What Makes Us Happy

This premise, that humanity has evolved for million of years to live in, thrive in, and enjoy a specific environment (notably the warm, sunny climate of sub-Saharan Africa), logically assumes that when people begin to replicate their instinctive behavior in things like diet (Mostly meat, nuts, and some vegetables) and lifestyle (Active and sun drenched), their happiness should rise as their genetic makeup begins to resonate with their lifestyle.

Read more.

Comments: Many of the articles discussing light and how you feel, come at the topic from the point of view of treating sadness or seasonal affective disorder. This article however is about how light is one of the elements that take us from regular living to happiness. Worth a read to get their insight into the conditions required for happiness.

Related articles

• 9 Things That Happy People Do Regularly (dangerouslee.biz)
• The Rules of Happiness (jenhall86.wordpress.com)

Related posts:

1. New Year Amaryllis – Happy And Alive!
2. How to: Have a Happier Winter
3. Unhappy Holidays and Seasonal Affective Disorder

How to: Have a Happier Winter

With the holidays over and Spring break months away, the winter may seem like a long unnecessary cycle of overcast skies and frigid temperatures.

A combination of shorter days, less sunlight, and cold temperatures may cause heightened feelings of depression and sadness during the winter months. However there are several things you can do to improve your mood and make the winter more bearable.

Get Some (fake) Sun: While there may seem to be a shortage of sunny days during Michigan winters, take advantage of them and get outdoors. Sunlight releases neurotransmitters in the brain that improve mood. Enjoy the benefits of sunlight even on overcast days by using full spectrum light bulbs, which have been shown to ‘mimic natural sunlight.’

Read more.

Comments: For those living in the Northern hemisphere we are starting to see the peak of published material on how to deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder. This article (from a secondary school paper) has a good down-to-earth list of solutions for those suffering from SAD this year.

Related articles

• What darkness does to our health (bbc.co.uk)
• Singing the Winter Blues (drklemmnd.com)
• I’ve Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day (brandievo.wordpress.com)

Related posts:

1. Seasonal Affective Disorder – a summer or winter condition?
2. Snippet: Make winter enjoyable by using all five senses
3. Health, Happiness and Sunlight Closely Linked

These rhythms are self-sustaining but set by external cues – the primary one being sunlight or the lack there-of.

The body rhythms our circadian clock set are numerous and include: when we are physically and mentally alert, along with our body temperature, blood pressure and various hormone secretions.

Source: Wikipedia

If you’ve ever wondered where your natural clock is set you can do this online quiz to get an idea of when you should be getting up and going to bed.

Related posts:

1. Jet Lag and Light
2. Why is circadian disruption relevant?
3. Circadian disruption and breast cancer.

But there is more to our relationship with sunlight than just a block of soap. We found this article that listed 28 reasons why hanging your laundry out in sunlight is a positive move. Three of the items on the list that we would like to highlight are:

• Save money, and in effect help the planet. Using a dryer costs money that could be spent in other positive ways in your household.

• Get some incidental physical exercise and a daily dose of Vitamin D. Both of these are long-term health giving activities. If you’re interested in what Vitamin D can do for you, you may want to read these blogs we’ve published previously.
• Disinfect your clothing without adding any harmful chemicals

So take a moment to celebrate something simple and natural that can save you money and give you a better quality of life – hang out your washing!

Related posts:

1. What is the relationship between sunlight and breast cancer?
2. Health, Happiness and Sunlight Closely Linked
3. To sunblock or not to sunblock?

But sometimes seeing these concepts in a visual manner at a global level, can present them in a different light.

We found this real-time illustration of the sun rising and falling around the world. It is a perfect graphic illustration of how the days are currently longer in the Northern Hemisphere (summer) and shorter in the Southern Hemisphere (winter).

Related posts:

1. Seasonal Affective Disorder – a summer or winter condition?

• Robert Scragg (associate professor at the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland) is pushing for more sun. His position is “go out in the sun, just don’t get sunburnt”.
• For its part, the Cancer Society says Scragg’s advocacy of 15 minutes at midday is “irresponsible”. Dermatologists, who deal with the effects of sun damage every day, are adamant that we can get all the vitamin D we need through incidental exposure.
• Dr Louise Reiche (represented the New Zealand Dermatological Society on the Cancer Society) says sunning yourself in winter, when vitamin D levels in the body drop, is pointless. “We get very low levels of UV in our winter, so even if you were brave enough to stand naked in the midday sun in the winter, you would not be able to generate vitamin D from the sun at all.”
• However, Richard McKenzie, principal scientist in atmospheric processes with Niwa, says this is in contention.

Given these viewpoints and the current state of research into the importance of sun protection, how do you plan to limit or extend your sun exposure this year?

ADDENDUM: Subsequent to posting this piece we were sent a copy of this video. It gives a comprehensive account of the current state of research into Vitamin D and health benefits associated with it. We highly recommend taking the time to watch it.

