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Healthy Spring Breaks Respect Dangers Of Alcohol, Exposure, And Poor Sanitation

by T.O. Lawrence
02/29/2008

Spring Break is here, and with so many students traveling out of the Athens area to live it up in the Sunshine State, the University Health Center is advising students to keep safe and play it smart with a few quick tips on keeping healthy.

“There are many things to keep in mind when vacationing out of town,” said Health Center public relations coordinator Liz Rachun, “The three primary ones being drinking, sanitation, and overexposure.”

Alcohol has been a hot-button issue for many years with the Spring Break crowd whose annual congregation involves the health issue trifecta: alcohol, sun, and sanitation.

But having fun and staying safe is easier than many may think and doesn’t involve the sobriety some fear. According to Athens-Clarke County Health Department nurse manager Marcia Massengill, this means as little as limiting drinks to one per hour with no more than three per sitting. Any more than this can lead to dehydration, hangovers, and, in extreme cases, alcohol poisoning.

With the risk of dehydration already in the works and the Florida sun beating down, its no wonder overexposure is another of the Health Center’s concerns.

Overexposure is caused by long periods spent outdoors without the proper protection against heat and UV rays. This can lead to health complications such as skin cancer, eye damage and heat exhaustion.

Some means of prevention include wearing sunglasses, hats and avoiding long periods in the sun. For many, this might mean less tanning on the beach or time in the stands, but Rachun stresses that moderation is key when maintaining good health.

“It can mean as little as wearing a baseball cap, using sunscreen or even just spending time in the shade at half-time,” said Rachun. “But its easy to forget even simple precautions when you’re having fun.”

A sunscreen of SPF 30 or better can also help to prevent burning while drinking plenty of water helps for dehydration and heat exhaustion. Avoid soda and alcohol if possible and whenever able, students should try to find shade when spending long periods out of doors.

Unlike overexposure, sanitation is an important vacation issue whether inside or out especially when visiting new places. From the airport to the stadium and back inside the hotel room, germs that cause colds, influenza and other illnesses are everywhere and tend to prey on foreign hosts with unprepared immune systems (like Georgians visiting Florida).

Rachun recommends students try to wash their hands frequently especially when in public places or to keep a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer with them just in case. Ample water and C vitamins can also help to protect students from contagion along with maintaining regular sleep hours.

“Just because you’re going on vacation doesn’t mean you should quit paying attention to your health,” warns Rachun, “Students tend to think that a lot, and really, the opposite is true.”

So be careful, this fall break, drink plenty of fluids, dress wisely and get plenty of rest to ensure a happy and healthy vacation.