Chasing the Sun Quotes

“Today, two thirds of Europeans and 80 percent of Americans are unable to see the Milky Way from their homes.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“Winter is viewed as a gloomy inconvenience and, rather than getting outside to reap what little daylight there is, we switch the lights on and crank up the central heating instead. This may be detrimental to our mental health: exposure to bright light, particularly during the early morning, is a tried and tested way of combating the winter blues. Similarly, many of us keep the lights and heating on long after the sun has set and spend these already brightened evenings in front of electronic gadgets, which produce yet more light. This may undermine our ability to get a decent night's sleep.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“Endorphin release could be another means by which sun exposure reduces the risk of heart disease: by promoting feelings of relaxation, it may combat the negative effects of stress on the heart. Endorphins also activate the reward system, a pathway in the brain that triggers feelings of pleasure in response to specific stimuli -- in this case sun exposure -- encouraging us to seek them out again. Some regular sunbed users even exhibit physical withdrawal symptoms, similar to those associated with coming off heroin, if they stop tanning.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“In the 140 years since Edison's invention, electric lighting has spread far and wide, transforming the way we live our lives. And it continues to grow every brighter: a recent study of satellite images revealed that the earth's artificially lit outdoor area is currently increasing by more than 2 percent a year.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“Being out in the sun, we are starting to understand, can lower blood pressure, calm our immune system and even alter our mood. Even without such knowledge, most of us are instinctively drawn to sunlight because sitting in it just feels so great, and there may be a reason for that: when the sunlight hits our skin, our bodies release endorphins, the same 'feel good' hormones that produce a runner's high.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“The body is a very different place during the day compared with the night: the kidneys are less active at night, which means that we produce less urine and need to pee less; core body temperature is lower, as are our reaction speeds; and our immune systems respond differently to invaders. Then, as the sun comes up, and day begins, blood pressure and body temperature rise; hunger hormones kick in; and our brains and muscles shift into a higher gear.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: the New Science of Sunlight and How It Shapes Our Bodies and Minds

“When overweight and obese women were put on a weight-loss diet for three months, those who consumed most of their calories at breakfast lost two and a half times more weight than those who had a light breakfast and ate most of their calories at dinner -- even though they consume the same number of calories overall.”
― Linda Geddes, Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds