[todaysdate]
By Kimberly Burnham
Lights are everywhere this time of year. This year Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday also known as The Festival of Lights started Dec. 16. Almost a month earlier, Hindus, Sikhs and Jainism practitioners celebrated Diwali, a religious festival also referred to as The Festival of Lights. Often celebrations of light are a commemoration of the victory of light over darkness, and more metaphorically the victory of knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. This year Diwali fell on Oct 23. A couple of weeks later on Nov. 6 people in Myanmar (formerly Burma) celebrated a Buddhist Festival of Lights: Tazaungdaing. And less than a week before Christmas lights are in full force comes the Winter solstice, Dec. 21, which is an astronomical phenomenon which marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year.
Light levels affect our brains, our mood, and our energy levels. The late fall is a time to celebrate the light that we have in our lives. Festivals of Light are a way to express gratitude and pay attention to the sunlight and metaphorical light—knowledge, happiness and love we have in our lives.
A 2014 journal article in Nature Reviews Neuroscience notes, “Light has profoundly influenced the evolution of life on earth. As widely appreciated, light enables us to generate images of our environment [and see the colorful world around us]. However, light – through intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells [nerve cells in the eyes] also influences behaviors that are essential for our health and quality of life but are independent of image formation. These include the synchronization of the circadian clock to the solar day, tracking of seasonal changes and the regulation of sleep. Irregular light environments lead to problems in circadian rhythms and sleep, which eventually cause mood and learning deficits. Recently, it was found that irregular light can also directly affect mood and learning without producing major disruptions in circadian rhythms and sleep.”
How are you celebrating the light in your life? Do you pay attention to your exposure to sunlight?
One exercise that can be helpful in supporting your eyes, body and mood comes from comes from California massage therapist and visual expert, Meir Schneider. The whole exercise is done with your eyes closed. First you face towards the sun, then turn towards the right side and cover your eyes (still closed) with your right hand. Next uncover the eyes and turn back towards the sunlight. Then repeat to the left side covering your eyes with your left hand. Repeat for several cycles. It is like pushups for the pupils the part of the eyes that lets or don’t let light into your eyes. When you are facing the sun, even with your eyes closed it is relatively bright and the pupils constrict. When you turn your head to the side and cover your eyes, it is relatively dark and your pupils dilate to let in more light. This exercise can help you adjust more quickly on sunny days and improve night vision.
Even on the shortest day and throughout the year celebrate the light that brings life and happiness.
Kim, sunlight is so important. Any tips for those who long for sunlight and struggle with these dark, winter days?
Things you can do to light up: 1) Use full spectrum or sunlight like lights during the day. 2) Avoid screens within a half an hour of planning to sleep, 3) Eye exercises that help you take in more of the light, 4) Color is light reflecting off of our world. Focus on the colors around you. Violet, Purple or Indigo is the color associated with the Third Eye or Brow Chakra which is thought to be connected to our intuitive sense and the way we take in physical and metaphorical light,
Thanks Kim, very helpful!