Darkness of night

However, the gloomy winter weather makes it difficult to receive adequate sun, which can impair your mood, sex life, and — you guessed it — sleep cycle. Though this rarely happens in Botswana.

Only half an hour in the summer sun helps your body manufacture more vitamin D than the daily required amount (though exact measurements depend on your skin tone). And all that D keeps your bones strong, promotes healthy immunological function, and aids in the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. After a month of reduced exposure to sunlight, we may experience hormone imbalances that can lead to feelings of depression. In the absence of sunlight, I traversed the now lonely sidewalk to my car in the parking lot. The angry winter God pelted my flushed face with freezing Arctic air as the night’s talons tightened around my torso.