What color Easter egg would represent your personality? Pink. MICHAEL CONSTANTINE What’s your favorite Easter candy? Anything dark chocolate or Reese’s. What was your favorite thing to find in your Easter basket as a kid? Back then, probably Beanie Babies or another stuffed animal.
If you’re feeling more mentally clear and optimistic this month than you have at previous times so far this year, the sun above you may have a lot to do with it. Scientists have long acknowledged the connection between natural light and positive mental health. However, studies have only recently uncovered the exact extent of this partnership’s impact on our overall well-being. Landmark research published in 2023 examined the effects of low light on 787 operating-room nurses in Shandong, China, who typically worked lengthy shifts in high-stress environments without regular access to natural light. The results showed an association between lower sunlight exposure and poorer self-reported mental health. Here are five other interesting facts and findings about sunlight exposure and our health: • Research shows that light therapy may provide benefits to individuals experiencing nonseasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). • A study of hospitalized patients with mental health disorders found that those who had stayed in a room with better sunlight generally experienced shorter hospital stays. • A study in Taiwan suggested that moderate levels of ultraviolet sun rays may have contributed to lower symptoms of depression. • Additional research suggests that rates of self-reported suicidal thoughts were lower in areas where residents experienced higher and longer sunlight exposure. • Sunlight positively affects our circadian rhythms, helping reduce fatigue during time changes. The final takeaway? If you’re feeling down, spend time in the sun. Depending on your particular medical circumstances, you may be surprised by how readily nature provides us with ways to heal our minds. Radiance and Resilience THE SUN’S MOTIVATING EFFECT ON MOOD
Michael with his brother on Easter 1991!
Do you have any Easter traditions with your family? My parents would send me from NJ to visit my grandmother down here in St. Pete Beach for spring break. Now that I live here, I get to call them all during our glorious weather while they are still in search of spring. If you got an Easter basket today, what would you hope was inside? Winning lottery tickets and bottles of wine. What color Easter egg would represent your personality? I like things that are calm and soothing, so pale green. BECKY JORDAN What’s your favorite Easter candy? favorite thing to find in your Easter basket as a kid? Reese’s peanut butter eggs. Do you have any Easter traditions with your family? Eating Reese’s peanut butter eggs. If you got an Easter basket today, what would you hope was inside? Reese’s peanut butter eggs. What color Easter egg would represent your personality? Brown, like Reese’s peanut butter eggs. Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs … need I say more? Reese’s peanut butter eggs (They have the highest peanut butter to chocolate ratio of all the Reese’s shapes!) What was your
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