There are a number of observations that indicate that light has a significant effect on our biological rhythms.  For example, people who get out into the sunshine for an hour or so every morning tend to fall asleep more quickly at night.

Some people experience significant winter depression, called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, with the onset of shorter days and greyer skies.  A variety of symptoms, such as weight gain, increased sleep, decreased interest in physical and sexual activities, have all been reported with the onset of winter.

When the brain detects a shorten day, it secrets the hormone melatonin for a longer time at night.  This hormone plays a role in regulating sleep.  In one study, scientists measured the amount of melatonin in blood samples for each season of the year.  They found no difference in the duration of melatonin release throughout the year for people without seasonal affective disorder.  In those with SAD, nightly melatonin secretion lasted on average thirty-eight minutes longer in winter than in summer.  Most of this increased winter melatonin activity occurred at the end of the night.  These results suggest that morning doses of bright light might encourage earlier release of melatonin secretions, without lengthening their duration.

So next time you feel gloomy in winter, try bright light early in the morning, or better yet take a cruise!

MOVING BEYOND MATTER
by William G. Hobbs

Consider what Dr. Humphreys has just said; that something as common as sunlight can cause in us an emotional response.  In most of a us, the presence sunshine produces happy feelings.  At the same time, dark clouds on a rainy, gloomy day can make us feel gloomy.  Similarly, eating food doesn’t just satisfy our hunger it can also make us feel better, it can give us pleasure.  And when we are hungry, we can become irritable, angry and irrational.

At least, sometimes when we are unhappy there is a basic physical need that's not being met.  Many times, though, it’s a guessing game.  Hunger may make us sad, but it doesn't always follow that sadness is indicative of hunger.

Problems arise when we try to satisfy our needs in the wrong way.  Our emotions are a little like a crying baby.  We don’t always know what the need is.  Is the baby hungry?  Is the baby hurt?  Does the baby need a clean diaper?  Does the baby just need to be held? These are all different needs, but the reaction of the baby is the same:  she cries.  So sometimes we eat food for pleasure to satisfy the hurt of a broken friendship.  Or we blame those around us for making us angry, when the real problem is having missed a meal that day.

To further complicate things we have a spiritual side that also needs to be satisfied. 

But where do we start? 

Perhaps we can use the lessons we learn from satisfying our physical needs as a map to fulfilling our spiritual needs.  Perhaps we are built to need sunlight, because we are created by a being of light.

With this in mind consider these words of Jesus who said, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  And, "I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."