Sunlight, Tanning, and Full Spectrum Lighting
Sunlight is known to improve mood, sleep patterns, and overall well being. If you can’t be half naked outside all day like our ancestors, then I highly recommend brief sessions of indoor tanning, especially in dark, cloudy, and cold times of year in conjunction with outdoor light exposure. I have personally found the rewards greatly outweigh the risks, just don’t burn yourself. Ask the tanning salon for recommended times, but I’ve found that just a few minutes once a week makes a huge difference in my life. I haven’t used full spectrum lighting, so I can’t speak to it. For information on full spectrum lighting and related products, go to fourhourbody.com. According to Terman et al, light therapy has been found to be effective in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (1989).