is prevention here. Then try these 5 sunburn relief products to soothe your tender skin , too. Christopher Winter, M. So if you need to be clear-eyed and energized for hours on end, you might want to switch your morning beach run to an under-the-stars affair. Or get your workout in at home instead. Try The Day MetaShred —you'll burn fat and build lean muscle.

Being in the sun all day and being outdoors when the sun sets just naturally makes you tired, too. Suspected heatstroke should always be regarded as an emergency, and you should dial to request an ambulance. Left untreated, heatstroke can lead to complications, such as brain damage and organ failure. It's also possible to die from heatstroke. There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of getting heat exhaustion and heatstroke:. It is likely one of the highest fevers you've ever had.

High fevers are not that common, especially in adults. With a moderate fever : You feel warm or hot. You know you have a fever. With a mild fever : You may feel a little warm. You think you might have a fever, but you're not sure. Pain in adults and older children Severe pain 8 to 10 : The pain is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.

Moderate pain 5 to 7 : The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's there.

Mild pain 1 to 4 : You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities. Pain in children under 3 years It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

Severe pain 8 to 10 : The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace. Moderate pain 5 to 7 : The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Mild pain 1 to 4 : The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her. Long-term alcohol and drug problems. Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer. Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease. Medicines taken after organ transplant. Not having a spleen. A few common examples are: Some antibiotics. Aspirin, ibuprofen such as Advil or Motrin , and naproxen such as Aleve.

Skin products that contain vitamin A or alpha hydroxy acids AHA. Some acne medicines. Some diabetes medicines that you take by mouth. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: A rash, or raised, red areas called hives. Trouble breathing. Symptoms of heatstroke may include: Feeling or acting very confused, restless, or anxious. Sweating heavily, or not sweating at all sweating may have stopped. Skin that is red, hot, and dry, even in the armpits. Passing out. Nausea and vomiting.

Seek Care Now Based on your answers, you may need care right away. Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care in the next hour. You do not need to call an ambulance unless: You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.

You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down. Seek Care Today Based on your answers, you may need care soon. Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today.

If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning. If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner. Call Now Based on your answers, you need emergency care. Home Treatment Home treatment measures may provide some relief from a mild sunburn. Use cool cloths on sunburned areas. Take frequent cool showers or baths.

Apply soothing lotions that contain aloe vera to sunburned areas. Topical steroids such as hydrocortisone cream may also help with sunburn pain and swelling. Note: Do not use the cream on children younger than age 2 unless your doctor tells you to. Medicine you can buy without a prescription Try a non-prescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain: Acetaminophen , such as Tylenol Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs : Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin Naproxen, such as Aleve Aspirin also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug , such as Entrophen Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

Safety tips Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a non-prescription medicine: Carefully read and follow all directions on the medicine bottle and box. Do not take more than the recommended dose. Do not take a medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past. If you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take it. If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to.

Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 unless your doctor tells you to. Care of blisters Home treatment may help decrease pain, prevent infection, and help the skin heal. A small, unbroken blister about the size of a pea, even a blood blister, will usually heal on its own.

Use a loose bandage to protect it. Avoid the activity that caused the blister. If it has torn open: Gently wash the area with clean water. Do not use alcohol, iodine, or any other cleanser. Don't remove the flap of skin over a blister unless it's very dirty or torn or there is pus under it. Gently smooth the flap over the tender skin. Signs of infection include: Increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the blister.

Red streaks extending away from the blister. Drainage of pus from the blister. Symptoms to watch for during home treatment Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment: Vision problems continue after you get out of the sun, for example, eyes that hurt and are sensitive to light.

Fever, nausea, or severe chills develop. Facial swelling. Dehydration develops and you are unable to drink enough to replace lost fluids. Pale, clammy or cool skin. Signs of skin infection in blisters develop.

Rapid pulse or rapid breathing. Symptoms become more severe or more frequent. Headache, confusion or a feeling of faintness or dizziness. Prevention Protecting your skin Use the following tips to protect your skin from the sun. Avoid sun exposure The best way to prevent a sunburn is to avoid sun exposure. Intense, repeated sun exposure that results in sunburn increases your risk of other skin damage and certain diseases. These include premature aging of skin photoaging , precancerous skin lesions and skin cancer.

Sun exposure and repeated sunburns accelerate the skin's aging process, making you look older than you are. Skin changes caused by UV light are called photoaging. The results of photoaging include:. Precancerous skin lesions appear as rough, scaly patches in areas that have been damaged by the sun. They're usually found on the sun-exposed areas of the head, face, neck and hands of light-skinned people. These patches can evolve into skin cancer. Excessive sun exposure, even without sunburn, increases your risk of skin cancer, such as melanoma.

It can damage the DNA of skin cells. Sunburns in childhood and adolescence may increase your risk of developing melanoma later in life. Skin cancer develops mainly on areas of the body most exposed to sunlight, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, hands, legs and back.

Some types of skin cancer appear as a small growth or a sore that bleeds easily, crusts over, heals and then reopens. With melanoma, an existing mole may change, or a new, suspicious-looking mole may develop. A type of melanoma called lentigo maligna develops in areas of long-term sun exposure.

It starts as a tan flat spot that slowly darkens and enlarges. See your doctor if you notice a new skin growth, a bothersome change in your skin, a change in the appearance or texture of a mole, or a sore that doesn't heal.

The sun can also burn your eyes. Too much UV light damages the retina, lens or cornea. Sun damage to the lens can lead to clouding of the lens cataracts. Sunburned eyes may feel painful or gritty. Sunburn of the cornea is also called snow blindness. Use these methods to prevent sunburn, even on cool, cloudy or hazy days. And be extra careful around water, snow and sand because they reflect the sun's rays.

In addition, UV light is more intense at high altitudes. Use sunscreen frequently and generously. About 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, apply sunscreen generously on skin that won't be protected by clothing. Put on more sunscreen every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating. If you're also using insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first. The American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend products that combine an insect repellent with a sunscreen.