Related posts:

1. Sun helps to battle skin cancer?
2. Vitamin D and pain relief
3. The Sun. What it really does to you.

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

HEALTH

Beating the Winter Blues | Create Our World: Hitchhiking | Hoboing
Full spectrum light bulbs provide similar light as the Light Therapy lamp, yet you can put them in other lamps around your house. These are a cheaper alternative than the Light Therapy lamp and provide a similar experience. …

weight loss » Five natural ways to beat the winter blues
Increase exposure to light indoors by replacing light bulbs with full-spectrum light bulbs. Unlike standard office and home lights, full-spectrum lights contain a range of rays from ultraviolet to infrared, with rainbow colors of violet …

Stress: Why is it bad, and how can we minimize it?
If your sleep cycle has become irregular due to your consistently bad sleep habits, simply reset it by exposing yourself to bright, full spectrum light in the morning, and minimizing exposure to light within two hours of desired bed …

jumping for joy… « Nourishing Your Sober Self
Of course, another aid to what is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is what my kids call the happy light, or the official name is full-spectrum lighting. Sitting in front of this type of light helps with mood and energy levels …

Managing Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Weather Changes
Just yesterday I re-ordered the full specturm, replacement, fluorescent light bulb for it. The old one had lasted over 2 years of day in and day out use. Its full spectrum bulb provided a natural sun light quality to my room all that …

ART
Home Art Studios, How to Create an Artist, Friendly Work Space
Ideally you can have ample natural light in your home with northern exposure lighting. In case you do not have enough light available, you will have to buy full spectrum lighting in order to have ample light in your workspace. …

PHOTOGRAPHY
The Importance of Good Product Pictures
My quick & dirty picture set-up is a piece of white foam poster board, a piece of cardboard wrapped with white tissue paper, my full spectrum craft light, a miniature size tripod and various knick-knacks from around the house to pose my …

MISCELLANEOUS
Cold Snap: Oh, Snap!
I also rigged up a full-spectrum light alarm clock. It has been getting harder and harder to get up in the mornings since it is so dark, and this is my solution. It worked like a charm this morning even though the timing was a bit early …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 11)
2. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 6)
3. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 9)

HOME DECORATING
Lighting Windowless Rooms | Home Lighting Advice
Complement general lighting with accent lighting like table lamps and wall sconces, to avoid a cave-like atmosphere. Try full spectrum lighting, as it mimic the sun’s natural light. A little bit of maneuvering will turn any windowless ..

~ Home as Haven: The Guest Room | Graceful Balance
Good lighting enhances everything from the ambiance of a room to the function of it. A reading lamp by the bed is a nice touch as is a bright full spectrum light for when one is dressing. For those not comfortable in total darkness a …

Warming Up a Winter Room with Color
While fluorescent bulbs are extremely cost effective and energy efficient, they emit a cool colored light, which tends to drain a room’s energy. Full spectrum lights, which mimic the light of the sun, are an excellent choice for …

MISCELLANEOUS
Some Tips for staying awake during the ashes « The Sleep Geek
Having full spectrum light bulbs in the room where you are watching the cricket will help to keep you awake during play – they mimic the sun and your body will assume that it’s daytime and therefore feel more awake. …

HEALTH
101 Ways to be Happy | Travel Blog – Tripbase
28) Put full-spectrum lights in your home or office. If you live in a wintry climate that doesn’t get much sun, you can replicate the effect with light bulbs that mimic the sun’s rays. 29) Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that …

6 Great Health Tips For Computer Users! | Digital Corp | Computer …
But complaints of headaches, eye problems, electrical sensitivity and other health complaints in the workplace have all been eliminated when these fluorescent tubes are replaced with full spectrum lighting. This mimics the effect of …

One of the Most Common Causes of Insomnia | Donald P. Nebel Jr …
Using full spectrum lights in your home and office can help ameliorate the lack of high quality sunlight during the day, and paying attention to the amount of light you flood your home with in the evening is important as well. …

PLANT CARE
The Spontaneous Gardener: Good Gifts for Gardeners
Make sure you buy a full spectrum light bulb for your plants. I think you want a CFL bulb, but ask at the garden or hardware store first. Garden shears, watering cans, those plastic thingys you use to start plants indoors, peat pellets …

WORK BETTER
Full Spectrum Lighting Helps Relieve Stress in the Workplace …
Years of research has led to the understanding that people depend on full spectrum light, which is the full range of rays from ultraviolet to infrared, with rainbow colors violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red in between …

After Lunch Drowsiness-What Can You Do About It? | Health Reform
If you have the cool white fluorescent tubes lighting your space a better option is full spectrum fluorescent bulbs. These simulate the wavelength of sunlight and if you can get them, you should. Feeling awake and alert after lunch is …

Related posts:

1. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 8)
2. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 13)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 20)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

HEALTH
Healing Power of Light – What You Didn’t Know About Your Anatomy …
When indoors, do what you can to get full-spectrum lighting and avoid florescent lighting. In other words, you need to care about the quality of the light you’re getting. Master “normal abdominal breathing” – that’s the method devised …

About me: The “Winter Blues”
Because light exposure is such a critical element to this seasonal depression, changing light bulbs will also help lighten your mood. Simply changing your usual office light bulbs to full spectrum light bulbs will help. ..

Light & the Eyes | Donelle Clarke’s Blog
And, it also explains why decreased melatonin is found in those with insomnia ( and why full spectrum light is beneficial for healthy sleep). Serotonin: The Mood Elevator Conversely, serotonin, the brain hormone associated with mood …

Beat the Winter Blues | Grains and Greens
Although various things may be responsible for SAD,lack of exposure to full- spectrum natural light appears to be the most logical explanation. The antidepressant effect of the light therapy is probably due to restoring proper melatonin …

Don’t Let the Season Make You SAD! | Massage Envy San Diego
Other people benefit from light therapy, which simulates daylight. Special light boxes or panels might be recommended, while other people feel better just by using full-spectrum light bulbs in their lamps. …

‘Shrink Rap’ shares how to beat the winter blues
Purchase a “full spectrum light” to put on your desk at work, near the computer at home, anywhere you spend a lot of time indoors in fall and winter. …

PHOTOGRAPHY
Learn How to Take Good Pictures of People and Pets | Christian Little
Use natural light when possible. If using indoor lighting, opt for lamps with full spectrum bulbs. Low ceiling light usually creates pretty bad shadows. If you’re taking pictures that you think you may want to keep, always shoot in high …

REPTILE CARE
Lighting Your Green Iguana Cage
In that scenario, you need to make darn sure you have some powerful full- spectrum lighting inside the iguana cage. Fortunately, technology has come a long way in this regard. You’ll find a wide variety of reptile lights available these …

WORK BETTER
Olympia Timberland Library receives HVAC & lighting system …
“Full-spectrum lighting, which closely resembles outdoor light, was installed over the last two nights. It’s warm, bright and inviting In here! It’s also quieter as the new lights emit less white noise,” said Heywood. …

MISCELLANEOUS
On Writing & Publishing by Robin D. Owens: Light
My desk lamp, a light that uses a full spectrum bulb, has gone out. I have been writing more at night, but now, with the overhead ceiling light, this is just odd. As I say in my Survive To Write Seminars (How to hang in there until …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 17)
2. Full-spectrum Light (issue 27)
3. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 11)

Around the world different people are talking about how they use full-spectrum lighting in their day-to-day lives.  We feature some of the best here.

WORK BETTER
Lampara UVSetting Up Your Office For “Health”
By simply replacing your antiquated fluorescent tubes with full-spectrum tubes, you can instantly enhance your environment and your well-being! Full spectrum lighting emits a natural, balanced spectrum of light that is the closest you …

HEALTH
Five natural ways to beat the winter blues | Green Earth Awareness
Full-spectrum lights have a color temperature greater than 5000K and a CRI of over 90 — whether or not they’re labeled as “full-spectrum” depends on the manufacturer. Read all about full-spectrum lights and other green lighting options …

Treat Winter Blues With Feng Shui | Human Condition
·Full spectrum lighting for your indoor environment: Research has shown that native Alaskans suffer less from SAD than people in the lower 48 states – even though they have less light in winter – because they spend more time outdoors. …

Nighttime Light and Cancer | Personal Care Truth or Scare
Get enough sleep to wake fully refreshed; Increase your exposure to natural sunlight or use a full-spectrum light box. (Morning exposure is best); Decrease exposure to bright light at night (Use red or yellow light, which appear to …

“Lights, Camera, Action” 3 Keys To Busting The Winter Blues | real …
Use full-spectrum lighting in your home and your office. I often recommend that clients replace the fluorescent lights at work with full-spectrum bulbs whenever possible. I used to get migraines almost every year starting in early …

Effexor – Feeling Good-What Emotional Intelligence Is All About
However full-spectrum light used in the poultry industry causes chickens to live twice as long, be calmer and less aggressive, and produce eggs 25% lower in cholesterol. Apparently, even human cholesterol levels drop when people are …

HEALTH -EYECARE
Intense Humours: 5 Tips for Healthy Vision..
While dim lighting may not harm eyes, it can cause temporary eyestrain. When you do use artificial illumination, use full-spectrum light bulbs, which mimic natural light. 2.Keep your computer screen clean, at or below eye level, …

PLANT CARE
The 4 Vital Ingredients For Thriving Corals « Saltwater Aquarium …
Mimicking the tropical suns rays is a must for healthy photosynthesizing corals, having a regular 10-12 hour rhythm with a dawn and dust period (actinic light only) are ideal. Also using full spectrum bulbs with the right colour …

Adam Weekley » Caring for your household Bonsai Tree correctly is …
Household bonsai trees must have 2 to four hours of natural or artificial sun light. For bonsai, full spectrum flourescents could offer the essential light levels but the tree wants to be located in close proximity to the light. …

Home And Family » Seven Tips For Your Windowsill Herb Garden
If you still feel that the sunlight is inadequate, you can either use a fluorescent light or a full-spectrum grow light. Containers Herbs can be grown in plastic, clay or terracotta containers or even in herb wheels. …

Related posts:

1. Full-Spectrum Light (issue 12)
2. Full-spectrum lighting (issue 9)
3. Full-spectrum Light (issue 14)