Loving the Sunshine

I live in the high desert, at an elevation of about 5,300 feet, in America's southwest.

I love the low humidity, the clean air and the amazing blue sky. I love the views of the mountains, and the stunning sunrises. And I really love the 300 days of sunshine we get every year.

But I wouldn't want to live here without the convenience of air conditioning, and I can't imagine how difficult life must have been for those who inhabited this area way back when. It's hot. It's dry. It's beautiful. It's a high elevation desert.

I so appreciate living in a cool house. But there is something wonderful about walking out of the cool and into the heat and sunshine. The sun on my bare arms and legs fills me with a feeling of not just warmth, but with a sense of well-being. 

There is an actual physiological reason for this feeling of well-being. Exposure to sunlight is believed to increase the brain’s release of the  hormone serotonin, which is associated with boosting mood and creating a sense of calm. Light therapy, or exposure to artificial sunlight, is sometimes used to combat depression in people who live in areas with shorter periods of sunshine (such as in the far north).

I remember many years ago, when I was a college student, lying outside on a beach towel, soaking up the sun. I used baby oil and dark tanning lotion to give myself a "dark, tropical tan." And I do get quite tan, despite my (formerly) blonde hair and blue eyes. I got burned a few times, but not as often as I would have expected. These days, if I will be outside for more than a few minutes, I put on sunscreen. I wear a wide-brimmed hat. I am not without sunglasses when I'm outdoors. I had one small pre-cancerous spot removed from my right hand. As wonderful as the sunshine is, it also carries serious dangers.

In addition to the feeling of warmth from the sun, I also must have sunlight in order to be happy. One of the reasons I love my current house is all the light it allows inside. There are lots of large windows, and five skylights. Every car I buy must have a sun roof. If it doesn't already have one, I pay to have one installed.

Grey, cloudy days make me depressed. The occasional rainy day provides a nice break from the brilliant sunshine, and I do enjoy that change in the weather. Rain is always welcome. But there is no way I could live in Seattle, Portland or Chicago (where I grew up) with their long stretches of dreary weather.

Sometime the best antidepressants aren't medications, but Mother Nature, being outdoors, and lots of sunshine.