In between the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays staying healthy both physically and mentally can prove to be quite the challenge. With the drop in temperature and early onset darkness that seems to come earlier and earlier each year, it's important to find ways to get your daily dose of Vitamin D, fend off seasonal depression, and incorporate the great outdoors — even if you are stuck inside sometimes. 

Here are some ways natural light from a skylight can help!

Vitamin D

 It seems like lately, Vitamin D is everywhere. In the news, on TV, even your neighbor across the street has something to say about Vitamin D's health benefits. Are they true or is the good old neighbor on about something else again? 

According to a Harvard study, Vitamin D is known to help the body retain and absorb calcium phosphorous. If you are a civilian who was asleep most of the time in high school biology like me, you may not know that the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body helps to build stronger bones, reduce the growth of cancer cells, help control infections and reduce inflammation. All of these are key aspects of staying healthy. 

Circadian Rhythm

Your Circadian Rhythm is that trendy health term your son-in-law has been raving about and for a good reason. It is your internal clock that controls the natural cycle of physical and mental changes throughout the day. Your Circadian clock is dictated by light and darkness, daytime and nighttime It's what naturally tells your body when to sleep, eat and wake up. 

An infusion of natural light into your home during the cold months helps to regulate your Circadian Rhythm. In other words: natural light helps to create a healthy sleep cycle which is imperative for optimal overall health. Go ahead, and read that one more time.

Serotonin 

How did we get here? Reading about serotonin on a Tuesday morning while the kids are probably drawing on the walls as we speak. No worries, I think the same thing: wanted to be a firefighter when I was little and now I'm writing about serotonin. That's showbiz, baby! Serotonin is the chemical that is associated with giving you more energy, helping you stay calmer (kids are drawing on the wall as we speak), positive, and focused. And, as you may have guessed: natural light and sunlight from a skylight facilitate the production of serotonin to help you stay positive, happy, and healthy in between the holidays.