How much daylight Richmond is losing as fall begins
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The days are getting shorter.
Why it matters: That means less sunlight, more seasonal depression and basically the start of the worst part of the year.
The big picture: From the start of summer (June 20) to the official beginning of fall (Sept. 22), Richmond is projected to lose two hours and 36 minutes of daylight, per NOAA's Solar Calculator.
- That's longer than the first "Avengers" movie and "Pulp Fiction" but shorter than "Avatar."
Yes, but: At least we don't live in the north.
- Seattle and Portland, Oregon are saying goodbye to nearly four hours of sun they had this summer while D.C. and Denver are losing close to three.
- The downside is we don't live further south in Miami or Houston, Texas, which lose less than two hours of sunlight because they're closer to the equator.
Between the lines: While Richmond hasn't had a sunset past 8pm in weeks, it also won't face the dreaded 5pm sunsets until November when the clocks go back an hour.
- And earlier this year, Forbes wrote that Virginia is the sixth best state for avoiding the winter blues between January and March.
Zoom in: The reduction in light exposure can affect mood, sleep and day-to-day function and is tied to seasonal depression.
Tips that experts told Axios' Carly Mallenbaum can help:
😴 Waking up and going to bed at the same time, even on weekends.
🌳 Taking walks in a park like Byrd, Jefferson, Chimborazo, Forest Hill or Bryan.
🪴 Getting some houseplants, like at PlantHouse in Scott's Addition, to boost your mood.
💡 Buying a light box to increase exposure to bright lights.
Sabrina's thought bubble: My best tip that unfortunately works is making it a daily goal to catch the sunrise and sunset and take a picture each time to put in a folder on your phone.
- It'll give you something beautiful to look forward to each day and if you forget, there are pictures to hold you over until the next one.