Dear Just Be: We moved to Colorado last month and heard that we really need to protect ourselves here from the sun. Is this true?

Protecting yourself from the sun at any elevation is important, but when you are a mile above sea level it is especially important to protect yourself from the sun. In Colorado you don’t have to be outside for too long to get a serious burn if you aren’t protecting yourself. There are three things you should do in Colorado to be sun safe.

First, check the UV Index. The UV index predicts exposure levels and indicates the degree of caution you should take when outdoors. The index is on a scale from 1 to 11+. Values that are two or lower indicate a lower level of risk. Anything at three and above requires sun protection to be used. Get in the habit of checking the UV index regularly – even in the winter. Just because there is cloud coverage doesn’t mean there aren’t any UV rays. About 70 to 80 percent of the sun’s damaging rays can penetrate through cloudy haze and water. Bookmark SunWise, and before you head out the door look to see what the UV index is for your area that day.

Second, when you have outdoor activities scheduled, seriously think about when they take place. In Colorado the sun is at its highest point and exposure levels between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. It is best to plan your activities, and more importantly your children’s activities, in the early morning hours or early evening hours. The exposure to the sun is not as great during these times of day and your risk level is greatly decreased.

Third and finally, if you must go outdoors between the time period of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., be sure to cover up and stay under shade. Covering up means wearing hats, sunglasses, long sleeve shirts, pants, and don’t forget sunscreen. Many will think that in the summer months’ covering up in long sleeve shirts and pants is crazy; however, fabrics with a tight knit block more ultraviolet light. What’s more, darker colors absorb ultraviolet light better and provide more protection for your skin. With all that said, to avoid getting over heated consider light fabrics that have a high UPF and that let air flow across the skin. Manufacturers now are making some clothing with what is called a UPF number. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. If you find clothes marked as sun protective the clothing usually has a UPF between 15 and 50+.

Covering your head and face is just as important as covering the rest of your body. A hat with a wide brim (at least 3 to 4 inches wide) and that goes all the way around offers the best protection for the face, nose, head, ears, and neck. A wide-brimmed hat provides roughly 50 percent protection from direct UV exposure. Baseball caps work, but don’t cover the ears, neck and some of the face, however if that is all you have, some protection is better than no protection.

In regards to your eyes, overexposure to the sun can cause short-and long-term damage. It is important that you, and all members of your family were sunglasses – even children. Sunglasses don't have to be expensive to protect your eyes. You can find inexpensive sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection at Target, Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, Macy’s, JC Penny, etc.

Lastly, always apply sunscreen. Sunscreen should be used in addition to wearing protective clothing. When going outdoors and performing activities, apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out. Applying sunscreen a head of time allows for the chemicals to be absorbed into the skin. You should even put on sunscreen when just riding in the car. The UV rays can penetrate your cars windows. An easy way to make sure you get sunscreen on in the morning is to get facial and body lotion with at least an SPF 15 already in the lotion.

For more information on how to be safe in the sun in Colorado visit Safe Sun Colorado