Summer is nearly upon us, and with it comes the blistering Southern Californian heat. Many people, I’m sure, will take advantage of this time to show off some skin and bum around on the beach, which is just fine. Many others will probably just lie on their couches with the AC cranked up, which is fine, too. Whatever you plan to do under this ridiculous weather (seriously, it’s only May, and it’s already this hot?), it’s important to keep your health in mind if you want to get through the summer unscathed.

The most obvious form of protection is wearing sunscreen. Even though it’s the most obvious thing to apply on yourself when the sun’s out, many people forget unless they’re going to the beach.

If you’re planning on being in the sun for more than 15 minutes (Remember: driving also counts! The sun still shines on you through the window), remember to apply some sunscreen. Generally, SPF 30 is more than enough, though if you’re swimming or going to the beach you may want to up the strength a little. Sunscreen only takes a few minutes to apply, and it’ll help ward off harmful UV rays and, consequently, skin cancer.

Of course, there’s also one place you can’t practically apply sunscreen on, no matter how much you want to: your eyes. The solution is simple. Wear sunglasses.

Again, many times it’s simply a matter of forgetting, but be conscious of your eyes and you’ll have a win-win-win situation. Not only will you protect your eyes from UV rays and annoying sunlight/glare, you can also look cool (or chic, glamorous, badass or what have you) with a well-chosen pair of glasses.

For those of you who tend to choose the vegetating route (hence exempting you from having to protect yourself from UV), go outside! As uncomfortable as it is to have a sweaty shirt stick to your back, your body needs at least 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure a day to ensure you get enough Vitamin D and other natural goodies. Whether you’re taking a short walk or just sitting still, being in the sun will still do you good.

Although, to be honest, the amount of good the sun does you is nowhere near as beneficial as getting some exercise. Sure, it’s 100 degrees out and you have a nice big tub of ice cream and air conditioning in the comfort of your home – you’ll regret it 20 years later.

If it’s so hot that it’s unbearable, go for a swim. You reap the double benefit of cooling off and exercising your entire body. And then, after you swim your fair share of laps, reward yourself with some of that ice cream.

As vicious and sometimes unusually cruel as the heat may be, if you learn to live with it, you can make the most of these record-high temperatures