Quite thought full: Basking in winter sunshine

As he drove through the streets of Washington,  D.C., one morning with the convertible top down, windows up and music blaring, someone yelled to the driver, "you sure know how to embrace a sunny morning."

This took place in the middle of February. D.C. is south of Pittsburgh, but it is still quite cold. Hence, with the top down, my dad (the young-at-heart driver) was in his leather bomber's hat, ear flaps down, gloves on, with the heat blasting.

I have heard some people complaining about the lack of snow this winter. The skiers and snowboarders, tubers and snowman builders of the North East blame global warming for their lack of an early 2012 winter wonderland. Some are displeased by the fact that, when they step outside, they are not hit with lovely snow drifts but lovely sunshine. The only consolation for these cold-blooded individuals was Punxsutawney Phil's prediction earlier this month.

Others have enjoyed the sunshine and even wish for an early spring. These people tend to relish the blistering hot summer days and resolve to live somewhere tropical in the future. The bright days of the past few weeks have not been lost on this crowd.

I fall somewhere in between these groups.  Part of me is dying to play out in the snow when we finally get enough of it. I wouldn't mind another snowpocalypse.  But I also love the sunshine, just like my dad.

There is something about a bright and sunny day that simply makes you smile. Maybe I'm too much of a hippy at heart, but when the sun is out and shining, when there is a blue sky and the temperature is above freezing, all I want to do is grab a bench and soak it in, probably with a good book in tow.

Sunshine in the winter is a treat not only for the hippies at heart, but also for scientific reasons. A bright sun makes people happy, medically speaking. According to medical professionals and sciencelearn.org, "Research suggests that sunlight stimulates the pineal gland in the brain to produce certain chemicals called ‘tryptamines'. These chemicals improve our mood."

Not only does the sun improve our moods, but it also triggers Vitamin D production and helps some skin conditions. There is even Seasonal Affective Disorder, a psychological condition which can be caused by not getting enough sunlight in the winter time. The disorder often involves depression, an increase in weight, an increase in fatigue and the feeling of needing to be alone.

Now that you know why you are having feelings of hibernation this winter, stop complaining about the cold and get out in the sunshine.

Sunshine in a Pittsburgh winter is rare. Enjoy it while it's here before the snow clouds start rolling in. Put the top down and blast the heat, or just take a walk to the nearest bench and bask in the winter rays.