Hello, Darkness My Old Friend

The US is back on Standard Time and the sun sets early in the evening. Maybe I'll shift my bedtime by an hour so I don't miss the earlier hours of the daily allocation of natural lighting. Today's allotment is just 10 hours, 27 minutes of sunshine in SWMO and that will continue to decrease until the winter solstice.

People don't usually celebrate darkness. I don't know of any night owls that are happy at the extra minutes and hours of darkness that the season brings. For the most part, even the fall lovers will be bitching about the early sunset tonight and every night until spring. Well light a fire and pour a cup of pumpkin spiced whatever! This is what you love, right?

Maybe I'll shift my exercise time to the evening hours. I can walk in the sun during the day, but cycling or weight-machine stuff can wait until the early evening. Exercise is supposed to be a mood enhancer, so maybe that will hold off on the winter depression (SAD).

I'm working on enclosing the screened in deck so that I can use it throughout the winter. I'm a little concerned that it might become a mini-greenhouse, so I'm going to make removable panels for the sunnier days (and to vent the cigar smoke!). On the other hand, shorts and t-shirt in the greenhouse doesn't sound like a bad way to spend the winter. I'll work on making the most of whatever sunshine I can get.

If you are a Northern Hemisphere reader, how do you deal with the longer seasonal nights? What are your hacks for maintaining a healthy mood throughout the winter months?

John