When is Rockford Going to Get Some Sunshine Again?!

I don't know about you, but we on the WROK Morning Show are in some serious need of sunshine. None of us suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but I believe we're starting to develop it. And, with weather reports saying we won't see any sunshine until at least Sunday of this week, it's coming on fast.

For those unfamiliar, Seasonal Affective Disorder is (according to the Mayo Clinic):

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications.

WebMD says that experts aren't sure what causes SAD. But they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your "biological clock," which controls your sleep-wake pattern and other circadian rhythms, and cause problems with serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood. If you have SAD, you may:

• Feel sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious.
• Lose interest in your usual activities.
• Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta.
• Gain weight.
• Sleep more but still feel tired.
• Have trouble concentrating.

If it's sunshine we're looking for, we've chosen poorly, geographically speaking. The problem is that Rockford has, on average, 191 days per year with either mostly or partly sunny skies. That's just not going to cut it. If you wanted to move to the sunniest city in America, you'd be heading for Yuma, Arizona. Yuma is blessed with 313 days of sunny or partly sunny skies.

Here are other sunshine spots in the U.S.:

If you're thinking about "light therapy," Good Housekeeping suggests looking into some of these lights:

Hopefully one of those will get you through to Sunday.