"You are a precious flower. Or a delicate bud perhaps? No, no, rather, you are like a beautiful as yet undeveloped photograph, that will perish without light. Why all those endless hours wasted in the preternatural gloom of your sordid little place of work? Stroll, or sit outside for a couple of hours today and enjoy the sun's golden rays. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a clinically diagnosed condition in which the lack of sunlight in winter literally makes people ill. It affects millions of people around the world, though proportionately more the farther you get from the equator of course. In the more remote parts of Scandinavia, it has been known to con tribute to higher suicide rates, SAD;s effects can be explained with reference to the importance of sunlight on cellular functioning. As light enters the eye, it hits the retina and filters through to the pineal gland. The pineal glad in turn produces melatonin, a neurotransmitter that affects the hypothalamus gland. The hypothalamus gland controls a whole range of vital functions, including mood, hormones, appetite, libido and metabolism. Beyond this, sunlight is also crucial as an indirect provider of Vitamin D. The sun's ultraviolet rays set off its production, itself necessary for the absorption of calcium in the bones and teeth. Indeed, vitamin D deficiency among those who spend too much time indoors can lead to brittle bones and fractures."
I got my good fair share of time in the sun today. Luckily, it never got too hot out so it was actually pretty enjoyable. I've always liked spending time outdoors, but lately I'm either been too tired or too lazy to go out and do anything fun. Maybe I'll start making more time for things like that.
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