I have read a number of posts in the blogosphere that hint at the seasonal changes in our lives that happen in the late fall. For those of us north of the equator, it’s colder this time of year, there is less light, and our moods often seem depressed. I know that several years ago, when I left on my commute at 5:20 a.m. and returned hom3 around 6:30 p.m., I could scarcely function this time of year, and it wasn’t just the commute (though that was part of it). At least part of the problem at this time of year was that I spent most of the day inside and not in natural light.

So if you are having seasonal issues with your mood, as a remedy*, I suggest trying to spend at least 20 minutes (an hour is much better) outside each day, hopefully in the sun. For those of us with office jobs, that might mean:

Being in the light is a mood elevator, and you will gradually start to feel better. Being outside gives you an opportunity to find a source of wildness in your workday (and there is plenty of wildness in cities), a sense that there is life and death apart from what goes on between cube walls under fluorescent lights.

While we experience our indoor-ness most acutely this time of year, it’s not just an issue for adults in the workplace.

It’s important for kids to be outside, not just in carefully manicured parks, but in places that change with the seasons and that have real critters. In fact, if I wear my science teacher hat for a moment, much educational research suggests that playing outside is important for brain development. It provides multiple opportunities for stimulation, and we need stimulation in order to wire our brains.

While I was thinking about the importance of being outside for brain development, GhostGirl came across an article, which she calls “quite possibly the saddest article I’ve read in a while“ about the same phenomenon: limiting outdoor time for children to time in driveways behind a chalk line.

We know that safety is important. Go outside by yourself. Go outside with your kids. Carry a cell phone if that makes you feel safer. But go outside beyond the chalk line in the driveway.

*And if you feel depressed for a period of more than a week or two, seek professional help, even if it occurs indoors.