What is the best time of day to tan?

Today’s men and women are busy. As much as we would all love to be able to go out in the sun whenever we wanted, there is simply too much to do, and the time we can afford to lay out in the sun is limited. If you want to get a tan, then, it becomes important to try to be out in the sun during the times of day that are best for tanning your skin. Only by doing so will you get the dark tan you want without having to waist too much of your time.

Trading Danger for Tanning

The problem with looking for the “best time of day” is that the best time to tan can also be the most dangerous. Tanning requires intense UV rays. During certain times of day, these UV rays can be extremely intense, increasing your burning risk.

Between approximately 10am and 3pm, the sun is providing you with a high UV index, with a peak that is generally around 12 to 1. This high UV index means that if you are outside at this time, you will almost undoubtedly receive the amount of UV rays you need to get tan.

However, for most people with lighter skin, this time of day can have UV rays so intense that burning is almost expected. As a result, though you might be able to “tan faster” during these hours, you also are at serious risk for burning.

Evaluating the Best Time of Day

To avoid this burning risk, the best time of day is going to be sometime after 2, preferably after 2:30pm. Though burning is still a risk at this time, you will be able to get adequate UV rays, and over time the amount of UV rays are going to go down (rather than up) which should reduce your burning risk. It is also a good idea to add sunscreen as soon as you are done tanning to ensure that you do not continue to receive sun damage.

10 AM (In the beginning on peak UV hours) may be useful as well. However, because the UV rays are starting to pick up during this time as it gets closer to noon, it becomes harder to control whether or not you are burning. Going during the cooling off period will make it easier for you to manage your time.

An Ideal Time

If possible, it may also be a good idea to tan outside later for longer. Going tanning after 3pm will make it more difficult to get a tan, but you will be less likely to burn and be in more control over the time that you spent outside.

Because tanning is the result of sun damage, you need to experience UV rays in order to get tan. But the greater the UV rays are, the most likely you will suffer from burning. If you feel you need to go sun tanning, the best time to go is going to be near the end of the peak hours, so that the UV rays are slowly winding down by the time you finish.

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