Following the Sunlight: Heliotropism!

I knew there was an explanation. It has been well remarked through the years when people come visit to our house, and the furniture has been re-arranged. I'd laugh it off, knowing full well it was something to do with my mental well-being, and some need within to keep things fresh or stop me from getting bored with my surroundings. Hubby will tut, remark at the impracticalities, I'll head for a shower, and return to the furniture back to its original position.

But aside from wielding off boredom. I have concluded that this ritual of furniture moving is also to do with light. If I had to work at a desk or a table, I automatically push it to the nearest window. I've shoved chairs into bay windows, and whole couches too, just so we could have the sheer luxury of basking in the precious little dribbles of sunshine we get in Ireland. There is nothing more comforting than lying in the sunny spot of a room.

I have noticed as the years have passed I've become quite particular and more atune to the types of light and bulbs we use, and I think it's because since having our children I have become hugely more intuitive to my moods and emotions. I've had to! I am now ridiculously sensitive to such things, as the tone of a bulb, which can have a significant impact on me. I need light... I crave light. My humour depends on it. Genuinely.

Preferably daylight/ sunlight, but this is not always possible on this latitude of the globe. I like the dark, when it's conducive to pretty stars, the moon and sleep, but during the day when I need energy to function as a person, I need light.

If it's after 7 or 8 o’clock, the daylight becomes less important to me. It's an unofficial sign for me to wind down, and I flick the ceiling lights off. I don’t need the same energy to function at this time… assuming I have all my work done! There could still be chinks of that half-light in the evening, that in between, or twilight, but I'm surrounded by warmly lit bulbs coming from numerous lamps in every nook of our house, a candle possibly lit and the tone of our house is set to wind down mode. Doesn't always work for the kids! But for me, it has become somewhat of a subconscious ritual, which I am only recognising as part of this bigger picture in my world these days.

I decided to look into this. The first term I came across is Heliotropism which is the 'seasonal motion of plant parts (flowers and leaves) in response to the direction of the sun'. 'That's me!!!’ was my initial thought, until I remembered I'm not a plant! No... This would need further investigation.

And so, I uncovered a little science explaining how light can affect our neurologic and endocrine systems. The Endocrine system only influences almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies and plays a major role in regulating mood!! Quite significant then, right? And our Neurologic/ Nervous system are the cells, tissues and organs that regulate our body's response to external and internal stimuli. Hmm, isn't the sunlight a stimulus? Light bulb moment! (Pardon the pun). Mystery solved! Feeling delighted that I now have scientific proof and reasoning to carry on with my "supposedly" insane furniture moving habits. #JUSTIFIED

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Written by Sonja, staff writer with Family Friendly HQ and mummy blogger too!

Read Sonja's own blog at http://lifeisnotpinterestperfect.blogspot.ie/