Surprising health benefits of natural light exposure

If you think life always feels just a little bit easier in the spring and summer, you’re onto something.

Natural light from the sun offers a range of physical, mental and behavioral benefits — which is why having even just an extra hour each day to soak it up may feel so monumental. Even on overcast days, the intensity of daylight — which hovers between 10,000 and 100,000 lux — is far greater than that of the artificial lighting in your home, school or office, which ranges from 100 to 500 lux.