Sunshine, Vitamin D, and Happy Days

For the past two or three weeks we've had cloudy skies, cooler temperatures, and lots of rain, drizzle, and thunderstorms here on my country mile.   Like many people, I find the living a little less joyful when it's cloudy and dreary for long; I feel more like I'm labouriously plodding through knee-high mud than striding confidently on firm ground.  And then on Thursday the sun was back and has been ever since.  Now it's easier to smile, to be patient when things don't go my way, and to find the energy for things I need to do.

I did some research recently, after learning that a family member had developed a Vitamin D deficiency (due to an  undiagnosed chronic illness, not diet), and discovered that the sun is our best source of Vitamin D, a substance which is crucial, not only to our physical well being (strong bones and teeth), but to our mental health as well.  Our brains need Vitamin D to facilitate the production of those neurotransmitters (like serotonin or dopamine) that help us to regulate our moods and emotions.  No wonder my mood improved and my energy returned when the sun finally appeared.

 So, we could make sure we get twenty minutes of sun exposure directly on our skin each day ... or we could drink twelve large glasses of milk each day.  Not a tough choice, in my book.  I like milk but too much is ... well, too much.  And in the winter, when the sun just isn't strong enough here in the Northern Hemisphere, we can take Vitamin D tablets; about 100 mg daily would be just right.  Actually, if we're being proactive, we want to start taking our Vitamin D in September when we notice the days getting shorter and continue our daily dose until at least late May, if we're having a fairly sunny spring and we know that our daily routine allows us to get those twenty minutes of sunshine directly on our skin. 

I take my Vitamin D every day I'm not likely to get outdoors much, like long days at work, no matter what the season.  They help me get through the winter without becoming too blue or too unmotivated but they're not as good as the real thing, the best source of Vitamin D, the sun.

Many years ago, when I told a girlfriend how much I enjoyed sitting in the backyard and just soaking up a little sunshine, she said, "It's almost like therapy, isn't it?"  She had a point; the sun can be as good for us as anything else we might use to safeguard our mental and emotional health.  And, like everything else that is good for us, moderation is the key.  We all know the facts about skin cancer; combined with these new facts about avoiding depression and SAD, we want to choose judiciously how much time we spend in the sun.