Casting A (Helpful) Shadow: 3 Health Benefits Of A Patio Awning

When summertime rolls around, it often brings with it a healthy dose of sunshine. While sunshine is good for improving your sleep, lessening depression, tanning your skin and helping you produce Vitamin D, it can be less good for keeping cool during the warm summer months.

A patio awning is a great shield against that summer sun, but did you know that installing a patio awning is actually good for your physical health as well? If you're wondering what the health benefits of an awning could possibly be, then here's what you need to know.

Sunburn is a large concern in the summer months. Not only can sunburns be irritating and painful, but also they can lead to skin cancer; getting sunburned even irregularly can exponentially increase your risk of melanoma.

You might retreat within your home for the dog days of summer in order to stave off sunburn, but the sun can still come through your windows, particularly if you, like most people, have a large glass door that leads out to the patio. Unless specially treated, normal glass doesn't stop UV rays, and it's the UV rays that actually burn your skin, not the light from the sun.

A patio awning, however, shields you not only from direct sunlight but also from UV radiation. This means that you actually are protected in your home and don't have to worry about getting burned from your living room.

Another health problem that can arise in the summer is overheating or sunstroke (also called heat stroke). This happens when your body's internal temperature surpasses 104 degrees Fahrenheit and can lead to kidney problems, muscular breakdown and even seizures.

Obviously, keeping cool is the best way to avoid heat stroke, but it can be hard if your home doesn't have adequate or even any AC, especially if the sun faces your windows during the hottest times of the day (10 A.M. to 3 P.M.). Instead of risking heat stroke, it's a good idea to keep your home cooler by installing a patio awning.

The patio awning blocks the sun from being able to shine directly into your home and heat it up quite as much, keeping you and your home cooler. Make sure to spend your time in the room(s) connected with a patio awning to get the full health benefit of this tool.

Spending time outside is a great way to absorb Vitamin D and get your daily exercise, but it can be bad for your health to stay out in the sun and UV rays (as mentioned above). A patio awning is thus the perfect tool to allow you to spend time outside and get nutrients and exercise (not to mention the fresh air) without negatively impacting your health.

With a patio awning you can stretch out for a yoga session, clear a space for jump roping or even just sit in a chair and watch your child play in the safety of the shade, all without having to be cooped up in the house or exposed to the sun for too long.

The summer season can bring with it a great deal of heat that can negatively impact your home and outside habits. Installing an awning over your patio can not only protect you and your home, but also give you the benefit of being able to use more of your property, no matter how scorching the summer sun gets. For more information on patio awnings and other residential and commercial services, visit our website today.