Saved by the Light

As we all prepare to turn our clocks forward, it is a perfect time to starting thinking about all that we can gain from our extra hour of light. While the mornings will be darker for a while, this may be a perfect time to get started on a variety of after-work activities. Light tends to provide extra energy and motivation, so take advantage of this! While there are a lot of directions we could go with this, let’s look at just a few ways that you can use this time to help improve your overall health and start getting ready for the summer season.

The first things that could really make a difference in your overall well-being is getting into an exercise routine. In winter, it is always hard to stay on track, both with the holidays and the general dreariness of the weather (thought this year has not been too bad!). With the coming of spring, and summer only a few months away, it may be time to focus in and get focused on your exercise routine. Use that extra light to help keep you going after your workday has ended. Get to the gym, play a sport, go for a run or bike ride, or just walk around your neighborhood. Whatever movement you can fit in, go for it. There is no time like the present to start on a fitness program, and this extra sunlight is a perfect excuse to get started.

If this does not speak to you, let’s think about what else we can do to utilize this time. While exercise is important, we can also focus our attention on how we are nourishing ourselves. With the sun still out, you could come home from work, open the windows, and get going on preparing some meals. Cooking for yourself can make a huge difference in your overall health, but so often we default to what we can pick up on the way home. It’s funny how the sun being up later makes us feel that the day is not over. Use that time to get some cooking in and your body will thank you.

On a similar note, you could also spend your time working on growing your own food. There are many wonderful varieties of fruits and vegetables that come on during the summer and if you start now, you could have your own little garden ready to go in no time. You will, of course, have to work with the space you have, but even if you just grow one plant, the byproduct of your labor will truly be one of the healthiest foods you have ever eaten! There is nothing better than eating plants right off the vine, especially when it will be the most pure form of organic growing around.

One last option for using this time is to just get out in the sun. Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D and while supplementing can help, there is no substitute for old-fashioned sunlight. Most of the winter, we barely get out in the sun, and when we do, we are covered from head to toe. That means that we are at our lowest levels of Vitamin D coming out of winter and need to build back up our supply. Now, with the sun still out after work, just walk outside when you get home and soak in the rays. Go for a walk with your arms and legs showing, or just hang out in the yard for a while. Whatever you do, this is really the first opportunity of the year to consistently get in your sun exposure.

While these options are all beneficial, in the end it comes down to what your goals are and where your motivation is coming from. Whether you’re getting ready for beach season, or just want to increase your energy, these tips will serve you well. If you have other goals, your actions may be different. Either way, the point is that extra sunlight provides an opportunity, and if you are prepared, you will not let it get away. So remember to turn those clocks forward, and wake up Sunday ready to hit the ground sunning!