Image by Deedster from Pixabay

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

I wasn’t even a glimmer in my parents’ eyes yet in 1971 when John Denver teamed up to write this hit song, but still, a small part of me thinks it was written just for me.  The story of my days, an anthem for my life.  Because sunshine on my shoulders DOES make me happy!

And wasn’t it a fabulous week of summertime fun?

The sun. The heat. The afternoons at the beach. The crack of the bat as kids take the field for practice again. It’s like a tiny piece of my soul, stolen away by the Coronavirus, has been restored.  Which got me thinking… do these sunshine benefits live solely inside my head? Or are they an actual thing experienced by everyone?

According to the Tri-City Medical Center (www.tricitymed.org) there are FIVE main ways the sun impacts your mental and physical health.

  1. Increased Vitamin D.
    1. While often hard to find in food sources, 5-15 minutes in the sun a few times each week will boost your Vitamin D levels, which help reduce inflammation and modulates cell growth.
  2. Improved Mood.
    1. Sunlight increases serotonin levels in the brain, which is associated with improved mood. Thus, how I find my happy while sitting in the sun!
  3. Higher Quality Sleep.
    1. This is SO true! I have slept like a champ this week, and so has my gaggle of children.  All that fresh air and sunshine wipes us out, creating a blissful night of invigorating sleep for us all.
  4. Strong Bones.
    1. This one threw me for a loop. I would have never guessed the SUN can help your BONES!  Turns out, Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium which helps you have strong bones and teeth.
  5. Lower Blood Pressure
    1. Obviously, as you relax and enjoy an afternoon in the sun, your blood pressure will decrease as well. In actuality, the sun causes your body to release nitric oxide into the blood, creating a ripple effect to bring down blood pressure which improves your overall heart health.

Thus, all of the above are how I’ve found my happy this week.  Making it a ‘Feel Good Friday’ to really celebrate.

And what better place to enjoy the sun than at Clear Lake?  It’s going to be a fantastic weekend filled with sunshine and warmth, the perfect opportunity to get out on the water or visit one of our fantastic beaches.

With so many of our incredible restaurants opening for business, you can take yourself on a culinary tour of all your favorite spots.  Pop into one of our awesome stores for some retail therapy, coupled with the sunshine benefits, it is guaranteed to chase the COVID-19 blues away!

Make it a great weekend, folks.

See ya at the Lake!