Have you ever wondered why we seek sunny, warm climates, saunas, steam baths, and hot tubs? We seem to find the darkness and cold aversive. But we love warmth. It seems that the belief that saunas are good for your health may have merit. Following a sauna, electrical discharges in muscles show a more relaxed pattern. And a sauna can decrease pain in muscles and joints. One study revealed that 30 minutes in a sauna doubles beta-endorphin levels in the blood. Those are the chemicals in the brain that relieve pain, produce a sense of well being and perhaps even produce euphoria. The heat may deplete the body's stores of stress hormones. After a sauna people show more brain waves related to deeper more restful sleep. If you do not have a sauna many of the same benefits can be obtained by taking a very hot bath. It is a simple pleasure that can have multiple benefits.

We don't like cold and we don't like darkness. What about light? We do seem to respond very positively to the simple pleasure of sunshine. In fact, some people have a disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that is treated with light. You can build your resilience by seeking light and sunshine.

To recharge your batteries and build reslience you must get outdoors. Start planning events that permit you to do so.