I don’t understand the appeal of sunbathing?

[Labubus]

I have autism, which may be why!

Can someone who enjoys sunbathing/ lying next to a pool explain the appeal of it to me? I find it boring, vain, and a waste of time! I’d much rather be in the pool having fun or exploring the local area!

However, I’m clearly in the minority for my demographic here! Most other middle aged British women seem to love it! They pay thousands for it! Why?

I bloody love it. Feeling the heat on your body and being totally relaxed. I love getting tanned and love people watching round a pool. I love getting stuck in to a good book whilst sun bathing too.

Oh I agree with you OP.
But I'm autistic too!

Vain?

Because they enjoy it, why is it that difficult to work out?
I dont have the desire for extreme sports but I understand that others do. 🤷‍♀️

I am also ND but I love it. It’s a sensory pleasure.

However, I absolutely hate getting wet and there is no way I would tolerate getting into a swimming pool. I can’t even stand a bath.

We are all different 😊

I dont like sunbathing
I dont like dogs
I dont like walking

I like sushi
I like cats
I like reading

We are all different, thats all there is to it

How can it be vain?

I hate sitting in the sun, but love a lounge on a sunbed in the shade. I read, or just think, and find it very relaxing. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t like to explore too - it’s not an either/ or thing here… 😕

I love it. Im counting down the days to my holiday
i can fully relax, read a book and switch off. I also check out the local area and go in the pool. One doesn’t cancel out the other, once you’ve been in the pool what do you do?
I don’t see how it’s vain though?

Vain in the sense that it is physically performative. I know people who get waxed, spend hundreds on bikinis, fake tan, wear a face full of make up etc. in order to sunbathe?

I think it’s madness. The only thing worse is tanning salon sunbeds. It is crazy in this day and age that people are going out of their way to get skin damage and increase their chance of skin cancer. I can now see it in my 50s as friends who sunbathed loads in their 20s are now seeing the effects. Crozzled skin over the chest area and facial skin damage that cosmetic procedures can’t fix. Never mind the skin cancer risk.

I am obviously in a minority but sitting relaxing in the sun with a hat on is one thing, stretching yourself out trying to get a tan is crazy from a medical perspective.

Well I guess that’s up to them if they want to do that. But not sure how you equate that to ‘most middle aged British women.’ That just makes you sound misogynistic.

I am not bothered in the slightest about getting a tan, but I love sitting around a pool under a brolly, in the sunshine, reading a good book. My DH is bored silly by that and just wants to go in the pool or go for a walk

Horses for courses really

Same, never enjoyed it - I used to get teased for 'sunbathing' in the shade. By which I mean other people were sunbathing and I was merely sitting in the shade.

I'm not a sun worshipper AT ALL. God bless the Scottish climate.

I love it. As long as my face is in the shade and it isn’t too hot. Time to snooze, day dream, make plan, listen to music and read all with the warm sun on your body. I really struggle with the lack of sun light over winter. I’m trying to decide if we can hustify going on holiday in Feb half term.

Never enjoyed it.
However, I don't judge people who do, finding it neither vain nor performative, especially amongst middle aged women.
I'm also Autistic.
We all enjoy different things. It's not that deep.

I don't do it to get a tan per se, but the glorious feeling of heat on my skin and my bones heating up, I love.

I don't do it in this country only abroad next to a pool (we stay in a villa so our own pool always).

Nothing beats a lovely lunch, lots of Rose and then a whole afternoon of reading, sleeping, cooling off and repeating. This year it was Tuscany. I read many books.

I've never 'had fun' in a pool. I've supervised children in a pool, cooled off in a pool and swam lengths. But none of those I would class as fun!

I like it but I also like to break up the time by being in the pool. I prefer being in the water but do like a little lounge round the pool with a good book and a nice drink.

I was amazed when we went on holiday this year how many people get on the sun lounger at 9am and literally don't move until 6 pm. And this was every single day of their holiday. They didn't even get in the pool. Seemed way too much for my taste

The things you mention aren’t done because they’re on holiday. I’d be willing to bet those that get waxed etc do so on a regular basis not just for holidays. Again it’s just their personal preference.
The world would be a very boring place if everyone liked the same things.

I hate sitting in the sun but do enjoy being out in the warm weather in a shady spot and relaxing.

I don't think sunbathing is vain though, quite the opposite, it ages you quickly so it's us lot in the shade who are vain.

I used to love cooking myself to a dark shade of mahogany when I was younger and more able to cope with high temps. Now I get hot even looking at the weather forecast on the telly if there is hot weather due 😊. I just won't do the torture of literally frying in heat that sends rivers of sweat all over my body now. But having said that, I do like warm climates, but I'm like a mushroom, shade bathing is my thing now, not sunbathing!

Sometimes I sunbathe. Sometimes I do not.
I must be neuro AB,CDE and F

I enjoy having a lay down in the sunshine to get a bit of warmth, vitamin C and to have a snooze.
I don't wear a bikini, shave, wax or any of that.
I'm more likely to be shorts and a t-shirt or vest.

I love to lie on a sunbed with a good book on my kindle & could spend the whole day there.

DH is different. He likes to be 'doing' - he gets tetchy after 30-40 minutes, will go for a swim & then start pestering me. Do you want a drink? - no I have my water thank you, would I like a swim? no thank you I'm fine here. What time would I like to go for lunch? It's 10:30, not for another 2 hours. What am I reading that's so interesting? the same book as I was reading when you asked me 30 minutes ago. Aren't I hot? no. Would I like him to rub some sunscreen in? yes thank you, if you can do my back please. Thank you.

Do you want a drink? - repeat cycle ....😎😂

I’d never in a million years lie in the sun, but lying out in the shade with a book and a cocktail, with frequent dips to cool off or swim in the sea, is the most relaxing thing on earth.

Our children are grown, and whilst they do still come on a summer holiday with us, we’ve started having an extra 2 week ‘drop and flop’ in an extremely nice Caribbean hotel, for just the 2 of us every February. We do sod all and it’s complete unadulterated heaven.

I don’t ever sunbathe, I catch the sun being out and about. I have olive skin that tans easily. When I lived in Oz I’d avoid the sun, but being out and about I’d catch it quickly and tan easily. If I’m on a holiday that has sun beds I’m in the shade.