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?

Autistic here. Love being in the sun. Sometimes I like a holiday doing stuff, sometimes I like to lie in the sun doing nothing but read or swim occasionally and recharge. Depends how knackered I am.

Yeah, I don’t understand the appeal of mountain biking or knitting jumpers or restoring old cars.

Fortunately, nobody is relying on my approval or understanding before they can crack on with enjoying whatever gives them pleasure in life.

Other people aren’t idiots for liking different things.

I love lying on a beach with warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. It’s such a lovely, gentle, natural experience. The warmth on your skin, the sound of the waves, the softness of the sand.. It’s just blissful.

I don’t like lying by a horrible, chemically pool with no breeze if it’s stinking hot.

There’s sunbathing and there’s sunbathing!

I don't see the appeal either; smother yourself in smelly gloop or get skin cancer?
I can laze around & do nothing at home for free.

People like different things. I love the feeling of having a swim (sea or pool) then laying in the sun to dry off, whilst reading a good book! I’d never just lay there as I’d get bored, always have a book on the go.

Also ASD but the OP said sunbathing and just lying in the sun which I would consider super dull.

But having a good book to read is completely different! That's a fun activity!

(I'd still rather be doing sports and in the water)

1. You get the chance to prematurely age and damage your skin
2. increase your chances of skin cancer
3. you get to baste yourself in sun cream
4. or get painful sunburn especially on parts of your body that rarely sees the sun
5. or get sunstroke
6. to be amongst a bunch of strangers around a poolside or beach wearing effectively your underwear
7. to close your eyes, relax and be oblivious to your 7 year old child failing to come up for air in the deep end.
8. get massive depressed thinking how everyone else's bodies look so much better than your own.
9. or get perved at by some creep on the other side of the pool
10. or have your partner being the creep perving at other people on the other side of the pool.

Honestly what's not to like about sunbathing OP?

I used to really love it, 10 malignant melanomas and numerous lymph node removals later I think what an eejit I was.

You remind me of the people on here who said they "have never understood the concept of Christmas pyjamas", or were "baffled by hot chocolate".

I am not sure what any of you are struggling with. It may be that the concepts truly are beyond your comprehension, in which case you just need to recognise that not all people like the same things, and don't struggle with the idea any further than that.

Why do you need to understand it? Just accept we all like different things. It's not that difficult.

I have a disability that means I feel the cold.

i fucking love sitting in the sun or lying on the sun or frankly doing anything in the sun because I’m in a lot less pain because it’s warm.

i am not vain.

I am fat, middle aged, and have a fuckload of scars.

It’s a typical MN - I’m so superior threads where someone pretends to ask a question but it’s a thinly disguised sneer at others who think see as shallow.

There’s a million and one things I’m not a fan of but hey if others love those things who am I to judge? Different strokes and all that - if no one is harmed what’s the problem?

And I love sunbathing. Laying on a sun-lounger smothered in Piz Buin AirPods in completely switched off from the world sidling up the warmth.

It's a sensory joy. Most of the time I'm too cold and am all tense and hunched up. In winter, you can find me under a heated throw, with a hot water bottle, sitting next to the radiator or in a sauna. In the summer I like to rest and feel the sun on my skin. Maybe I'll read a book or maybe I will just have time to think. I also love swimming, so being able to swim and then warm up in the sunshine and then cool down in the water is blissful.

I enjoy other stuff, too, but that sunshine and swimming combination is the best for when I'm tired and stressed.

I agree with you OP. I get too hot too quickly and have to move into the shade, and don’t tan anyway, so it’s pointless for me.

I think the difference between this and more niche things is that speaking as someone uninterested in lying on a sunbed all day, people can make you feel like a total freak about it. People just casually assume all the time that lying in the sun is everyone's idea of a holiday

I love lying on a sunbed with a good book. My kids are of an age where they love being in the pool all day and I’m reaping the benefits of the hundreds of pounds I’ve shelled out for swimming lessons over the years.

It may be dull to you, but for me and DH it’s a well deserved rest. We work full time in demanding jobs, the kids need ferrying to several clubs a week, the laundry and housework are never ending.

I have no idea either, OP, and I'm not ND (as far as I know). While certain areas of my body tan, others remain stubbornly white, and go lobster red and burn in the sun! Also, I'm too British to withstand heat over about 15 degrees, before whinging about how it is too hot 😁

Some people seem to like it, and find it a relaxing way to pass the time (or supervise family members in pools). Also, it's probably quite a novel way to pass the time, given that you can probably sit outside and attempt to sunbathe for approximately 10 days per year in the UK.

I don’t like it at all, I swim on holiday doing lengths but that’s after a day sightseeing somewhere. I’d love to enjoy it though and the ability to sit still and switch off! I do envy people that can

I like sunbathing, reading and cats 😁

I only like it if I’ve got a good book

My book melted today and the pages fell apart.

I like sitting on a sunbed but in the shade (because I burn terribly) with a book or listening to a podcast. I don’t have much downtime day to day so that’s my little relax. I say that, however, but usually, as soon as my bum hits the lounger, I usually hear “muuummm, can you just…..” followed by a request of some kind meaning I have to get up from said lounger and do something for someone 😂

I live a very, very busy life with lots of responsibility for the health of other family members. I love lying, feeling the warmth of the sun reach my bones, reading lots of books. Pure escape and relaxation. Bliss

I feel horrible if I spend much time out in the sun, but I do like sitting on a "sun" lounger in the shade reading a good book.

The rest of the family go off doing watersports and other things I find incomprehensible 😅 good thing we're all different...

I absolutely love it. Pure relaxation! At a beach though not the pool