Shining Out The Winter Blues?

Winter arrived in Edmonton this weekend! I moved here one year ago (from Montreal) and I must say I found the bitter cold last year very difficult! My overall energy level was really low and I think part of it was due to lack of sunlight. A friend of mine told me about these "Litebook" lamps that help compensate for our limited exposure to sunlight during the winter. I've never tried one yet, but maybe I should invest in one this year. Has anyone tried it? Would you recommend it?

Anyway, today I was studying at the library like I usually do on Tuesday afternoons. I was facing the window and the sun was radiating on my face. I enjoyed this very much, it was warm and soothing, and I wondered if I could get any benefits at all from this sunlight, even though it was filtered through glass.

I had my doubts, but a quick google search surprised me! It turns out that glass blocks the shorter-wave UVB rays while allowing most of the longer UVA rays to pass through. So...I was receiving the more damaging rays without the normal protective benefit of vitamin D production from direct sunlight (that serves to counteract skin damage and inflammation)

Here is more information on this topic.