June 20, 2017
To ensure you’re not spending more time on the sidelines than you are with the crowd, follow these tips to make the most of your festival experience.
Kick The Dust Up
No, we’re not talking about the Luke Bryan song. With so many music festivals happening in woodlands and fair grounds, there is a lot of dirt and dust flying in the air. And when the wind starts to pick up, there is even more cause for concern. When you breathe in dust or dirt, your body’s natural reaction is to produce extra mucus to prevent the dust and dirt from traveling into your lungs.
If you typically suffer from allergies, be prepared for more coughing than usual. And your lungs aren’t the only part of your body that is at risk. More for practicability than fashion, sunglasses or clear glasses can protect your eyes from dirt and dust in the air. Added bonus, clear glasses won’t affect your ability to see if they’re worn at night.
MedExpress Pro Tip: Use a bandana to keep your nose and mouth covered when dust is around.
Drinkin’ Too Much
A familiar saying heard around parties everywhere. When it comes to festivals, feel free to use it – only if you’re talking about water. Music festivals mean you’re in a hot, crowded field with the sun beating down on you for hours at a time – and these factors make you more susceptible to dehydration and heat-related illnesses.
Many music festivals will have water stations set up, and it’s a good idea to have a water bottle or hydration pack on you at all times. As a rule of thumb, drink before you’re thirsty and try to drink 16 ounces each hour. Don’t substitute alcoholic beverages for water – alcohol is dehydrating and is worse for your body in the heat than not drinking at all.
MedExpress Pro Tip: If you’re going to a camping festival, stock up on jugs of purified water to keep on hand all weekend.
Burnin’ Up
Don’t let the excitement of the set list make you forget the most important step to having festival fun: sunscreen. There are few things worse than getting an awful sunburn the first day of the festival and it ruining your time. Not only should you apply sunscreen roughly 20 minutes before you head out for the day to all exposed parts of your body, you also need to reapply it every 2 hours and more often if you’re sweating it off from your dance party.
When it comes to SPF – aim for a mid-range number. The SPF number tells you how much UVB light (which are the burning rays) that the sunscreen can filter out. SPF 30 can filter out 97 percent of UVB light and SPF 50 can filter out 98 percent. Think you got lucky because it’s overcast? This isn’t necessarily the case. As much as 80 percent of the sun’s rays can still pass through the clouds on overcast days.
MedExpress Pro Tip: When you’re planning your festival outfits, choose light colors and light weight fabrics with a loose fit. Wide-brim hats can also protect you from the sun’s rays.
Tonight’s Going To Be A Good Night
All in all, music festivals are meant to be fun! And they can be if you take the proper precautions. When you’re packing your bags, don’t forget wet wipes, hand sanitizer, bug spray, and extra tissues. These essentials will help you feel fresh all weekend. In terms of sports analogies, music festivals are a marathon, not a sprint. In other words: pace yourself. Determine which sets you cannot miss, and which ones you can live without seeing. Use that time to find some shade, rehydrate, and recharge.